The Real Champagne

Since the weather has been beautiful here, I've really been wanting to go on a hike through the different champagne villages around the region.  My friend Alexander hikes around every weekend on his own, and last weekend he took a little group out for the day.  I was of course very jealous that I missed out, and asked him to be my trusty guide for a Saturday hike through the vineyards.  I told our group of friends about it, and told them that whoever showed up at the station for the 10am train to Epernay on Saturday could come.  There ended up being 5 of us, which was a perfect amount of people.  We arrived in Epernay at 1030 and the walk began.  Most of the walk was through the vineyards where they grow the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes that are used to make champagne.  Along the way we stopped in three villages: Hautvillers, Cumières and Damery.  My favorite was the first stop, Hautvillers. This is the birthplace of champagne, and there are probably 20 different champagne houses there.  Dom Perignon is said to have created the "fizzy wine" drink that we now call Champagne sometime in the 1600's, and you might know the name because Moet & Chandon named their most fancy champagne after him.  We visited his tomb and gave thanks for his gift to us.  Overall we walked over 12 miles all day!  By the time we got back to Epernay it was past 7.  I know that I like to exaggerate, but I swear, it was 19.5 kilometers which makes a little over 12 miles.  We were all moaning and groaning the whole train ride home, but overall it was definitely worth the trip!  

walking along the Marne river

On the way to Hautvillers

where they grow the Moet & Chandon grapes

"the birthplace of Champagne"

Hautvillers

The abbey and gravesite of Dom Perignon

Our view during our picnic

quick lunch break

alexander, katy, david and adrien

fashion show on the river: the jean jacket completes the look

an old bridge that we were tempted to cross

we also found some gypsies along the way, yes actual gypsies this is no joke

going splitsies on a 5 hour energy to keep us moving

an old wash house where people used to do their laundry