I get no kick from champagne

Not strictly true, a bit of artistic license as actual champagne has been in short supply here, but we are having a good time learning about it and seeing it growing on trees (well, vines).  We liked Epernay, and the weather was good so we stayed a few days.  We arrived to learn that there was a ‘son et lumiere’ at one of the champagne houses, starting at 10 pm.  We managed to keep awake long enough to walk into town to see it and it was great, a very inventive fast moving champagne themed animation, with music,  projected onto the entire facade of the building.  It is difficult to describe but they really used the windows, columns, shutters etc to good effect – even the statue (prancing horse with rider) in front of the building was lit to fit the story, eg when the animation was about can-can nightclubs the horse was wearing fish-net stockings.  OK, perhaps you had to be there.

Trompe d'oeil in Epernay

We did the obligatory tour round a champagne house (Georges Cartier – never heard of it but never mind) and cellars, with tasting – and a taste was all you got, but it was nice fizz in a nice glass.  Of course we could have bought some to take away, but the good stuff is as expensive as it is at home, unlike other wines and beers.  It is amazing that all the ‘real’ champagne in the world is made in such a small area.  It is a complex and highly regulated business, eg the date for the beginning of the harvest is set by law, and varies with the season and weather etc.  At the moment they think it will be 20^th September.

We also went for a short bike ride/push around the nearest ‘grand cru’ champagne village, Cumieres.  It was a bit steep up into the vineyards, but worth it on a lovely sunny day.  The village was pretty with lots of tiny independent champagne houses (it seemed like every other house) who apparently make some of their own champagne and also sell grapes and juice to the bigger and well known houses.  We didn’t see any for sale though.

Some of the 15,000 independent producers of champagne

We moved on from Epernay and drove through some more champagne villages, and so did what we had planned to in May if it hadn’t been raining so hard.  As a last attempt to find some ‘artisan’ champagne, we made for a France Passion site near Troyes, which was supposed to be run by a champagne producer.  Hey ho – out of business we think, although the FP site is still there and very well appointed too.  Just as well, as about an hour after we pitched up, a convoy of 5 motorhomes hove into view and pitched beside us.  They turned out to be a very friendly bunch of German, Belgian and Dutch campers who were members of the NSU Wankel-Spider owners club (a small red sports car manufactured in the 1970s, if you are as confused as we were).  They were charming and we sat and had tea and cakes with them.  By the time we had finished a Danish family and a French couple had also arrived.  So much for a small quiet site!  None-the-less it was delightful, parked among the fruit trees on the edge of a small village.

Sheila and friend in Troyes

Now we are at Troyes Municipal Camp site, which is much better than it sounds.   Troyes has been a revelation, it is a very attractive town with lots of three storey half timbered houses painted in pastel colours, some lovingly restored, others seemingly about to fall down.  We have spent two half days wandering the streets and visiting various churches in various styles.  The cathedral was by far the best, to our way of thinking; while we were there they were playing a sung mass over the sound system which was really echo-y, in a good way, it was very atmospheric.  Claim to fame –Joan of Arc stayed there on her way to Reims.

Typical old street in Troyes

Tomorrow we are off again, in search of the source of the Moselle, which is somewhere around Epinal.  Plan A (to follow the Moselle to where it flows into the Rhine) is still on, stopping to walk, cycle and imbibe at regular intervals on the way.