The, presumably vaccinated, citizens of Chalon seated at the many cafes and bars on the square studiously ignored the march as it passed by on its way to create traffic chaos around town. It had been a long drive from Brussels and we just wanted to have lunch washed down with a glass of something delicious from a nearby Burgundian vineyard. This ruckus was not part of the plan but, while I may not agree with the marchers, I have to give them points for wordplay.
The conjuring of Big Brother made me smile. Joseph of Cluny. We made our way along pedestrianised streets to the Place Saint-Vincent.
The square was full of people eating and drinking, we pulled up a chair and joined them just as a wedding party rolled into the cathedral. After a long lunch under a warm late September sun, we walked along the banks of the River Saone. We did though venture across the Saint-Laurent bridge to the island that sits in the middle of the river. From the town side of the river, the island looks like it has interesting old buildings.
On closer inspection, these were pretty disappointing. We walked around the island and down a street full of restaurants back to town. Meandering through the pedestrianised streets of the historic centre doing some window shopping was a pleasure. It may be a charming and historic place, but you could not accuse Chalon of being big.
We made it back to our hotel just in time to miss a torrential downpour. Chalon was a break on our journey to Provence. Making an heliographic image is not easy, and it beggars belief how anyone would invent it. First, coat a metal plate with Bitumen of Judea that has been dissolved in lavender essence to make it photosensitive. Once dried, place it in a camera obscura and expose it to the light for several hours. The bitumen exposed to light hardens. The museum is small but fascinating.
