Rochefort museum savors the 'every days' of yore

At the beginning of the 20th century, one could find all kinds of
products at their local grocers. This shop is on display at
Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

Growing up, I collected postage stamps, a hobby my dad started for me. I also had a doll collection, which Santa, the Easter Bunny, and my mom cultivated. I still have a bowl of polished stones that rocked my world when I was about 11. In my teens, I amassed shelves full of children's books. Nowadays, I prefer to collect memories.

A recreation of a local bar is on display
at Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

Sometimes a collection can turn into an accumulation, and then, perhaps, become a passion. This is what happened with Christine and Jean-François Bourbigot, the founders of the charming Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois (Old Trade Museum) in Rochefort. Visiting this museum with my sister is the perfect respite from a horrifying news week. During our visit, we check out thousands of objects and faithfully recreated rooms and shops from the early 1900s. 

Shoes gained popularity over clogs at the dawn of the 20th century. A cobbler's
workshop is on display at Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

A tea shop from the early 1900s is on display at
Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

Christine and Jean-François started collecting items related to trade and crafts in the early 1980s. By 1988 their collection had expanded so much that they began looking for a space in which to create a museum to showcase their vast collection. Soon they found the perfect location: a 1,000-square-meter hardware warehouse full of Eiffel-style architectural touches located in the center of Rochefort. 

Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois is located in an Eiffel-style
former hardware warehouse in the center of Rochefort.

Photography was a rapidly expanding profession at the beginning
of the 20th century. This studio is located at Musée des Commerces
d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

Today, visitors can wander at leisure through the museum, admiring thousands of advertising mementos including enamel plaques posters, and tchotchkes. Best of all, Christine and Jean-François recreated more than a dozen life-size rooms, shops, and artisan workshops, filled to the brim with original items of all kinds. 

Coffee gained popularity in the early 1900s. Café Freddy can
be found at Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort. 

One can imagine a rowdy game of foosball at
Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

This sad fellow is one of thousands of advertising mementos
at Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

Our visit starts in a school classroom complete with desks, posters, books, and pens and ink, with which guests can try their hands at writing the way students used to do. On the upper three floors, we find an array of shops including haberdashery, dry cleaning workshop, chemist, photography studio, cobbler, general store, grocery, seed shop, hairdresser, café, and newsstand, each chockfull of details. Signs in French and in English are displayed by each shop. 

At the beginning of the 20th century, people of all ages wouldn't go out
without their hats. This haberdashery is on display at Musée des Commerces
d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

A century ago, customers would have their clothes dyed as well as
dry-cleaned in workshops such as this one found at Musée des
Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

In the early 1900s, hairdressers would offer manicures, massages,
perfume, wigs, and accessories in addition to shaves and haircuts. This
shop is on display at Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

The day of our visit is as gray as our moods, and although the city isn't particularly stunning, Rochefort offers a variety of sites that could provide a full day or two of museum-hopping. To know more about Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois, visit museedescommerces.com. 

This is one of many unusual marketing objects found at
Musée des Commerces d'Autrefois in Rochefort.

Savor a mid-winter break in Bayonne

A view across the Nive River is seen from the Musée Basque in Bayonne. 

Just after New Year's, we decided to break up the winter blahs with a trip to Bayonne. This beautiful city is located in the Basque region of southwest France, a 40-minute drive from the Spanish border. Our travels have taken us to the Spanish Basque region several times, but this is our first visit to France's Basque Country. There are notable differences; most prominent to us is the lack of a robust pintxo culture. 

In Spain's Basque cities, early evening is all about finding a bar (or several bars) and enjoying a selection of small snacks, called pinxtos (or pinchos), known elsewhere as tapas. Since we usually have a substantial lunch when we're traveling, these small plates are more than adequate for our evening meal. Unfortunately, there are only a few pinxto bars open during our trip as many places are closed in January. Don't worry: We eat more than enough good food while here.

Salt-cured hams hang in the atelier of Pierre Ibaialde in Bayonne.

Bayonne's most famous delicacies are ham and chocolate. On the rainier day of our visit, we reserve a tour of Pierre Ibaialde's famous Jambon de Bayonne atelier. The lecture (in French) lasts nearly an hour, ample time to hear how Jambon de Bayonne is created and what makes it special. In brief, it's where the pigs are raised, what they eat, and what curing salt is used. All elements are local. Our guide escorts us upstairs to the top floor where we see hundreds of hams in process of being salt-cured. Then, just as I think I can't see or smell any more Jambon de Bayonne, we are offered a plate of samples. Although not for everyone, I would recommend a visit to Pierre Ibaialde's place to those seeking a true ham-laden Bayonne experience.

Hot chocolate is a perfect mid-morning treat while
waiting for the rain to stop in Bayonne.

Conscious of how many sweets we ate during the holidays, we wisely avoid a tour of The Bayonne Chocolate Workshop. I'm not sure I would have had enough willpower. But we do treat ourselves to a yummy cup of hot chocolate while waiting for the rain to let up. 

I'm dazzled by the interior of Bayonne's Cathédrale Sainte-Marie.

With its vividly adorned walls and ceilings, and beautiful stained-glass windows, Bayonne's Gothic-style Cathédrale Sainte-Marie is a delightful site. The original church was damaged by fire, so the cathedral was rebuilt between 1258 and 1450. The two spires were added in the late 19th century, and there's a large cloister adjacent. Both the cathedral and the cloister are free to visit. 

Another notable stop during our trip is the DIDAM gallery. This free exposition space is located alongside the Adour River in the Saint-Esprit quarter. On show during our visit is an exhibit of war photography with bios supplied by cartoons. There are no explanations in English, but the pictures tell a compelling story. Judging by how few visitors are here, I'd call DIDAM a hidden gem.

Visitors aren't allowed at Bayonne's Château Vieux. Built to house
the city's governors, it is now a regimental officer's mess.

As the sun sets, Bayonne shines, as seen across the Adour river.

Ancient artifacts are housed at the Basque Museum in Bayonne.
The museum provides an excellent English guidebook.

The cultural highlight of our time in Bayonne is the Musée Basque et de l'Histoire de Bayonne, considered to be the Basque Country's most important cultural museum. We spend several hours here looking at examples of Basque life and exploring the history of Bayonne and its port.

Authentic furnishings are featured at Bayonne's Basque Museum.

 

This loom is on display at the Basque Museum in Bayonne.

As we wander around, we wonder why it took us so long
to come to the charming city of Bayonne.