Journal Entry 20--Reims, Epernay, Chateau-Thierry, PARIS--Monday Nov. 3, 2014

Journal Entry 20--Reims, Epernay, Château-Thierry, PARIS--Monday Nov. 3, 2014

KEG PARTY!  





     I woke up Monday morning, showered, shaved, dressed, and prepared for breakfast.  I opened up the curtains, savored the daytime view of the cathedral and took several pictures which were clear this time.  Night lighting no longer blurred the lines of the bell towers, and again, the purple colors of the room décor suited this TCU man just fine.

 

Morning view from hotel room

 



We would soon say, "Au revoir" to Reims.

 



    I had unpacked very little, so it was easy to close my big suitcase and set it out in the hall with the carry-on for transfer to the bus.  Today, breakfast was not especially early because the distance to Epernay was short, and going from there to Château-Thierry and then on to Paris was very manageable.  Also Louis figured we were due for an unhurried start. 
     Arriving at the ground floor, I walked the long distance past the main desk and to the breakfast area.  Petit dejeuner was pleasant, and afterwards we went back to our rooms briefly and returned to the lobby where Louis and Nicolas led us out to the bus.

 

Hotel de la Paix lobby

Breakfast area

 



    It was parked right in front of the Hotel de la Paix on Rue Buirette.  We boarded and were soon heading out of town towards Epernay.  It was a champagne-producing "commune" and was famous for having the headquarters of several prominent champagne houses.
     First, we were going to visit the Mercier Company.  I knew very little about it, except that it produced the most popular brand of champagne in France.  After visiting Mercier, we were to have lunch at a place called La Cave à Champagne.

 



 Mercier Champagne Headquarters
 



    When we arrived in Epernay, Nicolas parked outside a large, unobtrusive building, and in we went.  No sooner had we entered the lobby than we were all "blown away" by the display of a HUGE, ornately carved, oak wine barrel in the middle of an enormous room.

 

 

 

World's largest wine cask

 

 

 



Johanna Schuller closely inspects this awesome barrel.

 



"Roll out the barrel...." 

 

     We were looking at the centerpiece of the lobby--the largest wine cask ever built!  Although Mercier started producing champagne in 1858, the innovative owner really hit his stride in the 1870s and '80s.  That was Eugène Mercier.  He was a marketing genius who excavated an eighteen-kilometer labyrinth of "caves" in the chalk formations below the winery.  Even French President Sadi Carnot toured this network by torchlight in a horsedrawn carriage in 1871.

     The wine cask was Eugene's way of promoting champagne as a product that everyone, not just the elite, should enjoy.  Building this giant barrel took fifteen years!  To obtain the wood he needed, Mercier journeyed to Hungary to supervise the cutting of 150 oak trees, all over one hundred years old.  The wood was transported to France for the construction of the cask.  In 1889, Mercier had the whole thing pulled to Paris by oxen and horses for the World's Fair where the Eiffel Tower and Mercier's wine cask were major attractions.  The barrel held 200,000 bottles of bubbly.

    

 Model with 12 teams of oxen

 

     Basically, this marketing idea worked wonders.  Hauling the cask to Paris took twenty-four oxen and eighteen horses and caused a sensation all along the way.  Several buildings had to be torn down to allow the wine wagon to pass.  Now here it was for us to look at, and I took several photos.

      Next, a female guide met us and spoke briefly before she escorted us to a large elevator which took us far below the surface to an amazing network of champagne-storage caves carved long ago into the chalk under this place.

Underground Mercier tour in laser-guided tram

 



      Bottles are neck-down to allow sediment to collect near the cap.  While this is going on, they are turned frequently (riddling).  After that, the necks are frozen, the bottles are uncorked, the impurities shoot out, each bottle is then resealed, et voilà la champagne.

 

 

          At the bottom, we exited the elevator and boarded a laser-guided tram which took us around just one level of a network of caves while the guide described it.  I was simply dazzled by the extent and complexity of it all.  It's hard to describe such a thing, and pictures give a mere approximation of what we saw.

Mercier Champagne store--I bought a cap and jacket here. 





      When we went back up to the lobby, we walked over to another large room that served as a champagne store, and several of us bought or ordered some of the merchandise.  What interested me was a beautiful red Mercier jacket and cap to match.  I noticed Louis bought one of the caps, too. I would not wear my  new "ski jacket" until the next day, but it turned out to be wonderfully warm and water-resistant and even had a rain hood that folded into a zippered collar.

 

                              

 Cumières on the Marne River

 





                            

                     I could not think of a better place for lunch than a champagne village!

 









     The stay at Mercier had been lengthy, so when we returned to the bus, Nicolas drove us right to our lunch destination, the village of Cumières just northwest of Epernay on the Marne River.  Having just had a fascinating underground experience, naturally we would expect lunch in a "cave," and that's what we received.

