Destination Orange - Day 6

The last full day in France.

The plan was to use the A31 and A26 to get up to Épernay as soon as possible. So we left the hotel just after 9am and by noon we were in Chalons en Champagne to get some lunch from the supermarket. 

The local foire had started and roads were closed off and Aldi had guards on their carpark and roads were lined with parked cars.

Arch in Chalons en Champagne

We bought some stuff for lunch and set off for Épernay looking for a picnic site. In the end we made our own on the edge of a village. The rug on the grass.

We arrived far to early to check in to Hotel Colbert and so we parked in the huge car park in the town centre and went to look at the champagne houses. 

Street sign....

War Memorial at the end of the Avenue de Champagne

In the end after a long walk along the Avenue de Champagne, lined by champagne houses like Möet and Perrier-Jouet, to name just two, we arrived at Castellane with its large tower.

Statue of Dom Perignon at Moet

Castellane Tower

The tour is €10 per person and there were only four of us on the English speaking tour. It takes you through the processes of making champagne and the way they do it, starting with grape juice bought from suppliers across the region and blending the juices to meet their taste requirements.

Pile of bottles!

The label isn't very common on our side of the Channel as most production goes to hotels in France (80%) and Belgium (15%) and the rest to hotels across the UK and the US.

They also label for clients who want their name on the labels and there is a large room containing little pigeon holes for these, numbering about 2000!!

The tour is interesting and the glass of Brut very nice. So much so we bought a bottle of the demi-sec for a special occasion. Maybe Claire's birthday?

We then walked back to the car and in the heat of the afternoon drove out to the hotel.

It's a strange one. It looks far better than the picture. Is freshly decorated throughout. The rooms are clean with a newly installed bathroom and double glazed window, but there is no hanging space. No wardrobe, no rail.

Showered and changed ready for the evening.

  

When we went downstairs the bar was locked and so was the front door!

We had a run to Épernay. In the main car-park you get an hour free and also only pay between 7am and 7pm. We arrived at 6.15pm, so free.

We looked for a bar. It seems there are few and the one we stopped in was strange. They pushed everyone not eating onto tables close together. But two beers and some secondary smoking later and we were ready to look for somewhere to eat.

In the end the paucity of places meant we drove out to the Campanile hotel. They always have a restaurant and we had the buffet.

Then back to the hotel to get the wifi key and bed. Books to read and sleep.