Champagne is a region that we have never visited, and this year was perfect timing to do so. We would travel to Paris to meet my cousin Curt and wife Cindy for 4 days then transfer to Reims to start our cycling in the Champagne region then ride to Beaune in the heart of the burgundy wine region. Click on the link to the map below:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1m_pmmkeb99a1NCJUyCi5bnfK4SW5vnc&usp=sharing
Sep 10- Fly to Paris
Lovely Air France flight. We spoiled ourselves with business class...
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| AF does it right. Food is always great |
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| We had to good fortune to ride by this butter factory in Brittany |
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| Nice cheese course after dinner |
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One has to have some cognac before bedtime!
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Sep 11- 14- Paris
After a great flight we couldn't believe that they lost all of our luggage. We wouldn't get it back until our last day in Paris. But that wouldn't stop us. My cousin Curt, and this wife Cindy met up with us for our stay in Paris. We had a late lunch with their friends Mark and Mary and a nice little cafe. Food was a bit substandard for Paris,
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| On of the many pictures crossing the Seine. It never gets old. |
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A weird beef tartare, and the wine was
picked by my cousin's friends, C+ |
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Oysters were passible.
We would have better later in the week |
We stayed in St. Germain area in the 6th arrondisment. It's a great area. Our small boutique hotel, whose owners specialize in purchasing historic properties, turning them into unique hotels. Unbeknownst to us the hotel we stayed in was at one time the private residence of the architect of Versailles. Cool place with a fabulous staff including the general manager that helped us get our luggage.
Lots of great walking with several trips to the Marais in the 3rd and 4th arrondisments. Here we did a fabulous wine and cheese tasting and fell onto a newly started gin distillery.
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| Group shot at the wine bar before the wine and cheese tasting |
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Ex-pat from NY led the wine and
cheese tasting. Super informative. |
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| Our tasting table |
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This was part of the wine bar. Under this place were tunnels that led to the Louvre.
This is how wine was transported back in the 1700's for the king. |
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Very nice selection of cheeses. In France, as we learned,
a cheese tasting uses only bread, no crackers.
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The small entrance to the gin distillery right
around the corner from the wine tasting |
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La Distillerie de l'Arbe sec.
The distillery of the dry tree. |
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An absolutely gorgeous distillery complete with
20 mini pot stills to make your own gin |
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| The main still. Gorgeous |
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| They made only three gins |
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| Designed like an apothecary with all of the botanicals |
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| Yours truly picking the brain of the owner |
We mixed up our food with meals from Lebanese to Italian. We also ate at the famous Le Procope started in 1686. A touristy place to many, but we had a ball with a fantastic waiter.
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Great and affordable Lebanese food right down the street from our hotel.
We even had some decent Lebanese wine |
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We found this highly rated handmade
pasta restaurant in the Marais. Fantastic. |
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| Some kind of ravioli. Delicious |
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| An excellent beef ragu on pasta |
Sep 15-16- On to Reims
Now that our luggage had arrived the day before we were ready for the sort 45 min train ride to Reims (pronounced RANCE) in the heart of the champagne region. We would arrive a few days before the official start day of our bike tour giving us time to investigate the town and a champagne facility. Unfortunately we arrived on a Sunday so there were limited champagne operations open in town. But, we we able to get into Pommery which was fascinating.
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| First things first, a little local gin |
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| Our continued quest for the perfect beef tartare |
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| The gates to the Pommery estate |
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These champagne caves were built 100 feet underground.
Madame Pommery was a trailblazer. A Single mom of three children
at 38 years old after her husband's passing. She was the first to develop the "brut" style. |
Sep 17- loop ride to Epernay outskirts, 39 miles, 1968 feet of climbing
This would be our first day of riding in this area. Champagne is divided into two major areas; Reims and Epernay. Epernay is most known for the famous champagne houses of Dom Perignon, Bollinger, and Krug to name a few. We were amazed at how many champagne wineries there were that we had never heard of. The terrain was quite rolling and hilly. And, we were right I the middle of the busy harvest time.
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