Hello From Montreal - Part 7 - A Delicious Outside Lunch At The Café Du Chateau, A Major Thunderstorm And A Tour Through Musée De Ramezay

June 30, 2006heavens opened up and a tremendous
Well, as much as the walking tour through Oldthunderstorm started pelting the city. I decided
Montreal nourished my senses and architecturalthat rather than wait out this storm on the
sensibilities, my stomach was in dire need ofterrace of the Café du Chateau, I was
nutrition and I was debating whether I shouldgoing to use my time to actually explore the
plunk myself down at one of the enticing terracemuseum that was housed in the adjoining building.
cafés on Place Jacques Cartier. Then IThe Chateau de Ramezay is a mansion that was
literally stumbled over this beautiful small park,built in 1705 for Claude de Ramezay, Montreal's
Place De La Dauversière off to the side ofgovernor. Fourty years later it fell into the hands
the main square. In the southeast corner of thisof the French West Indies Company which made
space is a little gate that looked like the entranceit its headquarters. After the conquest in 1760 the
to a garden and with my perennial curiosity I hadbuilding was occupied by the British. It is known
to go check it out.that General Richard Montgomery and Benjamin
The view opened up into a beautiful French styleFranklin, among other personalities, have visited
horticultural sanctuary: the Governor's Garden, anthe Château.
example of garden design of the New France eraIn the spring of 1893 the government owned the
more than 200 years ago. The beautiful thing isbuilding, but it had no use for it and put it up for
that access is always free of charge and theauction. It was saved from demolition and has
extensive garden provides a welcome relief ofbeen operating as a museum since 1895. For the
nature in the middle of the stone buildings oflast four years the building hosts a permanent
Vieux Montréal.exhibition about the history of Montreal and
Most of the plants are derived from speciesQuebec, covering prehistory all the way until the
cultivated in New France and the garden isearly 20th century.
subdivided into three sections: the kitchen garden,As the thunderstorm was pelting the city I
an orchard and a pleasure garden. Benches invitedecided to educate myself a little more about
you to sit down and enjoy the serenity of thisearly life in Montreal. The exhibits include historic
green space. At the back of the garden is a ramppaintings, furniture, as well as everyday items
leading up to a restaurant, the "Cafe du Chateau",illustrating life over the last few hundred years in
with a large terrace covered by an awning thatwhat started out as Ville-Marie and came to be
features wooden tables. I had found the perfectknown as Montreal. The items illustrating the
spot for a lunch.day-to-day life of regular people fascinated me
So I sat down and started jotting down mythe most, such as ladies shoes, a fireman's helmet
impressions in my travel journal and perused theor a children's winter coat, a sleigh and a
menu which features a variety of salads,"pennyfarthing", an early version of a bicycle,
sandwiches, desserts and refreshments. I decidedfeaturing an oversized front wheel and a tiny rear
on some light fare and ordered an endive saladwheel. A loom and various every-day implements
with little balls of goat cheese, covered infurther illustrate life in the new colonies over the
pistachios, pine nuts and miniature croutons,last couple of hundred years.
followed by a wonderful Quebec cheese plateUntil October 1, 2006 a temporary exhibition is
that featured three different types ofalso housed by the Chateau de Ramezay:
Quebec-made cheese, fresh grapes, cut-up green"Gardening in Paris during the Monarchy"
apples, and a paste made from dry dates andintroduces the visitors to the formal gardens of
toast.Paris more than 200 years ago. An upcoming
The meal was very savoury and the contrastingexhibition called "Crime and Punishment' will talk
tastes of the three cheeses together with theabout justice in the new colonies.
sweet tastes of the fruit and the date pasteI had found the perfect way to deal with the
presented an interesting variety of flavours tothunderstorm: brush up on Montreal's history at
my palate. I was enjoying my meal and noticedthe Chateau de Ramezay. Now it was time to
that from my table I could even see the cupolahead back to rest up for my evening explorations
of the Bonsecours Market peaking out betweenof the St. Denis neighbourhood and a tasty
the old buildings.Mexican dinner at La Iguana.
Unfortunately my serenity was cut short as the