We have now been in Epernay for 2 weeks so thought it must be time for an update. Our pace has definitely slowed down doing long lunch days, days at home relaxing but also some more sightseeing.

Our apartment is just outside the old town of Epernay which is great because Barney is parked right outside the front door. We have a rather large terrace which we spend a lot of time on. The bathroom is interesting and Greg has to be VERY careful with the low slanted ceilings in places. He has had a few gashes on the head!!!!

Firstly a little info on Epernay. It is 130 kms north east of Paris and in the heart of the Champagne region. Most of the town is built on chalk rock and there are many tunnels underground that have been cut for storing champers and wine. The town was founded in the 5th century by tanners and in 1024 was taken over by the “Counts of Champagne”.

Its main attraction is “the Avenue de Champagne” and one of the most prestigious streets in the world. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries when the “Art of Champagne” was perfected the producers built many magnificent mansions which today house some of the most prolific champagne producers in France. Over 200 million bottles of champers are stored below the Avenue with 8 of the Mansions having a combined total of 96 kms of tunnels.

The Hotel de Ville was originally a private mansion dating from the 19th Century and owned by the Moet Family. It is an historic monument and stands in a lovely park. Both the front and back “yards” are quite spectacular!

When we checked into our apartment our host told us about a “Soiree Blanche” or a White Evening that was being held along the Avenue de Champagne the following evening. It is a “gigantic picnic concert” that transforms the Avenue into a giant banquet so we thought….when in Epernay…. why not. 250 tables and 1500 chairs were set up down the Avenue for the 1000’s of people attending.

We took our picnic dinner and luckily found a couple of seats at a table with a lovely French couple. It started off quietly but once the champers got flowing, Rhonda’s French got a workout as did Google translate! After a while a young Swedish couple joined us, more champers flowed and there was a lot of laughter. It turned out a great night and because it was Bastille Day the evening ended with fireworks. Of course, one needed to wear white, so it was a good excuse for Rhonda to buy a pair of white pants.

Epernay is close to the larger city of Reims which we visited. The main attraction is the magnificent Reims Cathedral, a UNESCO world heritage site. It was damaged during the French Revolution and suffered greater damage through the 2 world wars due to German bombings. 32 Kings of France have been crowned in the Cathedral with the most famous being the Coronation of Chales V11 in 1429 with Jean of Arc at his side.

The facade is adorned with 2303 statues. We did notice that many of the statues were beheaded, damaged by revolutionaries which led to the introduction of the guillotine. The Rose windows are magnificent.

The other main church in Reims is the Basilica of Saint -Remi, a medieval Abby church. Although the outside was nowhere near as spectacular as the Cathedral, the interior was another story! It was stunning. Again, it is UNESCO listed and holds the relics of the bishop of Saint Remi in a very elaborate tomb.

The Porte de Mars is an ancient Roman Triumphal arch, it was the widest arch in the Roman world and dates back to the 3rd Century. It became part of the Castle of the Bishops in 1228 and in 1595 the openings ere blocked and it became encased in the city walls. It was not fully revealed again until 1844. Quite remarkable that it is still standing

. The Opera House was impressive and luckily after it burnt down in the First World War it was decided to keep the 19th Century facade in its reconstruction. After all the wandering in the WARM sun, we needed to hydrate so found a cute bar, another Ernest Hemingway bar!

We had a great time wandering around Reims. it is a lovely city.

The drive home through the vineyards was lovely and there will be lots more photos of the stunning vineyards to follow.

We have just realised there are no photos of food or drink, so here are a few just to remind you what we do on holidays!

It’s that time again, time for a champers!

Lots of love

Greg and Rhonda

xxx