What a great weekend. Wish you could have all been with us. Our neighbors suggested we go to champagne country for the weekend and we agreed. The past weekend was a 4 day weekend for most since Armistice Day was on Thursday and thus Friday became a vacation day. We left town on Friday. Our neighbor had already warned us that the region might be very busy because she had a hard time finding accommodations at a top hotel. -On Friday we could not even find a good restaurant for dinner. (Doesn’t mean we starved!). In France, she says, never stay at any hotel less than a 5! We did stay at the Best Western Premier Hotel de la Paix in Reims which was really good. I’d recommend it without hesitation. (A huge buffet breakfast is included which is very nice.)

The forecast was for rain on Saturday and Sunday but we lucked out — just a few drizzles with mild temperatures. Perfect for walking. Despite a bum knee and using a walking stick I kept up with the group. George and I did more walking than we have since in Paris two years ago. Here’s the proof…..over 12,000 steps!

No wonder we were tired on Sunday!

As I’m sure you know, Champagne is the region of France where champagne is produced. No other bubbly can be called champagne iif produced from grapes grown outside this region. The vineyards are seemingly endless. And the little farm houses that dot the countryside make the scenes pastural although there isn’t a cow insight.

Our first stop was at a champagne tasting spot which served snacks that made up our lunch. All in all we had 8 champagnes to taste, but we didn’t all taste all of them. George and I ordered 3 of the blanc de blanc — which are the best. (I always thought blanc de blanc was a mediocre bubbly. But not so – when referring to French champagne, it mean the top of the line. Indeed, we could taste the difference. I was amazed.

We went into the Moet and Chandon reception area and bought some champagne. Yes — I bought a bottle of Dom Perignon for us all to enjoy later — and we did! After arriving back in Paris. But for now, we were headed to our hotel and the city of Reims. Reims is in the northeast corner of France, close to the German border and therefore a very important city in both world wars. In WW II it was almost completely destroyed and afterward much of it was rebuilt with the help of American barons – Carnegie and Rockefeller in the fore. The armistice was signed in a small school building close to the train station where Eisenhower had set up his headquarters after the Allies made their way over France. A short, but very moving video of the war and how it played out in Reims is shown at the museum. I highly recommend a visit here.

We all learned in school about the incredible Gothic cathedrals of France. This is one of the greatest where all of the kings of France were crowned. (Rheims = the English spelling, so don’t get confused). In person – it is truly dazzling. My photos don’t do it justice at all. Saturday night we had dinner at a restaurant, 3rd floor above ground, with the cathedral as our backdrop. The Rose Windows are breathtaking as are the 3 stainglasss windows by Marc Chagall. (Worth going online to read about the stain glass windows. Several are intact from the 13th century having survived both World Wars.

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