Continuing Champagne, add Wine

Monday 23/7. Epernay to Verdun.
And today we’ve had another lovely drive through rural France. More grain fields, corn (which is used mainly for stock in winter) and some other crops were not sure about. We took the slower route and went through forests - some ‘grown for timber’ pine forests and other forests. The colours are again so special. Vivid, clear - greens, a sand colour of the grain fields. I am so looking forward to painting.

We stopped for a coffee and baguette- on which I made lunch.

The way to Verdun was of course the scene of the end of WW1 and there are many gravesites. The German ones are stark (as they are allowed). And there are WW2 ones as well as the carnage was repeated then, with American grave sites. Again hard to imagine the devastation as it is now farming land and new/rebuilt villages.

Here we are at the campground at Verdun. The campsite is out of town. Pool, restaurant everything you need; James cooked a magnificent meal of steal, garlic potatoes (they are little ones, and gorgeous), witloff, silverbeet we bought at the stall yesterday, mushroom. All on our funny little charcoal BBQ. I can see a gas one looming, this is messy and of necessity smoky! So nice, with a Bordeaux red.

We are hearing more German and Dutch people now. The French all head for the beach.

It is a pleasant night, quiet, the day has been warm. It is now just nice.

Tuesday 24/7. Verdun to Chaumont.
Where do the days go? Another ‘country’ drive today, not too far and over hills and dales. We’re heading south and the landscape is changing to include some forested areas and more hills.

Many service stations (all serve yourself, and that’s interesting process in itself) are attached to a Supermarche and we found a great one, Auchan. Well, just about everything here so ... a toaster, a coffee maker (the one in the van is good but small) and then James found ... you’ll never guess this ... a stainless steel paella pan for E9! Yes, we do need another suitcase - no, not for the toaster, well donate it. We could have bought anything here! Of course you can buy wine at every supermarket. No matter how small.

Arriving at the municipal campsite we were told we couldn’t stay there(the manager wasn’t there) but there was another site and we were given directions ... well ... anyway we eventually found an Aire: a parking place for camping cars. There was power and water, and a place to dump waste water - pretty near perfect. A chat to the tourist office nearby established we were there on exactly the right night: a concert, a pop up cafe with crepes, and a movie. Starts at 9 pm - the crepes started about 8, fantastic. Generally at Aires you may not be able to put out your awning, table and chairs but someone before us had, so did we.

What a great night! We had pre dinner drinks and nibbles at home

then took our chairs, wine and glasses over to where they were setting up for the concert, and had a beautiful crepe each. We just sat, watching and listening to the warm ups and then people arriving. A quick trip home for supplies ( Calvados and Armagnac- it was getting cool).

What a great concert, a couple of hundred people all enjoying the music. Dancing, all in! People came with their own picnics, lots of families.

And then the movie started, what fun! What a great night.

Wednesday 25/7. Chaumont to Troyes.
What a great start to the day. We drove into the city and followed our maps, no signs! - and turned a corner to see this amazing sight of the viaduct. Wow. It is being repaired and is closed but the structure is enough. And where we parked (James is really good at just getting quickly onto a footpath) there was a lovely Japanese garden: most incongruous. We drove around to the valley and were able to see it from below - more awesome.

We kept going, to Troyes. Another great campsite and we ate at the restaurant. And were pleased to be serenaded by some young Dutch guys, who get their camping free to do their gig. A lovely spot, with the pool and restaurant ‘in the round’.

Thursday 26/7. Troyes, then on to Sancerre.
A taxi into town is easier ... wow, what a town, these old houses and buildings generally. Interesting. And a magnificent roundabout!

A day of history: a visit to Charles de Gaull’s memorial. Very impressive. There were a ‘group’ (no, not a military term) of young

soldiers being given the story and then they wandered. A lot to see here, well deserved for an impressive man (love him or not, he was impressive). A ‘girl’ working there with a t-shirt “Straylya” - turns out she was an au pair for a family in Alderley in Brisbane - about 5 km from us!

On to Sancerre ... (and I’m so far behind now that I’ll be brief for a while - that might be a change!). ... and having problems uploading pics ... next chapter ...