Tuesday, July 22: France, Verneuil to Epernay and Montigny

This morning around 10:30, the couple from Sweden and ourselves were treated to a wonderful private tour of the traditional Champagne-making process. The word Champagne is protected and only sparkling wine made in this region can be called Champagne. Matthieu explained that they grow three types of grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunierre) and that Champagne is typically a blend and does not have a vintage. The grapes have to be harvested by hand – no machines, and the vines are kept trimmed and small to produce the best quality grapes. Quantities are strictly controlled and overproduction is destroyed.

The vineyards that produced the Champagne we purchased.  See the roses?  They serve as the canary in the mine because there is a disease that affects the roses a couple of weeks before it hits the vines, giving the growers time to counterattack.

Of course, the tour ended in a wine tasting and it turned out that this free campsite is our most expensive one if we include our champagne purchases.

After our tour, we said goodbye to Anna and Roger and drove east through the vineyards and into the small city of Epernay, one of the key cities in the Champagne district, home of many of the larger Maisons du Champagne, like Moet and Chandon. 

These vineyard markers identify the Champagne House

 Then on to our free Aire campground perched high on a hill overlooking the valley with acres and acres of vineyards spread out below us.