AND FINALLY

Hi Everybody,
Hope you enjoyed Wimbledon, Deb and didn't have too many traffic problems. Thanks to everybody for their comments over the last 3 months where I was pleased to get nearly 1500 hits on the blog.
Trip complete. But not before visiting this charming chap in Reims. The cathedral was under extensive renovation and cleaning so just a few details.

Huge building but not so ornate inside as some. Lovely stained glass windows designed by Chagall which I cannot do justice to in the photo below.

Rather different beside the doors is the smiling angel.

Nice town is Reims and only a short train journey from Epernay. Weather so hot just had a salad to eat so no great food stories here.

Final leg of our journey took us into the Ardennes in Belgium and the town of Rochefort. This is a particularly good area for beer but not much else. The mini train below celebrated all that is famous about Belgium, namely the Smurfs and Tintin. 

The train gave us a good view of the town from the forest. One thing it can't show is the state of the roads in Belgium. Seems to me every motorway in Spain and Portugal was paid for by the EU. The roads are superb, magnificent aqueducts and long tunnels but the roads are empty either because there is little demand or they are too expensive. Many of Belgium's road surfaces, even on major motorways would shame a third world country. 

Campsites are getting full of kids now so it is time for us to go.

Cheers!

Next blog will probably be 2016. We are hoping to replicate our 1988 motorhome trip through Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia (as was), Greece, Italy, France and home. How we managed then I'm not sure. No TV, Internet or mobile phones. Tanks passing us on the roads in Yugoslavia and a very dodgy ferry trip on open deck from Greece to Italy. Should be fun!

Enjoy your holidays

J&P

HEADING NORTH

Bonjour,
Thanks again for your comments. Wise words, Andy. I've passed on your detailed Greek economy analysis to the European Central Bank and so far so good.
Enjoy your Wimbledon day, Deb. Hope it's not too hot next week. The weather has just broken here. A shower of welcome rain having suffered some readings over 40c.
Thanks also for Dave and Sue's comments, by email, and pointing out that Royan doesn't exist. I meant Royat. They are also 2 other people who have visited El Rocio.
Our tour has now led to Chalon sur Saone which we visited a couple of years ago but had hoped this year to take a few lengthy cycle rides along the river and nearby canal. River Saone with town in distance below.

Couldn't resist probably the final bird picture of the trip. Heron ready to pounce.

A nice church in the main square and in line with my commitment to healthy eating and recognising raw is healthy, enjoyed a Boeuf a la tartare. I'm sure raw meat must count. Anyway it was served with raw egg, raw onions and raw gherkins. So it was only the chips which were cooked. Pauline enjoyed the roast veal so a very tasty meal all told.

Sadly the weather was just too hot to cycle as far as we wanted but a little way down the river found us a nice picnic spot. Water on the table here but this area produces some very tasty bottle conditioned beer so it was a nice change after so much ordinary lager.

Onwards to Epernay, the home of champagne. We took a visit to a small producer, Girost-Moussy in the village of Congy which farms only 4 hectares. Absolutely charming family run affair 

Cellar visit

And tastings with the winemaker and host Sebastien. 

And then to the larger producers in town, de Castellane 

 And Mercier with its huge history and vast cellars. 

Which included elaborate sculptures in the miles of cellars and employing hundreds of staff just below ground.

Inevitably we had to have a bottle from each which were all good value and still to be drunk.

We were also lucky to meet two new Australian friends, Jack and Shelley, who we hope to see in future. It's funny when you move from site to site you always chat with neighbours but rarely see them again. Hopefully this time we will meet again in UK or Australia.

We are into our last week and the final post next week will cover our visit to Reims and into Belgium.

So one last Cathedral, Deb, and some good Belgian beer.

A bientot,

J&P