Day One and Two...Reims and the Champagne Region
When we arrived at our first hotel, the Grand Hôtel Continental, a welcome note from our tour guide, Christine Coleman, awaited us. She suggested a visit to the Museum of the Surrender, where the Germans signed the document of surrender of WWII - a "must see" for history buffs. Our group of fellow travelers gathered at the hotel at 5 p.m. After introductions and a brief orientation tour of Reims (rhymes with France), we gathered for our first dinner together at the Le Grand Café, where we were greeted warmly and got our first taste of the French cuisine. Dinner began with a Kir (a popular French cocktail with white wine and crème de cassis) and salmon pâté. Duck confit was my dinner selection - it was tender and delicious.
After breakfast the next morning - which included a flaky, buttery croissant - Chris led us on a walking tour of Reims. Throughout the town, we could peer into storefront windows, and the planning began to take shape for this evening's picnic in the park! Cheeses, meats, and baguette - oh my!
A highlight of our walking tour was a visit to the 800-year old Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims. While the structure didn't escape the wrath of the two World Wars, it has been lovingly restored. The exterior exemplifies the beauty of gothic architecture with its magnificent flying buttresses. Towering columns in the interior frame beautiful stained glass windows - the highlight of which are those by Marc Chagall. Admission is free and well worth the visit. |
(To activate the slide show, hover your cursor over the upper left-hand corner to find the "play" button!)
While a bit pricey, we decided to take an additional tour on our own of the Taittinger wine caves. These massive cellars which go on forever are all carved out of the chalk. As you can see by the picture to the left, the caves are home to a massive amount of wine! There is a single tasting at the end of the tour - so you really want to come here to experience the caves (dating back to the 4th century) and not necessarily the champagne!
"Riddling" is a tedious process to remove the dead yeast cells from the aging champagne. The bottle, placed at a 75 degree angle, must be turned an eighth of a turn each day. This forces the dead yeast into the neck of the bottle to form a plug, which is frozen and popped out through a process called "disgorging." |
Traveler's tip:
A menu in France can be daunting. If you own a smart phone, before you leave download a "pdf" version of a French food glossary to have at your fingertips. One good one can be found on Patricia Wells' website. One evening I even took a picture of the menu with my cell phone and deciphered it in our room before we went to dinner so that I would know what to order!
A "menu" is actually a fixed meal price which generally includes a starter, main course, and dessert. It is a good value. Ordering "a la carte" will cost you more!
In France being a waiter/waitress is a good profession and their pay does not depend on the generosity of the patrons. Your bill will generally include the tip ("service comprise"). Don't leave the typical 18-20% US tip. Instead, leave the change or a 2-3% tip if service is outstanding!
Also, understand that it is rude to rush you through your meal here! Know how to ask for the bill - "L`addition, s`il vous plaìt!" It saved us from being late for our tour on more than one occasion.
A "menu" is actually a fixed meal price which generally includes a starter, main course, and dessert. It is a good value. Ordering "a la carte" will cost you more!
In France being a waiter/waitress is a good profession and their pay does not depend on the generosity of the patrons. Your bill will generally include the tip ("service comprise"). Don't leave the typical 18-20% US tip. Instead, leave the change or a 2-3% tip if service is outstanding!
Also, understand that it is rude to rush you through your meal here! Know how to ask for the bill - "L`addition, s`il vous plaìt!" It saved us from being late for our tour on more than one occasion.