Visiting Vauban's Fortress at Besancon, France with Savvy Mom Ruth Paget
A visit to Madigan’s Pub was the first stop my husband and I
made in Besançon, France, famous for its Citadelle by Vauban (Born Sébastien
Le Prestre de Vauban 1633 – 1707).
Madigan’s serves Irish beer with French brasserie food such
as Croque Monsieur (smoked ham sandwich with melted cheese served with French
fries and salad), andouillettes (tripe sausage with mustard sauce and fries),
entrecote
Charolaise (Charollais beef steak), and salads with Celtic names. Their selection of regional specialties
appealed to us however.
I ordered escalope de volaille Franc-Comtoise (a gratinéed baked
casserole with chicken breast, cream, mushrooms, and strips of the region’s
flavorful ham). The casserole arrived at
the table bubbling hot in an oval dish. It was served with fries and salad on the
side.
My husband ordered jambon de Haut-Doubs braisé (braised ham from the
Haut-Doubs region). This came served
with a white cheese sauce flavored with chives.
We shared a cheese plate for dessert and loved the pronounced flavor
of the comté cheese. Comté is solid and
perfect for summer and winter dining, because it does not become runny. The region’s cancillote cheese is liquid in all
kinds of weather. It was easy to spread
on bread, but I thought it would be wonderful to cook with.
I wondered if this were the cheese in the
cheese sauce that came with the braised ham.
Chèvre goat cheese rounded out the cheese platter along with a salad
dressed with a tangy dressing.
Besançon is close to Switzerland, which explains the hearty food for
cold weather. The town is located on an
isthmus on the Doubs River. Vauban’s
towering and mammoth Citadelle Fortress dominates the town. It has been classified as a UNESCO World
Heritage site and is a major tourism draw for the town.
We set out along Grande Rue in the direction of the Citadelle (built between
1668 – 1683) and admired the Renaissance architecture along the way. I had done research on Vauban and filled my
husband in on details. My husband
patiently smiles when I do French tourism spiels.
Vauban was Louis XIV’s (1638 – 1715) chief military engineer. He built 160 fortifications in France during his lifetime and invented techniques that revolutionized warfare: parallel trench fighting, ricochet fire, and the creation of the bayonet.
His writings on fortifications and warfare
technique have been translated in many languages. According to the UNESCO World Heritage
website, regions where his work has been perpetuated include: Europe, the
American continent, Russia, Turkey, and the Far East.
Just as we were about to reach the zigzag road leading up to Vauban’s
Citadelle, we discovered Victor Hugo’s birthplace (1802 – 1885). Hugo’s father was a general, which explains
his presence in a garrison town. Right
across the street was the home of August (1862 – 1954) and Louis (1864 – 1948)
Lumière, who are considered to be the inventors of cinematography.
Right by these homes are the Square Castan and the Porte Noire. The Porte Noire is a Roman Arc de Triomphe leading up to the Citadelle. There are Roman ruins in the Square Castan that hearken back to Besançon’s ancient roots as the town of Vesontio. The Square is now a park where there is a Roman theatre, a grotto venerating nymphs, and eight Roman columns.
I thought this spot would be perfect for children to play Romans and
run up to the Citadelle to defend the town against invaders.
Photos of Victor Hugo's house and Roman ruins in Square Castan are below.
By Ruth Paget - Author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
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