Advertisement
Published: October 3rd 2008
Edit Blog Post
Epernay Tourist Information
The sizes of bottles of Champagne Thursday continued
We had dinner at The Hippopotamus, next door, a little pricey, but nice food, A Steak and a prawns, kebab, spring roll thingy.
I don't remember hearing one car horn beep at us today. We take it in turns on a daily basis to do the driving.
I don't think I really mentioned it before, but I was underwhelmed by Reims, I had expected much more to be made of the Champagne business, but it was hardly even mentioned in the Tourist Information.
Friday, 3 October, 2008
The plan today is to travel from Reims to Chalons En Champagne, via Epernay.
Overall, We have decided that as neither of us has been to Luxembourg, that we will give it a look, as we are heading in that general direction, so we will go via Verdun to Luxembourg. Then back across country to Fontainebleu.
As for today we set off about 1000 ish, as usual.
Headed for Epernay, the capital of the Champagne region. Found an underground car park, they have a lot of them and headed straight for a coffee at a little Cafe - Le Bodega.
Found the Tourist
Office, now this place was really set up regarding Champagne, even to the extent of having a free champagne “Degustation” - tasting - in the actual office itself. We got our free tickets, but Pat thought it was a little early even for her (1100 hrs) and I don't drink, but it was a good start to the town visit!
Having got the Town Map we found we were just across the round from several Champagne houses, they litter the place of course, and the first one was Moet & Chandon, which advertised cellar tours, so away we went.
Very smart offices, and very helpful, various Tours, we took the Traditionalle - Tour of the cellars and a glass of bubbly - for 13 Euro's each. The next English Tour was in 20 mins, at 1150, Pat said it was the best waiting room she had ever been in.
Our tour was us and two Americans, so very one on one and an excellent English speaking guide. You see a short film about Champagne, then down into the cellars. Mr Moet had an association with Napoleon, and there is a lot of history attached to Champagne, 300
million bottles are produced yearly and 200 million are drunk in France. I think she said there were 2000 champagne houses, so we don't get to hear of most of them. The smallest producer is about 2000 bottles.
The underground caverns are simply filled with hundreds of thousands of bottles of Champagne and is very impressive. Finally a tasting of the Brut Imperial. Well worth it and lasted well over an hour.
On the way into Epernay you do see vinyards, but by no means in the magnitude I expected.
The weather wasn't very kind to us and it was raining so we decided to have lunch at Le Central, two plat du jours, Starters, Liver and Eggs, then Salmon and Shepherds Pie, then Chocolate Mousses, 12.50 Euro's each. Good food and good value.
We noticed what we thought some Moet & Chandon workers came in for a lunch, and amusingly they had Champagne with their lunch, although, I couldn't see what make.
The driver was changed half way through today because of the tasting, just in case!
As the weather was rubbish, we headed off for the Marne 14 - 18 Museum, in
Moet & Chandon Cellars
Thousands & Thousands of bottles Suippes. Another fascinating place with lots of information, which kept us occupied for a couple of hours.
Headed for Chalons En Champagne, and found the hotel with little problem.
Although we have passed a few Cemeteries today, we haven't actually visited one.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.566s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 12; qc: 60; dbt: 0.3225s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb