Montbard and Buffon

View from the top of the Tour in Buffon's Gardens Montbard

We learned quite a bit about George-Louis Leclerk, Comte de Buffon whilst in Montbard.

An 18th Century naturalist he is best known for his 36 volume Historie Naturelles documenting animal and bird life from all corners of the known world.  He was born in Montbard and as soon as he was able, he set about demolishing the Castle of the Dukes of Burgundy and creating a garden and animal park in the grounds which became famous throughout France at the time.



I'm afraid that is didn't take any photos of this garden as it had odd bright yellow wood chip mulch around all the plants which was quite off putting.

The only remaining structure from the Duke of Burgundy's time is the Tour where his soldiers lived, and this is where our tour started. Free and in English.




Amazingly were in Montbaun on market day. The car park of the Casino supermarket was the venue.

I'm on the lookout for a French farmer who has a little surpus veg to sell along with some eggs and a neighbours goats cheese. He or she will have balancing scales and a rusty cash box.

There were all the usual cheap clothes, shoes, handbags, furniture, North African goods made goodness knows where etc etc.  Quite a large vegetable section including a large stall with a huge range of 'bio' veg and we found wild strawberries, some delicious sugar snap peas and some spring onions which still had all the green bit on them.