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  • Champagne Region France

    Champagne Region France

    Why Did We Go?

    Before this trip, we knew very little about the Champagne Region, or the history and making of Champagne. We thought a small bus trip, with a limited number of passengers and a dedicated driver-guide would be a great option. We were not disappointed. The other four passengers were great company and we all got along well. Our driver was excellent and kept us entertained with commentary, while not over doing it as some are prone to do.

    The Bus Trip

    We were picked up at our hotel in Paris at 7am, which was very convenient. The drive to Rheims took about ninety minutes through some very scenic countryside. Arriving early in Rheims, we went straight to the Cathedral Notre Dame.

    Champagne Region Tour
    Champagne Region Tour

    Rheims.

    The front of the Rheims Notre Dame Cathedral was undergoing restoration work when we arrived. This is always disappointing for a visitor, but necessary for the long-term preservation of great monuments. The interior was magnificent as expected and we spent an hour looking around and the rose stained-glass windows are worth the visit themselves.

    Rheims Notre-Dame Cathedral
    Rheims Notre-Dame Cathedral
    Rose Stained Glass Windows in Notre Dame Cathedral
    Rose Stained Glass Windows in Notre Dame Cathedral
    Rose Stained Glass Windows in Notre Dame Cathedral
    Rose Stained Glass Windows in Notre Dame Cathedral

    Moet Chandon

    From Rheims we drove 30 minutes to Epernay to see the Moet Chandon cellars where the tour through the cellars was amazing. The sheer volume of champagne here is unbelievable. The guide took us on a walk through the underground cellars explaining the champagne process as we went.
    On finishing the tour, we were given a glass each to sample, along with the opportunity to buy more from the gift shop, as well as a range of other branded souvenirs. After this, we had lunch, which was provided by the tour company, before driving to one of Moet-Chandon’s vineyards to see the vines.

    Don Perignon Statue at Moet-Chandon
    Don Perignon Statue at Moet-Chandon
    Vineyards in the Champagne District
    Vineyards in the Champagne District

    Avernay Val D’Or

    As a contrast to the huge production at Moet-Chandon, we drove to Maison Gabriel Pagin Fils Estate 15 minutes’ drive away in Avernay Val D’Or. This is a small family operation. The tasting here was a much more informal affair, although still as tasty. The contrast was even more apparent when we saw the storage cellar and production rooms. It was several times smaller, but all the more impressive, because of the family connections that still run the business and harvest grapes from their own vineyards.

    Chatillon Sur Marne

    Our final stop for the day was thirty minutes away in Chatillon Sur Marne. Here we saw C Michalet Champagne. This was a total contrast to the previous two operations. The tasting was done in the owner’s house, around a small intimate table. Absolutely fabulous. The champagne was excellent and the hospitality first-rate. This was the high-light of the day’s tours.

    As an excellent aside from the tasting, while the owners were setting up we wandered around the town and found a huge statue of Pope Urban II staring out over the Marne River. We also looked over the local Notre Dame church. The church was very nice, especially considering it’s not on the tourist trail and a working church with a local congregation.

    Pope Urban II Statue in Chatillon Sur Marne
    Pope Urban II Statue in Chatillon Sur Marne

    What Did We Think?

    The whole day was an excellent experience, from the guide, the other passengers and everywhere we visited. From the magnificence of Rheims Cathedral, to the Avernay Val D’Or church and Moet-Chandon to C Michalet, we had a great day. Taking a guided small party bus tour was a great idea. We were taken to places promptly, without having to worry about driving and could sample the champagne, without having to worry about consuming too much.

  • Pisa

    Pisa

    Getting There

    We caught a train from Venice to Pisa, with a change in Florence. Departing at 7:30, we arrived in Pisa at 11:00AM.  A quick walk to our Hotel ( Hotel Bologna) to drop off our bags and we walked to the Main Street to get some lunch. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from. We decided on a simple snack and a drink before walking to the piazza where all of the monuments are located.

    Pisa Time
    Pisa Time
    Pisa Walk
    Pisa Walk

    The walk was easy, but we felt uncomfortable due to the large number of males in their twenties, either trying to sell sunglasses, water, selfie sticks and other low quality junk, or hassling tourists.

    What We Saw in Pisa

    After running the gauntlet of hawkers, we arrived to find a huge crush of tourists. We had expected this, but were still amazed at the number of people there.  We walked around the Leaning Tower taking pictures and then went to the ticket office.  You must go here to get tickets for all of the monuments.

    The Leaning Tower of Pisa
    The Leaning Tower of Pisa

    The wait for the Tower was over three hours, so we decided not to climb to the top. First stop after getting our tickets, was the Baptistery of St. John  (Battistero).  A great looking building, particularly on the outside.  The interior is somewhat Spartan.  Take the stairs to the upper level.  This allows you to look down onto the baptismal font.  There is also a great view out one of the windows to the Cathedral.  The view is a little different to that from the ground.

