Champagne
Bubbles, Monuments and Driving on the Right...
08.04.2011 - 11.04.2011
25 °C
I've finally slipped into the holiday vortex of not knowing what time or day it is. And we seem to be over our jetlag and sleeping through the night.
We left Paris on Friday... collected our car - a brand new Citroen C4 (Diesel) with six speeds and less than 50kms on the clock. Collecting the car was painless and I'm really glad we went with the diesel as we're getting 800-1000kms out of the tank with highway driving. So far Steve has done most of the driving, but today we have a long drive ahead of us, so we'll be sharing. The highways here are great (although all toll roads) with speed limits of 130kms/hr when sunny (which means that most people do 150kms/hr.
So we've been here in Champagne since Friday afternoon. The Chateau where we have been staying is lovely. Chateau du Mairy in Mairy-sur-Marne. Our hosts - Michelle and Franz are delightful and there have been two crazy dutch guys here for the weekend too which has been entertaining us at meals.
On Saturday we went to Epernay and did the champagne thing. Toured Moet & Chandon. 28kms of cellars underneath the buildings and probably about a million bottles of champagne aging in them. Pics attached.
After lunch and a wander around the town which is very picturesque... and managing to buy cold and flu drugs from the chemist in French (yes - I have a cold =( )... Went to another champagne house and sat in the sun tasting several of their champagnes.
Then home for a nap before heading out to dinner in Chalons where a jazz festival was underway. Music good. Food average. Service very poor.
Yesterday - we headed up to the Somme area to visit both the Australian and New Zealand memorials at Villers-Bretonneau and Caterpillar Valley respectively. Sobering stuff. The Australian memorial commemorates 11,000 servicemen whose graves are unknown. Both the memorials are immaculately kept.
This area of France is just so pretty. We're thinking of emmigrating.... just need to brush up on my French. =P
Last night was dinner at the chateau. Michelle's cooking was great. Home made pate, Coq au Vin, then Apple Tart for dessert... oh - and cheeses. So much cheese.
This morning we are heading to Loire... so have a long drive ahead.
Posted by LindsayandSteve 11.04.2011 01:49 Archived in France
