Day Three - Epernay (Champagne Region) & Beaune

(Wine tasting in the Beaune wine caves)

(Could our friend Rollande Mercier be one of THE famous Champagne Merciers?)

Indulgent: The best word to describe our third day in France. Today we travelled through Brie country to Epernay in the hear t of Champagne, where we stopped to visit the Mercier champagne cellars and taste some of this celebratory drink.

Later, we travelled via Dijon through the Burgundy vineyards (several dozen champagne bottles clanking all the way!) to the quaint, medieval town of Beaune – the uncontested wine capital of Burgundy and one of the most exquisite litle french towns. Since it had been at least a couple of hours since our last drink, we were all feeling rather parched & decided it was about time for another glass of wine. Luckily, we had pre-arranged a Burgundy wine tasting so no one had to go thirsty – what a relief!

After a stroll through the charming town and some major power shopping, we returned to our hotel and enjoyed a dinner of local specialities: Beef Bourgignon and you guessed it: more Burgundy wines.

Champagne before noon, wine before AND during dinner along with authentic French cuisine…not a bad way to pass the day!


Side note: One unexpected source of humour continues to be the French restrooms. Although the ‘hole in the ground’ style of toilets aren’t as widespread as they once were – to our amazement, amusement and dismay (after all…you actually have to use them!!) – they’re still pretty popular!