Epernay on Monday

Our B&B is fabulous.  So quiet and comfortable.  We set the alarm for 8am and opened all of the curtains to see a beautiful day – blue sky and birds hopping around the garden – made a quick Skype call to Peggy and Al – and then there was barking at the door.  Harry was so excited to see us and stayed with us until we went to the dining room for breakfast at 9am and met our delightful hosts Sylvie and Dominique for the first time.  Breakfast was perfect – fresh berries, yoghurt, fresh bread, croissants, orange juice, cheese and coffee – all served on beautiful china with silver cutlery, lovely linen, fresh flowers and little candles on the table.

We then took off to a nearby town to find a business called Euromart Tyres as recommended by Dominique, to check the blister that had developed in the right front tyre as a result of the U-turn I made yesterday in a tiny cobbled street which we discovered was blocked-off for roadworks – when the tyre somehow managed to collide with the sharp corner of a stone curb!  Thank heavens I paid the extra insurance yesterday to give us total coverage!  We were ready to leave after 15 minutes with 2 new tyres just as Euromart shut down for lunch – with all of the workers calling “bon appetit” as they rushed off. 

Then a very pleasant drive into Epernay – the centre of the champagne industry. It is a gorgeous town – reasonably large but quaint – set at the bottom of a green valley and surrounded by vineyards.  We had a lovely lunch in a traditional bistro at an outside table – half bottle of grand reserve Gosset champagne, salad starter, grilled fresh whole fish (bit like bream) and some very good coffee.  All absolutely delicious.

It’s such fun being in Champagne.  Billecarte Salmon is located in the main street of our village, we passed Gosset on the way to the tyre place and we walked past Moet & Chandon in Epernay.  And there is fabulous champagne on every wine list, and it is, relatively speaking, very inexpensive.

After lunch, we walked around the town and visited the tourist bureau for some maps and brochures.  They were conducting a champagne tasting and voting for the “public choice” prize between 3 finalists in a young champagne maker competition. Brian took part in the tasting and met the contestants, but being the chauffeur, I just had to watch – and then we were interviewed and photographed by a young journalist for an Epernay publication about our current and previous visits to Champagne and France and our views on the competition!

Then a bit of shopping for bread, cold meats, some salad vegies, fruit, wine and some 50+ blockout – it really was very warm this afternoon – before heading back home to sit in the garden with Harry and to meet the 3 new guests who had arrived during the afternoon.

And this evening, while all the other guests went out to restaurants, we ate in.  Right under our bedroom is a large, fully-equipped kitchen with a dining table, where we sat with Harry at our feet and had the most perfect picnic style dinner with a half bottle of fabulous white wine.  

I can’t remember what type it was and I’m afraid I can’t ask Brian because he has fallen fast asleep on top of the bed.  This wonderful life-style is so tiring.