Champagne - Day 55

18-Jun-2007

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Champagne - Day 55
Paris - Day 56
Paris - Day 57
Paris - Day 58
Paris - Day 59

 

Day 55 - Friday 24th June 2005

Long drive today, we hope to reach the Champagne region of France for our overnighter on the way to Paris, a little over 700k.  We set off early, a relatively slow start back through Austria, then somewhat quicker once we hit the German autobahns.  I was sitting on 130kph and often had cars passing me like I was standing still.  Requires lots of concentration because their road manners are appalling, often saw people cut out into the fast lane directly in front of a "fast lane rocket" to pass a truck.  Happened to me a couple of times, hand gestures are internationally understood.  I had an older guy in a Citroen tailgating me (very closely) at 130k for a while, I had noticed him doing it to other drivers.  So I turned on my windscreen washers, he wasn’t happy with that, he pulled out and passed me and then got in front of me pumping his washers for all he was worth, Jude and I were in hysterics, but he got the message.  Saw 4 serious accidents on the drive.  We got a room at a little motel at Epernay amid sweeping hills of grape vines.  Had dinner at a little restaurant fronting a grassy square.  They had a stage set up in the square and a brass ensemble was belting out some wonderful Jazz.  A singer joined them a sang a series of Frank Sinatra songs.  The food was terrific, the oysters were arguably the best I've eaten, and of course the champagne was excellent.

 

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