August
| 
We took our time cruising up the beautiful River Marne stopping here and there at the pretty champagne villages. At Jaugonne we purchased some great fizz at country prices and met Diane and Jean-Francois on their beautiful sailing yacht.
We then continued up to Chateau Thierry where we encouontered Stella and Simon on Grizzled Skipper and again enjoyed supper with Mike and Roe. Firstly we took advantage of the perfect weather for painting before reacquainting ourselves with this fine town. Great history and wonderful food market.
A spot of painting
Diane and Jean-François
Then we cruised upstream through the lovely champagne vineyards to Ay where a hospitable little village mooring awaited us and a happy reunion with Nils and Torild on their way back from Burgundy. A visit to the Museum of Champagne at Ay is really worthwhile, quite different from the big champagne tours of Epernay and Reims. The museum is run by the Collet-Cogevi Champagne House and they have recently started tours here, which we would thoroughly recommend. The fascinating museum occupies a beautifully converted historic champagne house overlooking the vineyard. Our guide Kevin spoke perfect English and as well as learning about the history and today’s champagne production, we enjoyed a tasting right there in the vineyard – see www.citeduchampagnecolletcogevi.com
Musée de la Champagne, Ay
With our host Kevin
The summer heat was quite excessive so we took a taxi into Epernay where we had an excellent tour of the Moet and Chandon Champagne House which has the most enormous cellars (the cool temperature much enjoyed), delicious champagne tasting and a fabulous gift shop – a chance for a little luxury shopping. What impressed us so much with both tours was the impeccable professionalism of the staff, very civilised indeed!
Moet et Chandon cellars
During our stay in Ay we had a welcome visit from Scott and Katinka (old friends from the barge world), who were in the area with their Aussie friends – great to catch up.
Our next inevitable stop was at Reims, more champagne tasting. Some great shopping, a hair cut and a meal out followed by the amazing Son et Lumière at the Cathedral again. We enjoyed beautiful weather, now the heat having abated a little. In Reims we were joined by David, Allison and their Aussie cousins who called by for a pit stop, their boat being nearby as they were doing a champagne tasting tour too! Well, that’s what you do in champagne country.
Reims was great but excessive traffic noise almost round the clock so we were glad to find quieter cruising grounds on the Canal Lateral à l’Aisne and the Canal des Ardennes, where the nights are starry and only sound the hooting of owls. At Asfeld we found the extraordinary Baroque Church built in the shape of a viola and a rare WW1 German Military Cemetery.
Baroque Church at Asfeld
Now onto the Canal des Ardennes and that flight of 28 locks. A fine sunny day for the spectacular ascent to the River Meuse at Pont à Bar.
We then continued up to Chateau Thierry where we encouontered Stella and Simon on Grizzled Skipper and again enjoyed supper with Mike and Roe. Firstly we took advantage of the perfect weather for painting before reacquainting ourselves with this fine town. Great history and wonderful food market.
A spot of painting
Diane and Jean-François
Then we cruised upstream through the lovely champagne vineyards to Ay where a hospitable little village mooring awaited us and a happy reunion with Nils and Torild on their way back from Burgundy. A visit to the Museum of Champagne at Ay is really worthwhile, quite different from the big champagne tours of Epernay and Reims. The museum is run by the Collet-Cogevi Champagne House and they have recently started tours here, which we would thoroughly recommend. The fascinating museum occupies a beautifully converted historic champagne house overlooking the vineyard. Our guide Kevin spoke perfect English and as well as learning about the history and today’s champagne production, we enjoyed a tasting right there in the vineyard – see www.citeduchampagnecolletcogevi.com
Musée de la Champagne, Ay
With our host Kevin
The summer heat was quite excessive so we took a taxi into Epernay where we had an excellent tour of the Moet and Chandon Champagne House which has the most enormous cellars (the cool temperature much enjoyed), delicious champagne tasting and a fabulous gift shop – a chance for a little luxury shopping. What impressed us so much with both tours was the impeccable professionalism of the staff, very civilised indeed!
Moet et Chandon cellars
During our stay in Ay we had a welcome visit from Scott and Katinka (old friends from the barge world), who were in the area with their Aussie friends – great to catch up.
Our next inevitable stop was at Reims, more champagne tasting. Some great shopping, a hair cut and a meal out followed by the amazing Son et Lumière at the Cathedral again. We enjoyed beautiful weather, now the heat having abated a little. In Reims we were joined by David, Allison and their Aussie cousins who called by for a pit stop, their boat being nearby as they were doing a champagne tasting tour too! Well, that’s what you do in champagne country.
Reims was great but excessive traffic noise almost round the clock so we were glad to find quieter cruising grounds on the Canal Lateral à l’Aisne and the Canal des Ardennes, where the nights are starry and only sound the hooting of owls. At Asfeld we found the extraordinary Baroque Church built in the shape of a viola and a rare WW1 German Military Cemetery.
Baroque Church at Asfeld
Now onto the Canal des Ardennes and that flight of 28 locks. A fine sunny day for the spectacular ascent to the River Meuse at Pont à Bar.