I have written this to cover the parts of the trip that I saw, and hope that others will write up their experiences when they can.  I have put my photographs on the media section of the blog, even where I have not used them, so that anyone else can use them if they want.

Friday

We left the Wantage area before 7-00 am, and rode to Reading West services where we met two more people.  Then on to Clacket Lane where we met even more people.  (I think that eventually there were 29 people and about 18 bikes, plus a car.)

Mr and Mrs Mack arrived just before we left, on their way to Belgium.  A happy coincidence – I mean that we met them, not that they were going somewhere else.

We stopped for petrol at Tescos just before Folkstone, then more or less drove straight onto the train.  We met even more of our people on the access roads to the train.

We followed Geoff down through the North of France (I think it was 9 bikes at this stage), and stopped for lunch at a very well organised place that featured the allies of the second world war.  This seemed to be an excellent down to earth place with good food and good service.  No-one had got lost, and the travelling went off very well.

We arrived at the Best Western Hotel de la Paix at about 16-30 hrs, and met up with even more of our group.

The parking was in their basement which was very secure.  It worked well for everyone except Dave, whose windshield got hit by the barrier coming down onto it.

We all went for tea at the Brasserie Flo.  Although it was still red, the meat was tender and not chewy.  The consensus was that the main meal was of duck.  It was good anyway.

Later on in the evening, some of us went to see the light show that was projected on to the front of the Cathedral.  As for several, or even many occasions, this seemed to be a free cultural event at Reims.

Saturday.

We went by coach to Champagne house Marguet at Ambonnay, where they farm with horses to reduce soil compaction on their 10 hectares of land and where they farm organically.

We tried two champagnes, and three or four of our group did the sabrage of taking the neck off the bottle with a small sword.  Everyone was successful.

Then we went to a larger Champagne house – Etienne Lefevre at Verzy, where we tried three champagnes, and had a buffet lunch.  Geoff complimented the owner’s wife with the line that she did not look 300 years old  (this was when their champagne house was started).  Faced with such a compliment, she was obviously very pleased.

In the evening the cultural theme continued with an open air event with wonderful dancing from Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.  It followed a folk line of choreography and was hugely colourful.  Again this community event was open to everyone for no cost.

Sunday

In the morning we all did our own thing in small groups, then in the afternoon we walked to the Mumm Champagne House that was 20 minutes away from the hotel.  We were guided round by an effervescent French lad.  It was very professional and well set up.  They have about 250 Hectares of their own, and buy in the crop from local small farmers with a combined area of 750 Hectares – so 1000 Hectares of crop in all for the whole output of Mumm.  We tasted two champagnes at Mumm.

In the evening we all ate together at our Hotel, then spent the rest of the evening in small groups.

On Monday, the coming together of people from their different directions reversed itself, with people going back home in ones and twos, or going South to the Alps.

On our trip we welcomed people from different sections, some were teachers, or engineers, some from Trowbridge, Basingstoke, Bister, Cirencester and Didcot.

Some bought Champagne from the “houses”, most bought alcohol from restaurants and bars.  A wonderful time was had by all, for which we can thank Rosemary, Dave and Geoff.

I have noticed that there are other places where alcohol is produced such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Portugal, Italy, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, and one might note that this is a far from exhaustive list. ???? !!!!

But mostly thanks to Rosemary, Dave and Geoff for organising a wonderful trip.