A wonderful way to extend the summer is to go to France for a week and spend time in the wine producing areas, in our case, Reims, where champagne is made. We joined our Swedish, German, Scottish and French friends for a very pleasant time speaking various languages depending on who was trying to improve which language!
The activity level was fairly low-gear meaning we spent time in cafes, touring vineyards and champagne houses and generally easing ourselves into autumn with food and drink. These 2 photos were taken in the vineyard of Pommery brand champagne.
Alain and Francois were our hosts and I am pleased to say that every day passed most pleasantly without any hitches given that we are all of a (rapidly) advancing age! A friend of Francois's, Jean-Claude, spent time giving us a tour of Reims Cathedral and then joining us for our canal boat restaurant meal later. On our last day we enjoyed a son et lumière cinema projection on the outside of the Cathedral which was all to do with the fact that this year is the 800th (!!!) anniversary of the building of the Cathedral.The following 2 photos I took showing the wonderful sculpture on the outside of the Cathedral. So why the black borders to the pictures?
Sadly, 2 days after we returned from our week with our Pan-European friends we were telephoned to say that the eldest of our party, Arlette, had just died. What a shock! She and I had spent time figuring out how to pay and travel on the lovely modern tram that runs from the city centre to our hotel by the railway station. (I found the phrase "M'aider" most useful!) Such adventures are my last memory of her and now she has gone. Well, we all had a good time; I wonder if the Smiling Angel at the main door of the Cathedral knew something we did not?
1 comment:
That sounds like a great trip. I have not been to Reims since I was a school girl but it looks like the cathedral has not changed… Sorry about the passing of your friend. In a way I would like to go like that, after a great trip with good friends – and drinking champagne, instead of being in hospital for days. No disrespect though, I am sorry your lost a friend.
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