Charles de Gaulle was a controversial figure who made a significant impact on French and European history in the 20th Century until his death in 1970. Outspoken, obstinate, proud and vain he embodied many aspects of the French character, but he gave the French a noble alternative to General Petain and Vichy France during the war, shaped much of modern France after the war and blocked Britain’s initial attempt to join the European Community. It is interesting to speculate how our relationship with Europe may have developed differently had he not vetoed our application – viewed here then as both humiliating and ungrateful!

His haughty profile and impressive height and bulk made him unmistakeable. He was passionate about France and was revered by many (but no means all Frenchmen)

His home and memorial is at Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises (52 Haute-Marne, Champagne-Ardennes) where a huge Cross of Lorraine dominates the landscape. There is now a new memorial exhibition which documents his life and events:

the new Memorial at Colombey-les-deux églises focuses on the unusual personality of General de Gaulle and looks at his work through the unusual prism of his attachment to the countryside of Colombey-les-deux-églises.
The Memorial uses its modern architecture and innovative scenography to look back on the outstanding events marking not only the General’s life, but also France and the world in the 20th century.

The visit is accessible to all and can be read at different levels: the visit incorporates giant and interactive screens, reconstituted décors, texts, archives…

Situated about 10 miles east of  Bar-sur-Aube in the southern Aube Champagne producing area, it is well worth a visit – great views over the local countryside and a visit to the exhibits may help to better understand the French!!?

www.memorial-charlesdegaulle.fr

From a spectator point of view it promises a good day out in the Medoc – as although you miss the momentary flash of 100+ professional cyclists zooming past, you get to see ech rider individually and can make a whole day of it with the race taking 2 hours or so to pass.

For more info see www.letour.fr

There are numerous starting points ranging from Oslo to Barcelona and Turin. finally coming together for the last section down across the Alps to Monte Carlo. Strasbourg, Reims, Perpignan, Narbonne, Beaune and Avignon are all on one of the various routes which the classic cars will pass through – the cars all being models which participated in the Monte Carlo Rally proper between 1955 and 1980.

Over 120 cars will leave the Cathedral Square in Reims on the evening of Friday 30 January 2009.

For more info see www.acm.mc

For Reims see www.reims-tourism.com/

In April 2008, 22 students from the Photographic department were welcomed each in one of the 22 participating cities. The participants ranged in age between 20 and 35 years old, as well as originating from 15 different countries. Each student was given an “emotional passport” to express their own talent and sense and to capture the daily life of France. Their only requirement: let the dreams and emotions of the people and places be the guide!

The venues include Aix-en-Provence, Amiens, Angers, Avignon, Bordeaux, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Lille, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Reims. Rennes, Rouen, Toulouse and Versailles.

For more info see www.franceemotion.com/

A weekend here between 21 Nov and 28 Dec 2008 will offer an opportunity to indulge in all three.

During the run-up to Christmas, Reims’ Christmas Village combines street entertainment, magicians, carol singers and market stalls selling Christmas gifts, decorations and food.

110 wooden huts form the Christmas Market inPlace d’Erlon and along the rue Condorcet and rue Théodore Dubois. There will be numerous events held each weekend including parades, as well as orchestra and brass band concerts. You can also listen to live jazz performed every Wednesday and Friday afternoon. There will be a special visit with St. Nicolas on the 6 December, but Father Christmas welcomes the children every day in his chalet. For more information, visit the Reims tourist office website at www.reims-tourisme.com.

The town holds its Christmas Market (Marché de Noel) in the streets around the medieval Cathedral on 6, 7 and 10 Decembre 2008.

St Quentin (02 Aisne, Picardie) further north up the A26 autoroute holds its Christmas Market rather later – from 22 December 2008 to 4 January 2009 around the rather flamboyant gothic Hotel de Ville – and in addition offers a skating rink and a nordic skiing course with real snow!!

For more info on Laon see Office de Tourisme du Pays de Laon

For more info on St Quentin see Office de Tourisme de St Quentin

Buy at AllPosters.com

Information on domestic flights in France is not easy to come by, one reason being that Air France has such a dominant position in France and already have flights on most internal routes.
Plus the French market is not as competitive. The French Railway system between major cities is both fast and competitive, especially if starting from Paris.
I have only been able to uncover a couple of airlines which offer domestic flights in France:-
http://www.easyjet.com/ – Toulouse to Lyon, Paris, Nice to Paris; Lyon to Biarritz, Bordeaux; Biarritz to Paris

http://www.twinjet.net/
Toulouse (32 Haute-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) to Metz/Nancy, Mulhouse, Brest; Marseille to Metz/Nancy, Mulhouse; Paris - Perigueux, Cherbourg

http://www.airlinair.fr/ Brest,(29 Finistere, Brittany) Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine), Agen (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine), Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes), Poitiers (86 Vienne, Poitou-Charentes), Brive (19 Correze, Limousin) Beziers (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) etc

http://www.ryanair.com/ now also has links from Marseille (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) to Lille (59 Nord, Nord-Pas de Calais) and Brest (29 Finistere, Brittany)

You can try sites like http://www.expedia.fr/ but even a price comparison site like http://www.baisse-de-prix.com/voyages.php seems to offer little new – it looks like Air France have cornered the market with little opportunity for discounting.

