After celebrating Leigh's birthday in style and comfort a tour around the city of Luxembourg was in order as the weather was favourable and the city is truly magnificent. I don't think most people are aware of what Luxembourg has to offer. The vistas were more than pleasantly surprising. Take a look at some of the pictures.
The next destination is the Champagne region of France to see what all the fuss is about, something of a monk that made bubbly wine. Fred and Evelyn, our Warmshowers hosts in Clemancy, Luxembourg offered us the comfort of their home for an evening. We all had an early morning schedule so it was back on the road by 7:15, under cool but sunny skies. Some re-supplying was in order so we stopped in at a small grocery store in Belgium and stocked up a bit at Épicerie chez France. Apparently I suffer from chronic 'leavemythingsbehind-itis' as I failed to pack the bread we had just purchased into my kitchen pannier - I made that discovery at a most inconvenient time. Thankfully my wife has come up with a potential solution: 'paymoreattention' therapy. I forget when she said the sessions would start.
At this point I would like to mention the generosity of a gentleman in Belgium who came to my rescue. I am having issues with my front racks coming loose, and sometimes off. Not good. This kind-hearted man came from his house, invited us in, offered us juice (graciously accepted) and lunch (respectfully declined) and proceeded to secure my racks in place while telling us all about his bike trips. He pulled out maps and gave us advice on our journey through France. He even caught up to us when he discovered I had left our adjustable wrench behind! (I know, I know) Thank you kind sir, merci a vous.
In all honesty our first couple of days into France under-delivered in terms of expectations. We fought some seriously determined headwind that buddied up with some solid rain making for some 'just get it done' travelling. Google maps' blue dot took us on all sorts of questionable roads, down sketchy single track and even through farmers fields and up a formidable mud road. We got lost in a logging area, guided out by yet another kind stranger. More headwind, finally rolling into Lac Vert Camping in Dun-sur-Meuse, tired in more ways than one. Next day, shortly after breakfast it started raining again, becoming a full-on downpour by noon. 25 km later, on the south-east corner of the main intersection in a small village called Varennes-en-Argonne is the Hotel du Grand Monarque with old stairs leading up to old rooms that have old beds and old furniture. We jumped all over it. Run by the nicest people, we hung our clothes to dry in the room and took a well-deserved nap. Dinner in the hotel dining room was a three-course homestyle affair complete with baguette and red wine. During dinner we met another gentleman and another couple cyclotouring through the area. Out came the maps. It was great.
Thursday morning looked good for departure as all three cycling parties made off in respective directions. On the way toward Châlons-en-Champagne are remnants of the WW1 Battle of Vauqois. Barbed wire fencing, tunnels in tact, craters where a small town once stood remain as grim but necessary reminders of the atrocities of war and of what people are capable. We actually walked the trenches. Neither of us was expecting to be so moved by our visit here. Onward into more wind and rain, finally arriving in Châlons-en-Champagne to a very warm welcome by our Warmshowers host Aurélie and her friends. I can't say enough about our stay here. I can say that we were there for three days, enjoying all manner of camaraderie. We were invited to stay and did not decline that invitation - we were fairly shattered after dealing with that cursed wind. There were friends dropping in, friends over for dinner, friends helping friends move. It was superb. Again, another great Warmshowers story. We took the time to rest, learn some French, clean the bikes, I even whipped up a couple of dinners. By Sunday we were ready to get moving. Although Châlons-en-Champagne is the official capital of the Champagne region, Épernay is accepted as the official capital of champagne - so that is where we are headed next.