    Baptistery of St John in Pisa
    Baptistery of St John in Pisa
    Interior of Baptistery of St John in Pisa
    Interior of Baptistery of St John in Pisa
    Font in the Baptistery of St John in Pisa
    Font in the Baptistery of St John in Pisa

    The Pisa Cathedral is on of the three attractions in the Plaza of Miracles.  Spectacular on the outside, it is grander on the inside.  The painting are fantastic, along with the alter, which is spectacular.  We spent a lot of time wandering around inside admiring the artworks.

    Pisa Cathedral
    Pisa Cathedral
    Pisa Cathedral Interior
    Pisa Cathedral Interior

    The Plaza, still has the old city walls running down one side.  These are worth a look, as many old Italian cities no longer have them.

    Pisa City Walls
    Pisa City Walls

    On our way back to the hotel, we walked along the River Arno, enabling us to see a little more of Pisa.

    Pisa From the River Arno
    Pisa From the River Arno

    Eating Out

    We found plenty of options for food.  Near our hotel was a selection of Italian restaurants.  We chose one at random and had a great meal with some local beers, followed by gelato, for dessert.

    What Did We Think?

    The Hotel Bologna was clean, quiet and comfortable.  There was air-conditioning which worked perfectly and we had a great night’s sleep.  Centrally located, we were very happy with it.

    As expected, Pisa was very crowded with tourists.  What we didn’t expect was the hordes of hawkers and others, who made us feel extremely uncomfortable.  On our walk back to the train station the next morning, we were followed by a group of men, and we went into an open café until they went away.

    Had we known how little time we would spend, a better option would have been to leave our luggage at the train station in a locker.  We could have then travelled on to Rome the same day.

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  • Luxembourg

    Luxembourg

    How To Get There

    The train to Luxembourg leaves from Brussels Central hourly and takes about three hours fifteen minutes.  Tickets are purchased on the day of travel from the ticket office and cost us 25 Euros each. The staff were friendly and told us what times the train was leaving and from which platform. Luxembourg Central Station is located away from the old part of town we wished to visit, but there is a taxi rank next to the entrance and for ten Euros we were taken to the central square (Place Guillaume II) near the Ducal Palace.

    Train Brussels to Luxembourg
    Train Brussels to Luxembourg

    What Did We Do in Luxembourg?

    Located around the square are many coffee shops. After a long train trip a coffee was in order along with cake for a morning snack. 

    Walk Around Luxembourg
    Walk Around Luxembourg

    After refuelling, we walked to the Ducal Palace. This is quite an impressive building.  After admiring the outside and taking some photos we moved on to the main attraction, the city walls (Casemates du Block). Large sections are still largely intact and their sheer size is impressive. We spent a lot of time walking around the battlements, as there are many lookouts where you get alternate views.

    Luxembourg Ducal Palace
    The Ducal Palace in Luxembourg 
    Luxembourg Casements du Block
    Luxembourg Casements du Block
    Luxembourg Casements du Block
    Luxembourg Casements du Block

    From the Casements, we walked along Chemin de la Corniche. This walkway gives fantastic views over the city, particularly St Jean du Grand monastery. The walk is nice and easy with some lovely spots to stop and take in the fantastic views.

    View From Chemin de la Corniche
    View From Chemin de la Corniche
    View From Chemin de la Corniche
    View From Chemin de la Corniche
    Luxembourg St Jean du Grand monastery
    Luxembourg St Jean du Grand monastery

    Our walk took us to the Monument du Souvenir, Luxembourg’s War Memorial. From here there are more views of the Casements and restaurants.  We stopped here for lunch.

    Walking back into the city we stopped at the Notre Dame Cathedral. Far smaller and intimate than many of the cathedrals we had already seen, it had a charming appeal.

    Luxembourg Notre Dame Cathedral
    Luxembourg Notre Dame Cathedral

    The last stop was the Monument National de la Solidarite, Luxembourg’s Monument to the victims of World War II.

    Monument National de la Solidarite
    Monument National de la Solidarite

    This wrapped up our day trip to Luxembourg. We caught a taxi back to the Central Station for the three-hour trip back to Brussels.

    What Did We Think

    Something a little different to the other cities we visited. With much of the walled fortifications still visible, the old city is confined in a small area. We enjoyed walking between everything with no real traffic to contend with. Total walking time around the city was under and hour, even though we spent most of the day there.

    Getting there was easy. The train journey was comfortable, even if it was long. Leaving early and spending the whole day there meant we did not really lose much of the day.

    Overall a great day to see something that little bit different.

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