 

Le Caveau à Cumières

 

Salad course

Main course

Cheese course

Dessert course





       Again, lunch was fun and relaxing, and this time champagne was served with it. The restaurant was called Le Caveau à Cumières, and each course was delicious  We chatted pleasantly and wondered what the WW I cemetery we were about to visit would be like, and we were all looking forward to Paris!   

     After lunch, we returned once more to our trusty bus and made our way to Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood.  Out from there near a strategic hill of the Second Battle of the Marne was the scene of the "Château-Thierry" portion of the larger battle.  The engagement at Belleau Wood near the village of Château-Thierry took place in July of 1918.  Soon we came to the beautiful, quiet American Memorial Cemetery.
     This was the location of the first fighting in World War I that involved American troops.   Americans and Frenchmen launched a surprise offensive against the German Army on July 18, 1918.  Here American soldiers distinguished themselves for their tenacity and courage and won the lasting respect of our French allies.

 Tree-lined road leading to front gate



 





 Entrance to Aisne-Marne Cemetery and Memorial
 

Visitors' center and staff buildings flanked the entrance.
 

Monument overlooking the graves

 

     The countryside surrounding the cemetery was beautiful and serene.  The placement of graves on  hillside backed by forest and a white marble memorial was lovely.  The young man who served as our guide spoke good English and could not have been more respectful or informative as he described the phases of the battle that unfolded here.  Not just his delivery but the whole scene exuded French gratitude for what we had done.
     The site chosen for the cemetery, the beauty of the white marble markers, the plantings and the meticulous way they were maintained said, "Thank you" even more loudly than this young man's gracious treatment of us.  We could all learn something from the French about planning and MAINTAINING cemeteries.

  

 

Louis and Miriam at Château-Thierry/Belleau Wood Cemetery

 





 

 



Peaceful walk among rows of graves

 

Our guide describes the valor of an American soldier.

 



 

 



     Chicago native and Navy dental surgeon  Lt. Weedon Osbone came to the aid of other soldiers near Belleau Wood and was killed carrying a wounded officer to safety.

From the memorial, the view of the surrounding area was very impressive!

  



    Following an initial lecture at the entrance building, the guide took us to the individual graves of some who had earned the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the French Croix de Guerre.  Before he talked, he gave us a little time just to walk around and take this beautiful place in.
    Then he took us up to the memorial overlooking the place where we had a commanding view of the autumnal hills across the road and of the white crosses and stars of David which flanked our position.  It was a cool, quiet, November afternoon, but that fit in well with the solemnity of this.

 Looking back toward the entrance and hills beyond


Views from the memorial


 

 France in November

 

 





 

Walking back down the hill

 

 



 

 
I have always enjoyed the beauty of the fall of the year; Belleau Wood had plenty of it.

Contrast this with the ugliness of a WW I battlefield!

Au revoir au Cimetière Américain Aisne-Marne

          Last, we thanked our guide and walked quietly back to the visitors' center--then onto the bus in which we  resumed our route to Paris.  We now made good time and soon approached the city from the east, much as Ben and I had done two years earlier.  We arrived a little ahead of the afternoon rush and soon crossed the Boulevard Péripherique (outer loop).  Then we entered the Bercy section of Paris, where Ben and I had stayed in 2012. 

 

Place de la Bastille

 



        Now, however, we drove closer to the center of town to the Third Arrondissement and the Marais area.  We crossed  a canal, went around the circle at the Place de la Bastille, and headed up Boulevard Beaumarchais, a major traffic artery. 

      Then Nicolas made a left turn into a narrow, one-way street called the Rue des Arquebusiers (Street of the Musket Shooters).  The street did not go straight  through the block but cornered and turned in at the entrance to our hotel, the Villa Beaumarchais.  Nicholas parked near the front door, and Louis watched carefully as we exited the bus.  He had to be sure we were not hit by the occasional passing car.  The street was so narrow, we had to wait for any vehicles to pass before we went around the bus.

 

 Entrance to the Villa Beaumarchais

 

 

 

 Here was the lobby I would be frequenting for the rest of the week.  I was not put off by the hunting décor.  Roomy, comfortable public areas are important in French hotels.

