A Champagne Weekend in Reims
Champagne comes only from the
Champagne region of France.
To experience the magic of this
wonderful wine you really should
taste it after seeing the vineyards
and visiting the ancient cellars,
where the champagne is stored for
years before it is ready to drink.
The lovely city of Reims is at the heart of the Champagne country. At night the Place Drouet D'Erlon is enchanting, with its round ball fountain sparkling in a myriad of coloured lights and the old fashioned children's carousel turning merrily to the sounds of traditional fairground music. The whole of the centre of Reims is pedestrianised, so strolling from bar to bar for a drink or a coffee is a real pleasure. Choosing where to eat is difficult as there are just so many attractive looking bistros, restaurants and cafes, serving everything from pizzas and baguettes, to crepes and ice creams. There are wonderful fish restaurants - try 92 Place Drouet D'Erlon for tasty moules-frittes or in good weather eat out on the terrace of le Drouet. For the ultimate extravagance, the Michelin three-star Boyer at Chateau Les Crayeres, is gloriously set in its own park at 64 Boulevard Vasnier.
However, after a couple of drinks at various bars and a fleeting look in the now closed shops, we chose to eat at the Martin Brasserie at 30-32 Place D'Erlon. The restaurant was charming, with lots of polished wood, intimate tables and soft romantic lighting. My warm salmon sliced thinly, with oil, lemon and herbs was a delightful starter and my partner savoured his dressed Reims ham in gelatine. He followed that with a fish platter in a creamed aniseed sauce. I had the most succulent sliced leg of duck, which was slightly salty but so tender it literally melted in the mouth. Served on a bed of wafer thin sliced potatoes, with a dressed salad, it was a meal fit for a king. However, our desserts were the crowning glory of the meal. Mine was the best Crme Brule I have ever tasted and my guy chose the Nougat Pudding. "I have had puddings all over the world but nothing like this", he said. "Crisp nougat full of nuts and garnished with mint on a bed of freshly stewed raspberry coulis." The whole meal was a melange of great flavours.
In fact, that practically sums up Reims itself. On the Saturday we enjoyed strolling the city in the sunshine, after a terrific visit to the Piper-Heidsieck cellars, where we travelled through the underground caverns on a small train and learned all about the making of champagne, followed by a tasting.
The city of Reims is dominated by its wonderful Cathedrale de Notre-Dame, which is one of the most spectacular cathedrals I have even visited, much better than its namesake in Paris. A masterpiece of Gothic art, it was built in the 13th century, but there has been a place of worship on this site since the 10th century. Down the centuries twenty-five of France's kings have been crowned here. You can admire the wonderful stone carvings, the brilliant stained glass windows and the statue of the smiling angel'. Nearby the Palais du Tau houses the cathedral treasures and a part of the original statuary. It is quite possible in a day to take in most of the most important sights in Reims on foot - or you can take a ride in one of the small tourist trains. Stop for a lunch time baguette in the square which houses the impressive Office De Tourism and the Grand Theatre and you are only a short walk from the Place Royale, with its quiet air of antiquity. In the Square Des Cordelliers you will see the six arches, which is all that remains of a once proud monastery. The many fine buildings are only part of the charm of Reims. The shopping is great, the food excellent at every level and price. Explore the canal banks, take your car out into the countryside to the champagne vineyards and enjoy the lush countryside.
Our dinner on the Saturday night was a memorable Germanic feast at the Brasserie Maitre Kaster. Reasonable and robust, it was a paradise for carnivores! Onion soup and ham terrine were our starters, followed by Charcouterie Speciale which consisted of huge selection of meats, including smoked bacon, country sausages and half a pork knuckle on a bed of sauerkraut with frankfurters!
Needless to say we could not manage a pudding. The restaurant decor was all light wood panelling and beams, art deco lighting and smart waiters in red waistcoats and yellow shirts and there was a lively atmosphere all evening.
With all this food inside us it was difficult to do justice to yet another magnificent breakfast in bed on Sunday morning, but we did manage a couple of hot pan au chocolat, ice cold yoghurt and gallons of excellent coffee, before we began our drive back to Calais to fill up with cheap wine and beer before boarding the ferry to Dover.
