Now that's a holiday...

Argh, it's 4 'o' clock in the morning... Why why why do we have to leave at this time of day? We hates it...

Ear-shattering Audi

But it's not that bad driving against the tide of commuters and emergency vehicles to the Chunnel, took less than expected, to the extent that we got a train almost an hour earlier. Excellent, but for the fact that the guy parked in front of us (see Reading registered Audi above) had his alarm shatter our hearing moments after the off! Still, he came back from the loo pretty soon and it's only 25 minutes anyway...

Rain rain rain... At least we got an amazing view of the clouds across the plains of northern France - I love the expansive view and perspective, maybe the Canadian Prairies are a good place to be!

Lunch at Le St Vincent

Come coffee time, there was no coffee to be had, and that following an extensive search of Saint Quentin and a further scan of another town, T-something. So we settle for a proper lunch at lunchtime, with all the local bons gens. Crudités, veal stew with mash and a coffee, rather than dessert, to finish to reduce the likelihood of explosion! Lovely. Thanks Le Saint Vincent!

And now was the best time - rolling along empty roads, relaxed, getting that holiday feeling, if this is the best it gets then that's plenty good enough!

Chambres d'hôte...

But there's still Chambre d'hote and Champagne Douard to come, if we did but know it! Yes, we've booked to stay in a champagne winery tonight :). 

Champagne Douard!

Yes this is the place to be... We were worried that we'd miss the tour, because we'd popped over to Epernay and got held up in traffic ... It turned out to be good timing, they'd just finished cleaning up for Le Big Day tomorrow, when the bottlers arrive and put an entire year's harvest into the bottle in a single day! No pressure then (although it's champagne, so pressure is not only sufficient but necessary!).

To cut the sorry tale short, after a very interesting tour with Douard Fils, and three incredibly different and increasingly marvellous glasses of champagne, we're in for 24 bottles! Hopefully we'll get enough of them home at the end of the hols for everyone to try :).

Fortunately we'd planned to have bread and cheese in the room after the big lunch, because neither of us is driving anywhere...

G'night! >hic!<