Montbéliard - history & industry

P1000329

All together, before and after our trip to Germany and the Lorraine, we spent approximately 3 days in Montbéliard.

The town was transformed from a medieval capital into a renaissance princetom by the builder/architect Heinrich Schickhardt. Employed by Earl Friedrich of Württemberg he built  the church St. Martin, oversaw the building of the Château des Ducs de Württemberg and built castles, bridges and mills in several other locations. He also built the town Freudenstadt and the Schiller Platz in Stuttgart, Germany.

P1000328

Were it not for the cafes and nice shopping areas, the town would carry a rather sober, lutheran look. There are some fantastic museums, one being located inside the castle, and, my favourite, the Peugeot Museum, a 4km bike ride away. This museum features all the diversity of the Peugeot enterprises, like tools, pepper mills ,coffee grinders, bicycles and an amazing display into the history of car manufacturing.

P1000406

We met a young Frenchman on a sailing yacht in the marina in Montbéliard, who is shortly setting off on the trip of his lifetime circumnavigating the globe. We gave him our card and, if he contacts us coming to Australia, we will surely introduce him to fellow world navigators Vicky and Andrew.

Lots of horn-peeping of passing fans kept me awake till 1am after France played Ecuador in the world cup in Brazil. Who cares that it was a draw!

The next few days it will be go-go-go to Mulhouse. No rest for the wicked canal cruisers! 

© Austin Robinson 2019