For autumn 2009 the dates are as follows:-

29 Oct – 2 Nov 2009 – Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) – Hall Tony Garnier

6 – 9 Nov 08 – Reims ( 51 Marne, Champagne) – Parc des Expositions

20-23 Nov 2009 – Lille (59 Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais) – Grand Palais

26 -30 Nov – Paris (75 Paris, Ile de France) – Porte de Versailles

For more info see www.vigneron-independant.com (in French) There is also a video on YouTube (also in French)

If you are visiting Lille, there is a good B&B on the tram route to the city centre – see Alix’s Garden

However there are significant sections of autoroute which are toll free – most often these are around major towns and Cities (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon etc).

In the North, the A16 is toll-free from Boulogne (J29) to the Belgian border (J36) via Calais and Dunkerque. The A25 from Dunkerque (J20) to Lille is free, so you can reach Lille from the main Channel ports without paying a toll!. Also all routes from Lille to the Belgian border.
The following autoroutes are toll free (as at September 2007)
A16 (part of the Autoroute des Estuaires (estuaries)) from Boulogne-sur-Mer (J29) to the Belgian border(J36)
A20 (L’Occitane) from Vierzon (J6 junction with A71) to Brive-la-Gaillarde (J53) via Chateauroux, Argenton and Limoges
A25 from Dunkerque (J20 with A16) to Lille
A28 from Abbeville (J1) to Rouen (J14)
A30/A31 (Autoroute de la Vallée de la Fensch) from Thionville (J1) to Toul (J12) via Metz and Nancy
A38 from Dijon (J33) to Pouilly-sur-Auxois (J24 and the junction with the A6)
A63 (Autoroute de la Cote Basque) from Bordeaux to Bellin-Bellet (J20)
A64 (la Pyreneenne) from St Martory (J20) to Muret (J25)
A68 (la Tarnaise) from Monastruc (J3 NE of Toulouse) to Albi (J11) via Gaillac
A75 (la Meridienne) from Clermont-Ferrand (J15) to Pezenas (J59) (except for the Millau Bridge) via Issoire
A77 (Autoroute de l’Arbre (trees)) from Pouilly (J26) to Nevers (J37)
A84 from Caen (J46) to Rennes (J25) via Avranches

Rennes (35 Ile-et-Villaine, Bretagne) 13-15 April 2007
Lyon (69 Rhône, Rhône-Alpes) 25-29 October 2007
Reims (51 Marne, Champagne-Ardenne) 9-12 November 2007
Lille (59 Nord, Nord Pas-de- Calais)16-19 November 2007
Paris (Porte de Versailles) 22-26 November 2007

“In the big houses if you take the basic tour you get the basic tasting. It’s what one of my clients described as wedding champagne.

Mercier. Take the train and learn nothing! In Mercier once you’re in the cellars you see nothing. The guide’s commentary is never complete because the train is too fast. The tasting room is an equivalent of an airport lounge and a mortuary.

Castellane. They just want to get you through and out. The tasting is in what looks like a large dance hall. There’s little help with the details of the different champagnes.

Moet et Chandon – the best big house visit in Epernay. If you take the basic tour the tasting is in an underground room that’s as damp and warm as a changing room after a football match. Pay a bit more and it’s class.

Pommery. The tour of the former quarries is very impressive. If you take the basic tour you do the tasting in the large impersonal welcome area. I once had champagne there that was like a drink you find after a party.

Ruinart. You have to book but it’s worth it and the champagne is always very good.

Small growers. First get the guides from the different tourist offices. There’s always one in English. They’ll tell you if the owner speaks English. There’s always a family welcome. You’ll often be guided in the tasting by the person who made the champagne. Find one you like and you’ll want to come back. When you visit a small grower you’ll often see English clients who come regularly to fill the boot of their car. Small growers are the proof that the best champagne is not the most expensive.

Try for example Leclerc Briant in Epernay or Roger Brun in Ay.

Don’t forget the Aube (the most southerly Champagne producing see map region – often overlooked). This department has some of the top small grower champagnes”
See more about Jon Catt’s Champagne Tours

Recommended Reading
Alsace Lorraine Champagne Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)
Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Key Links:-
Official Champagne wines website
Aube en Champagne website

This is part of the Blog Carnival of France.

Reims is of course the capital of Champagne country and is fine for a weekend away. However, it is worth hiring a car and getting out into the vineyards and exploring the “Montagne de Reims” – not exactly a mountain but an impressive outcrop across which many of the finest Champagne vineyards are to be found. You will be amazed by how many Champagne growers there are – many offering better priced wines than the major “marques” which have their cellars in fine chateau in Reims.
However, do be wary of some Champagne vineyards policy of charging for tastings – usually refunded from any purchase made. Whilst I understand the need to discourage the freeloaders, I personally object to the practice – and feel that they should discriminate between the coachload of tourists and the potential serious customer – buying a case of Champagne is always serious in my book! The other option is to get an introduction from a UK (or French) merchant, or contact the vineyard in advance to establish your “credentials”.

If you are flying to Reims you will of course be a somewhat limited in your wine purchases – why not take a WINE BOTTLE BAG which will safely carry 9-bottles onto the plane – CLICK HERE for details