France

Bonjour.  Back in the land of banquettes, airy pastries and taking loo paper to the ablution blocks.  We’ve been spoiled lately with toilet paper, soap, hand towels and toilet seats. Not so in France.

Verdun – Once again what a waste.  The carnage in terms of lives lost was appalling.  Over a million shells falling in the first 24 hours, permanently scarring the landscape and forever turning it into a ‘red zone’.  Five villages gone.  300 days and nights of ‘living hell in the trenches’.  At Fort Douaument we toured the rooms of the underground fortifications.  Very interesting.  They used a smart phone to tell the story of its fall to the Germans and eventual recapture -very effective use of technology.  At ‘The Citadel’ holograms were cunningly used to depict the life of a French soldier in 1916 and sequence the events.

Champagne

Pretty villages nestled in the rolling hills covered with vines.  Epernay- bikes out again and off we went on the Moet and Chandon caves tour.  Quirky stuff you might like to know!

Bottles are turned by hand by ‘wrigglers’ who serve a 3 year apprenticeship.  Not a job I aspire to!

Sediment is removed by freezing the neck of the bottle, removing the cork or cap and it is expelled by the gas.  Very clever!

Wine and sugar is then added to replace the volume lost and this determines if it is brut or curve.

While staying in Epernay we went to the most amazing sound and light show.  They used the facade of the Chateau Perrier to project the images on.  And it was free - a bonus!  Cycled home in the dark – another adventure!  

Ghost Villages

We are amazed how few people we see from mid-day onwards in the villages. It’s as if the inhabitants have been abducted by aliens!

Sunday 11^th

We spent the morning exploring Fontainebleau.  Europe, especially France have come a long way in 20 years in their presentation of historic sites – with audio guides or guided tours in English enabling the tourist to gain so much more from their visit.  Anyway back to Fontainebleau – magnificent and opulent.  You can see why the French had had enough of the extravagance of the aristocracy when they were struggling to put food on the table.  Though using ‘Madame Guillotine’ to dispatch them was a bit extreme! 

In the afternoon we visited Provins one of France’s oldest medieval town.  Very quaint.  Once again timing is everything.  As we were wandering the narrow streets of half-timbered houses we arrived in time to catch a medieval show featuring jousting, acrobatic horse riding and battles.  Very entertaining.

Magic Moments

Tonight a fellow French camper Greg was talking to asked if he could sing for us.  He serenaded us mostly with songs he had composed for his family or friends.  Beautiful.