After New York, Stanley went to my friend Paul in France and spent a whole Saturday with him. These were their adventures in Montpellier, a city in the south of France.
A FLAT STANLEY SATURDAY
Stanley and I took a 3-minute walk to the market on Saturday. We took a selfie (01) along the way.
We walked under the Porte de Peyrou, also known as the Arc de Triomphe. It was built in 1693 and was dedicated to King Louis XIV (he's the king with the palace in Versailles, which is not too far from Paris). In fact, the entire Peyrou Park (02) was dedicated to him! You can see the statue of Louis in the middle of the park, which at that time was the highest point in all of Montpellier. Louis XIV liked himself a lot and didn't want anything higher than his statue to be built. You can also see the water castle in the background, and more closely in the next photo (03). You can also see the 17th century Saint-Clément Aqueduct to the left. It goes through Les Arceaux ("The Arches") part of the city. The aqueduct was used to bring water from the St Clément spring 14 km away.
Peyrou Park is my favorite place in Montpellier. It’s peaceful, even though it is in the middle of town. It feels like everything good about Montpellier comes together here, and you can see far into the distance. The Cévennes mountains peacefully lay in the distance to the east and the west. You can see the sea to the south. And sunsets are always a treat. Everyone brings their dogs in the evenings after work, and they go swimming at the water castle. There are antique markets on Sundays, where they sell very ancient things. Everyone you pass looks happy because it seems like they understand what a special place it is.
The market is in Les Arceaux, set up in between the pillars of the aqueduct! I always try to go there every Saturday, even if I don't feel like it, because I know that I’ll feel better afterwards. It’s a way to connect myself with the life of the city. The people that go there appreciate eating good, healthy, local food. I feel more alive when I eat the fruits and veggies that grow from the ground close to me. Farmers bring their harvests, bakers bring their breads, collectors bring their books and old coins, and buskers fill the air with music. You can also find street food, like farçous, curçous and chichous (04)! They come from the Aveyron region, just northwest of Montpellier. They are similar to veggie burgers and fried in a giant pan. Each one tastes different: farçous are made from chards, chichous are made from chick peas, and curçous are made from curry and apples! The greens (cheaper than the supermarket) come from a farm right outside Montpellier.
For dessert, we had the most delicious home-made macarons from a lady who also teaches people how to make them (05). Stanley ate his raspberry macaron in one bite!
We took a nap after lunch. From my bed, you get a great view of the St. Anne church, built in the 1800s. It’s no longer a church; it’s an art museum now! Stanley wanted to get a photo of himself floating in front of the window (06). It looks like he’s going to stay in Montpellier and train to be a magician!
A FLAT STANLEY SATURDAY
Stanley and I took a 3-minute walk to the market on Saturday. We took a selfie (01) along the way.
We walked under the Porte de Peyrou, also known as the Arc de Triomphe. It was built in 1693 and was dedicated to King Louis XIV (he's the king with the palace in Versailles, which is not too far from Paris). In fact, the entire Peyrou Park (02) was dedicated to him! You can see the statue of Louis in the middle of the park, which at that time was the highest point in all of Montpellier. Louis XIV liked himself a lot and didn't want anything higher than his statue to be built. You can also see the water castle in the background, and more closely in the next photo (03). You can also see the 17th century Saint-Clément Aqueduct to the left. It goes through Les Arceaux ("The Arches") part of the city. The aqueduct was used to bring water from the St Clément spring 14 km away.
Peyrou Park is my favorite place in Montpellier. It’s peaceful, even though it is in the middle of town. It feels like everything good about Montpellier comes together here, and you can see far into the distance. The Cévennes mountains peacefully lay in the distance to the east and the west. You can see the sea to the south. And sunsets are always a treat. Everyone brings their dogs in the evenings after work, and they go swimming at the water castle. There are antique markets on Sundays, where they sell very ancient things. Everyone you pass looks happy because it seems like they understand what a special place it is.
The market is in Les Arceaux, set up in between the pillars of the aqueduct! I always try to go there every Saturday, even if I don't feel like it, because I know that I’ll feel better afterwards. It’s a way to connect myself with the life of the city. The people that go there appreciate eating good, healthy, local food. I feel more alive when I eat the fruits and veggies that grow from the ground close to me. Farmers bring their harvests, bakers bring their breads, collectors bring their books and old coins, and buskers fill the air with music. You can also find street food, like farçous, curçous and chichous (04)! They come from the Aveyron region, just northwest of Montpellier. They are similar to veggie burgers and fried in a giant pan. Each one tastes different: farçous are made from chards, chichous are made from chick peas, and curçous are made from curry and apples! The greens (cheaper than the supermarket) come from a farm right outside Montpellier.
For dessert, we had the most delicious home-made macarons from a lady who also teaches people how to make them (05). Stanley ate his raspberry macaron in one bite!
We took a nap after lunch. From my bed, you get a great view of the St. Anne church, built in the 1800s. It’s no longer a church; it’s an art museum now! Stanley wanted to get a photo of himself floating in front of the window (06). It looks like he’s going to stay in Montpellier and train to be a magician!