Hesdin

Why we went to Hesdin on Chris's birthday needs some explaining. It's about 20k east of Montreuil and I was expecting quite a lot from this place. It features in Gregg's book on the best markets in France. But even more important it provides us with real northern French dialogues in our course book The French Experience.

 We learn that M. Vertilingun is (or was) a pâtissier in Hesdin. He tells us that the preferred cake or pastry in France is ... the éclair au chocolat. Hence we were on a mission from God to find Vertilingun's boulangerie.

Through the ancient streets of Hesdin on a non-market day we tramped. Re-tracing our steps several times, we still sought out the Vertilingun.

 Most of the boulangeries were very closed despite it being mid-morning. Ah, it was Monday.

 For a really small town somewhere in Pas-de-Calais it is defo over-quota on boulangeries. The pharmacists must be livid.

 This one was open and we purchased bread and pastry. We had failed to find the legendary Vertilingun bread shop. Perhaps he developed heart trouble.

 We did find this place and wondered what on earth they dispensed to the populace. Though it's friendly to see the German rock band Bosse celebrated so far from the Reich - maybe they're into hygienic social action.