Leaving Paris (Reims)

You thought I was leaving leaving? Not yet! With exams safely out of the way, I had plans to explore.

First trip was to Champagne. Reims specifically. Inspired by my sisters, who had completed their own day trip to the Champagne region while I was in school one day, my friends and I planned our own excursion. Remember how one of my friends owns a wine shop? Well this means he knows people who make wine, and specifically in the Reims area those wines are bubbly.

We got up early and packed ourselves and our mascot, Pepper (intently watching me eat a croissant in the back seat), into the car and drove through the French countryside until we reached the quiet vineyards of Monsieur Pierre Trichet.

He greeted us himself and took us into the small kitchen attached to the vineyards's bed-and-breakfast, telling us the only other guests on the property had just arrived from Alaska the night before and were probably still sleeping. He poured us each a glass of champagne and told us all about the making of it, answering mine and my friend's questions (also supplemented and translated a bit by our wine connoisseur friend when our vocabulary failed us).

You could tell this man was deeply passionate and knowledgeable about his work, dirt permanently stuck to his fingertips from being out working day after day, with a thoughtful and quiet way of answering our (my) barrage of curious questions. It was definitely a glimpse into another world.

Eventually, after trying a couple of other versions of his champagne (everyone should try champagne for breakfast at least once) we said our profuse thank-yous and let him get back to work, stopping by a small reception desk on our way out to sort out taking a few bottles home with us.

Before getting back in the car, we took the dog for a walk (sprint) through the vines to stretch our legs.

She may not have had any champagne, but Pepper was definitely full of fizz and bubbles!

Thoroughly satisfied with our nature romp (and some of us a little more dirty *ahem* Pepper) we got back on the road in search of lunch.

Although we didn't quite make it far enough to the restaurant before stopping to inspect this church, the Basilique Saint-Rémi de Reims.

These buildings take on an infinitely more impressive viewpoint after finishing Ken Follett's book The Pillars of the Earth, a historical fiction that takes place during the construction of such a cathedral.

Ok, NOW we can go to lunch. Into the quiet city center of Reims. It was a Sunday, so there weren't many people out walking around in the cold and drizzly rain.

Our friends took us to the restaurant inside the Hotel Continental for lunch, having been there themselves in the past and recommending it highly to us.

And after lunch we walked ourselves over to the grand cathedral herself.

I do love a stained glass "rose" window.

Pepper wasn't allowed inside so we had to go back out and reassure her that there aren't any squirrels inside that she missed out on.

So, we can conclude that the perfect day trip involves a little bit of bubbles, a little bit of food, a whole lot of culture and architecture, and a dog!