Thursday 30 October to Sunday 2 November 2025

Lady P returns to Troyes on efficient France railways and we debrief and settle into a G n T and fresh Nicoise salad. Friday not much doing. Saturday, into the marche again and to avoid the rain shower we took refuge in a bar and drank two very large glasses of Champagne. Flashy can get a bit carried away when he sees a menu with wine by the small and large glass. Plus, the waiter was a bit heavy handed. We cruised back for home made pizza for dinner.

We head off in the rain on Sunday into town as it’s the first Sunday of the month and most of the museums are free. First stop is The Cité du Vitrail (Stained Glass Museum) which is located in the west wing of the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte, a listed historical monument of the 12th century. Within the walls of the Hôtel is one of the most remarkable apothecaries in France, dating from 1725, it has been preserved as it was then. There were some dodgy potions administered in those days, the least of which was mercury and the really scary one was made from ground up viper, opium, dried placenta and the scalp scrapings of a man executed in great pain.

The adjoining Stained Glass museum was likewise fascinating and informative. Just like all good museums should be.

Two museums done, two hours of standing, climbing stairs and walking and we needed a sit down. Luckily, L’Etoile Restaurant was open. Not much English spoken; menu in French; and full of locals. That’s want we want. We were well treated by the efficient staff who probably wondered how we got there in the first place. It is off the main drag and clearly not touristy.

We enjoyed a coup of Champagne while we decided on the menu d’moment – entrée of terrine du chef for Flashy and salade d’endive melee de radis aux croutons ailles et gesiers de volaille - endive salad mixed with radishes, garlic croutons and poultry gizzards for Lady P. Then for the Plat, lieu jaune roti sur poelee forestiere et son beurre et pommed du terre aux herbes - roasted pollack on a forest pan and potatoes with herb butter for Lady P. Salmis de pintade aux pommes et chataignes – guinea fowl with apples and chestnuts, for Flashy.

Both choices were excellent and the Cote du Rhone red was also very good. However, we needed another half hour before the next museum opened, so an assiette de fromages – selection of cheeses, was ordered. Lady P also tried la Prunelle de Troyes, a 40% liqueur locally distilled since 1840. It is made from sloe stones that are crushed and macerated in alcohol, before double distillation in a still. Pretty good, too.

That took us to 2.00 pm and we wandered off to maison de l’outil et de la pensée ouviere – literally the house of tool and open thought. A magnificent collection of all manner of medieval masonry, carpentry, plumbing, wheelwrights, plasterers, tanners, blacksmiths and the like, tools of trade. Another good choice and a walk home in the cold but dry weather.

They say inside, the floors are level.


Prunelle d'Troyes.
Medieval carpentry tools.

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