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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, 2006tremendous thunderstorm started pelting
Well, as much as the walking tourthe city. I decided that rather than
through Old Montreal nourished my senseswait out this storm on the terrace of
and architectural sensibilities, mythe Café du Chateau, I was going to use
stomach was in dire need of nutritionmy time to actually explore the museum
and I was debating whether I shouldthat was housed in the adjoining
plunk myself down at one of the enticingbuilding.
terrace cafés on Place Jacques Cartier.The Chateau de Ramezay is a mansion that
Then I literally stumbled over thiswas built in 1705 for Claude de Ramezay,
beautiful small park, Place De LaMontreal's governor. Fourty years later
Dauversière off to the side of the mainit fell into the hands of the French
square. In the southeast corner of thisWest Indies Company which made it its
space is a little gate that looked likeheadquarters. After the conquest in 1760
the entrance to a garden and with mythe building was occupied by the
perennial curiosity I had to go check itBritish. It is known that General
out.Richard Montgomery and Benjamin
The view opened up into a beautifulFranklin, among other personalities,
French style horticultural sanctuary:have visited the Château.
the Governor's Garden, an example ofIn the spring of 1893 the government
garden design of the New France era moreowned the building, but it had no use
than 200 years ago. The beautiful thingfor it and put it up for auction. It was
is that access is always free of chargesaved from demolition and has been
and the extensive garden provides aoperating as a museum since 1895. For
welcome relief of nature in the middlethe last four years the building hosts a
of the stone buildings of Vieuxpermanent exhibition about the history
Montréal.of Montreal and Quebec, covering
Most of the plants are derived fromprehistory all the way until the early
species cultivated in New France and the20th century.
garden is subdivided into threeAs the thunderstorm was pelting the city
sections: the kitchen garden, an orchardI decided to educate myself a little
and a pleasure garden. Benches invitemore about early life in Montreal. The
you to sit down and enjoy the serenityexhibits include historic paintings,
of this green space. At the back of thefurniture, as well as everyday items
garden is a ramp leading up to aillustrating life over the last few
restaurant, the "Cafe du Chateau", withhundred years in what started out as
a large terrace covered by an awningVille-Marie and came to be known as
that features wooden tables. I had foundMontreal. The items illustrating the
the perfect spot for a lunch.day-to-day life of regular people
So I sat down and started jotting downfascinated me the most, such as ladies
my impressions in my travel journal andshoes, a fireman's helmet or a
perused the menu which features achildren's winter coat, a sleigh and a
variety of salads, sandwiches, desserts"pennyfarthing", an early version of a
and refreshments. I decided on somebicycle, featuring an oversized front
light fare and ordered an endive saladwheel and a tiny rear wheel. A loom and
with little balls of goat cheese,various every-day implements further
covered in pistachios, pine nuts andillustrate life in the new colonies over
miniature croutons, followed by athe last couple of hundred years.
wonderful Quebec cheese plate thatUntil October 1, 2006 a temporary
featured three different types ofexhibition is also housed by the Chateau
Quebec-made cheese, fresh grapes, cut-upde Ramezay: "Gardening in Paris during
green apples, and a paste made from drythe Monarchy" introduces the visitors to
dates and toast.the formal gardens of Paris more than
The meal was very savoury and the200 years ago. An upcoming exhibition
contrasting tastes of the three cheesescalled "Crime and Punishment' will talk
together with the sweet tastes of theabout justice in the new colonies.
fruit and the date paste presented anI had found the perfect way to deal with
interesting variety of flavours to mythe thunderstorm: brush up on Montreal's
palate. I was enjoying my meal andhistory at the Chateau de Ramezay. Now
noticed that from my table I could evenit was time to head back to rest up for
see the cupola of the Bonsecours Marketmy evening explorations of the St. Denis
peaking out between the old buildings.neighbourhood and a tasty Mexican dinner
Unfortunately my serenity was cut shortat La Iguana.
as the heavens opened up and a



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