Cruising donkeys

Today we decided to go posh and did a tour and ‘Ice Tasting’ at Moët et Chandon, it was really quite interesting and a relief to be in the underground cellars, dress warm they said, thankfully we didn’t and it was beautifully cool not cold just pleasant after the hot sun of our walking self guided tour, the Champagne tour guide said they keep the temperature around 12degs. We learnt about the process of Champagne making, and the length of time the different versions are stored for as well as walking around a very small section of the 28km of tunnels Moët et Chandon use as storage under Epernay, there are in total over 110km of tunnels and caves! It’s a miracle the whole lot hasn’t collapsed, some must have used to flood regularly. At the end of the tour we tasted the relatively new ‘ice champagnes’ a white and a rose that are meant to be served with ice cubes, I was surprised at the difference the ice made even before it melted, the drink was very intense without ice but fruity light, refreshing and scarily drinkable with ice. Both are Demi-sec though so might be a bit sweet for some. After lunch, I definitely needed to mop up some of the alcohol with food, we headed to Tanneux-Mahy to sample their champagnes well I felt i couldn’t be here and not try it. The couple who now own and run it were very sweet his grandmother was a Mahy and apparently the name is popular in Belgium as well as Guernsey.Read more

Well we tried to set off early from Joinville but another boat beat us to it, John decided to use the delay to deal with the toilet which had seized, it was clogged up with weed first time which is good, since we have been on the canal each morning John empties the filters of weed prior to setting off. Anyway about 45mins later we set off only to find the other boat moored around the corner as apparently there had been a power cut and all the locks and bridges etc needed resetting. Just as we were mooring along side them it was to shallow to go on the quay, the lock lights came on and it was confirmed we should enter. We therefore spent the day traveling together through locks and lifting bridges. We were grateful to have our little French friends as there were some hold ups that they rapidly resolved with fluent rather than pigeon French. They were continuing to Saint Dizier that day but we had had enough and quit at Chamouilley on a new quay where you bought elec and water with a credit card, normally we wouldn’t have bothered but the wind was very think and the day before we had defrosted chicken legs that we couldn’t cook because the weed was too much for the generator and they was no electricity, so we needed the elec or we would have to throw away the chicken and I hate waste. It was a pretty but unshaded mooring, but there was space for the lounger cushion on the grass under a small tree so I was happy later on I managed a short slow run so that was good and the showers were great. We both felt really clean for the first time in ages. This morning there were only 2 locks and 1lifting bridge to reach Saint Dizier but it still took 3hours as we had to wait for someone to lift the bridge.
Saint Dizier isn’t a tourist town and it is Monday so although we had hoped to eat out at lunchtime we couldn’t find anywhere open, very disappointing. We have however walked round town and seen the sights. I have just spent a few hours reviewing the remainder of the route and after Vitry Le Francois which we should reach after two more days travel (14locks and 30km) we are on the Canal lateral a la Marne with only 15locks over its 64km, then the river Marne which is 178km with only 18locks to the Seine and Paris so things should start to speed up. However initially we will be in the official Champagne region and I don’t want John drunk in charge of a boat so maybe a few rest days for sampling will be necessary.Read more