Conde sur Marne and Ay

Ever onwards we travel, leaving Chalons once the rain stopped we started our second day on the Canal Lateral a la Marne. Our first stop was at Condes sur Marne to see the aqueduct constructed to pump water up to the top of the Ainse Canal a Marne. Built in the 1800s they decided to make the Tower holding the vertical pipes look like a castle keep. There was also a pretty little church. Then on to Ay we were looking for somewhere to stop that was on the western bank to get shade so decided to stop on one the lock waiting areas, just below the Ay lock. Then into town as it looked like the Cite of Champagne museum might only open at weekends because of Covid. It did and we had just missed the last English tour of the day and the following French one was full but for a fee we could do a tasting. Well OK then if we must, the City of Champagne was run by the Collet Champagne House we tried a brut, a rose and a Demi-sec. No surprise I liked the Demi-sec, the sweetest, John preferred the Brut and really didn’t like the rose but of course he drank it all. We plan to ride to Epernay tomorrow, the centre of Champagne the drink not the region. The centre or capital of the region is Reims famous for pink biscuits that are supposed to be dipped in Champagne, I think they are better without. There a bit like sponge fingers, crispy sponge baked twice.Read more