Montpellier

 [23mar22] Another walking day: to the Arc de Triomphe, passing through quaint quiet attractive old

neighborhoods, particularly the Place de Marché des Fleurs.  Arc de Triomphe is spectacular, next to an equally impressive Palais de Justice, and the Promenade de Peyrou that has a great view of the surrounding hills and the aqueduct built by Peyrou to supply the city's fountains.  The Jardin des Plantes – oldest botanical garden in Europe – opens at noon, so we walk around to the Cathedral St.Etienne, with its obscure side entrance, but huge interior space, really huge and rather stark, in keeping with its 13th century origin – though of course several later kings and bishops added chapels, stained-glass, and organ.  While there, the organ started up, providing appropriate sonic accompaniment to the surroundings (ref. My

video).  

We return to the garden to await its opening, chatting with some Chicago tourists (go Bears!).  The garden is very nice place for sauntering, and many plants have identifying tags and several educational placards.  But overall it is not tidy, evidently because there's no fee charged for entry.  There was evidence of a few successive waves of informative markers, and some obvious new plantings, but no evidence of consistent support for improvements and maintenance.  It started as a medicinal herb garden for the nearby medical school (also the oldest in Europe), when medicine only came from herbs.  One of the early managers of the garden wrote an early compendium of plants, forerunner of Linneaus's categorization.  Certain (then)exotic flowering plants he named after his colleagues Magnol, Bauhin, and Fuchs: thus we now have Magnolia, Bauhinia, and Fuchsia plants! 

Lunchtime, I find that a guidebook-recommended restaurant Le Petit Jardin is nearby.  We decide on this treat: their garden is closed, but we ate in the bistro section (no white tablecloth, and cheaper), for gourmet lunch that I did not properly translate: poitrine de cochon & tagine de lieu jaune: pork ribs and tagine with fish (pollock). Perfectly cooked and presented, excellent taste, particularly the sauce on the pork.   I also ordered le café gourmand, after being assured that they had décaféiné.   We find that le café gourmand is actually a full dessert sampler plate with an espresso!  Excellent, so we can share the 4 little incredible desserts on the plate.  

Walk back past the cathedral to catch the metro to the Corum, a convention center near our apartment.  Finishing another 11thousand steps.   Order pizza (la reine: ham and olives) & salad from The White Cat.