26 October 2011

A MUSEUM FOR EVERYTHING

Over the years we have visited all sorts of museums in France ~ car museums, motorcycle museums, museums for mushrooms, wine, tools and prehistory.

This summer we ventured south by about 65 km to the town of Montmorillon and this time we were interested in the MACARON MUSEUM !!

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I found a leaflet for it in L’Office de Tourisme in the village and we simply had to go !!

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The museum is on the upper floor of this shop and tells all about the production of almonds, the history of macarons, and the escapades of the family that have been making them in the town for many, many years.

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There was a modest entrance fee and for this we had a tour of the museum, a very quaint film to watch and a dégustation – a tasting of some of the macarons the company still produce.

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These are not the glossy fashionable macarons that you see in all the fancy shop windows ~ the guide was very keen to point out that the family were making macrons like this first and they have an enduring quality.  They certainly were delicious.

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There was all sorts of paraphernalia on display relating to the production of macarons ~ I rather liked the knobs and levers to twiddle on this one.

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Mind you, this was parked a couple of streets away in the town and the knobs and levers on it looked more worthwhile twiddling !!

Montmorillon is an interesting town and there will be more about it later ~ a nice place to go on a dull and drizzly Monday afternoon.

13 comments:

  1. Nice 2CV!

    You know, the red ones do look more sporty but that often surprises people who buy them only to find that the blue ones go faster!

    All the best

    Keith

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  2. Hello Jean:
    How absolutely fascinating and we know that we should much enjoy a visit to this very unusual, possibly unique, museum. Like you, we derive much pleasure from visiting small, relatively unknown museums and have, in the past, found some exceptional treasures, many of which are to be found close at hand in Budapest.

    When in Paris we usually treat ourselves at Ladurée!

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  3. Now you've really hit the spot with this blog, Jean, speaking as one who knows her knobs.. Not too sure about the levers - though I suppose I could get to know and love them!

    What a cracking museum!

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  4. Such a treat for the eyes, those macarons. Oh, but for a taste!

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  5. If they contain coconut it's the place for me!

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  6. Macarons and a 2CV in the same post, Wow. Diane

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  7. The Tour de France de Macaron intrigues me. It would be so much less strenuous than the bike Tour.

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  8. I always wanted a 2cv...
    my arse is too big for one and I couldnt get a pig in the back!

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  9. A very nice Red Special.... much better doors on it than Magrat's!! And 'chromed' headlights too!!... the macaron machine looks far too complex.... give me the simplicity of the Deuche!!
    John Gray.... get one, they are more roomy than you think... and Keith... the red ones go much faster than the blue ones!! ;-)

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  10. Keith - as a Renault 4 fan even I could see this was a nice specimen - I had you in mind when I posted it !!

    Jane and Lance - it was fun and fascinating.

    Elizabeth - levers are fun too, but knobs are best !!

    Rob-Bear - they were delicious !

    Gaynor - they were almond not coconut, but I do love (and make) a nice coconut macaroon too.

    Diane - good eh !!

    Carolyn - I agree, much better !!

    John - naturally I can't comment on your derrière but I take your point about the pig !!

    Tim - I knew you'd like it !!

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  11. Mmmmmm, macaroons!

    Sp

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  12. The town looks charming. Can't wait to learn more about it. I also love twiddling knobs. I probably would have taken 10 pictures of that one machine! AND... the macaroons. One of my favorite food groups. It looks like a fun and unusual day.

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  13. Having gained the surname Almond on marriage, I love macarons even more now! My daughter's boyfriend has just given her a fabulous birthday present too- a day's cookery school, learning ot make them.

    GREAT post, thanks!

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