 

Couches across from the elevator

Dining and lounge area on the floor below

 



      Finally, we disembarked and helped Nicholas and Louis move our bags into the lobby.  When we were all  inside, Louis announced the time to meet for dinner and started handing out large, clunky, "irreplaceable," steel keys with a wooden room number attached.  Then we took turns going up the elevator.  When I reached the right floor and walked left and across the hall a short distance to my room, I entered and inspected and liked it fine.  I walked over to the windows and opened them; they faced a large, interior courtyard, and across the way and on this floor, I could see the Hians and Florence opening their windows, too.  I yelled, "Bonsoir, Florence," and she waved back.
     After an hour, we gathered in the lobby to meet for our walk to an area restaurant called Chez Jenny.  Louis led us west down the other part of Rue des Arquebusiers over to Rue St.-Claude.  Then he made a left, and went over to the next street parallel to Beaumarchais.  It was called Rue de la Tourenne; then he turned right and went west for several blocks--deeper into the Marais.  It rained part of the way, so I lagged a little behind and shared my umbrella with Florence. 
    We brought up the rear, but not by much.  Soon we reached Chez Jenny and proceeded back to an area reserved for us on the first floor.  We passed an ornate stairway to the second floor where restrooms and group dining areas were located.  Basically, the food was good, the company was agréable, and we enjoyed this break from a wearying day of travel.

Chez Jenny

 



 

     Much of our discussion centered around plans for tomorrow.  Our original schedule had us going to Giverny in the morning and Versailles on the way back in the afternoon.  However, Monet's estate was closed in November, and so Versailles would be our morning destination.  Louis had mentioned the Orangerie for the afternoon, but it was closed on Tuesdays, so after lunch back in the Marais tomorrow, he suggested the Marmottan Museum instead.

     Since it had the best collection of Monets, I thought that made perfect sense, so I was all for it.  Most of us backed that idea, and Louis said he would take us there on the Metro.  Jack wanted to go to the Picasso instead, and the Kratovils and Andrews begged off so they could shop tomorrow afternoon. 

      In any event, the Kratovils and Andrews and I would be going to a chamber music concert at the Ste. Chapelle, which was at eight tomorrow evening.  Louis said he would help the five of us get over to that, too.  It sounded very reassuring.

     After dinner, Jack took off with Florence to help her walk to the hotel.  Louis kept the rest of us together and since it had started to rain again, he took us to a nearby Metro station, and we caught the underground to a station near the hotel.  That worked well, and anyway, we needed to get used to the subway.



Where breakfast would be in the morning

 

      When we walked back into the lobby, Louis pointed out the dining room which was downstairs on the basement level.  That's where we'd meet tomorrow morning for breakfast. To our relief, Florence and Jack showed up.  Louis lectured us again about the importance of staying together.



       Then we went up to our rooms.  I undressed, showered, took my meds, and settled down for a much-needed night's sleep. It was such a nice change knowing that I would be here for six nights in a row!  We had moved so often on the tour that I was more than ready to be done with that for a while. The Villa Beaumarchais would be my home until Sunday, and tomorrow, I would finally see another much-anticipated destination--The Palace of Versailles!

 

Fin

 

 

 

Hors d'Oeuvres:

 

(1) Dom Perignon (1638-1715) apparently developed the skill of preserving the sugar content so as to induce "secondary fermentation" in the wine.  He also developed stronger glass bottles to contain the pressure of the developing CO2.  He is famous for what he said when he first tasted champagne--"Venez vite, je goûte les étoiles!" ("Come quickly, I'm tasting stars!")

 

(2) Earlier, Patty Nelson mentioned the famous song "The Night They Invented Champagne" from the movie Gigi.  Well, the process took longer than a night, but that musical film was a huge hit when it came out in 1958.

 

(3) Louis Jourdan and Leslie Caron impressed me, but Maurice Chevalier and Hermione Gingold had an even greater impact.  Chevalier was already popular in the US before the movie was made.  I remembered him from an episode of  I Love Lucy.  M. Chevalier was the consummate suave, older French showman.  What a wonderful singing voice and accent he had!

 

(4)  I was glued to the TV when Maurice Chevalier appeared on Person to Person as Charles Collingwood interviewed him in his awesome Paris residence.

 

(5) The French themselves give Chevalier mixed reviews.  He came to the US to revive his career, which faltered after WW II.

 

(6) I was also taken with Hermione Gingold's slow British accent.  If one goes to Jack Paar on Youtube, one can find a Tonight Show when she was a guest, and the accent is still just amazing!

 

(7) I did not take Gigi seriously at the time, but like other Lerner and Lowe musicals, it is based on a serious piece of literature--Colette's 1944 novel.  She records the era when the exploitation of beautiful young French women as "courtesans" started to go out of fashion.

 

(8)  The Robinsons and I saw the building in Paris where Colette lived. We also saw the apt. where Catherine Deneuve lives now!

 

(9) FYI--Louis Jourdan died in February of this year.

 

(10)  Gigi was MGM's last successful musical. It was so popular and so big at the box office, Chevalier was set for life.  It's hard to exaggerate the way we enjoyed "I Remember It Well" and "Thank Heaven for Little Girls."  Après tout, it's the Information Age.  Anyone can listen to him and Hermione on YouTube.