Champagne Wishes

Great sleuthing, wren. The place looks terrific. From what I can see of the map, it appears to be quite a bit closer to Reims than to Epernay making dinners in Reims a reasonable possibility. Unless you're totally adverse to driving after dinner, I'd say it looks like you've unearthed a find. The site looks really good.

Nice looking place, wren. I'd say you would be well positioned to tour the Champagne region.

I didn't pause in that area, as I was focused on getting to Verdun, and on the way back, I drove right by as I wanted to get up to Laon. One thing for sure: do try to spend some time in Reims itself.

About Verdun: as I mentioned in that trip report, I found the area around Verdun to be far more interesting than the city itself. The battlefields are quite haunting.

Anselm

Julie, thanks! Coming from you, a supreme sleuth, I am flattered! I know what you are saying too-it seems to be the best of both worlds---easy in to Reims for a daytrip or dinner, whether by car or train, and easy traveling to Epernay and the countryside! All very appealing--perhaps I will just make the plunge to check into this discovery!

I am also thinking that we would be better off spending the night nearby Verdun and then moving to this place---any suggestions out there, anyone? I know we want to go to the American Cemetary and will choose a couple of other places to see at Verdun.

Hello Anselm,

I am happy you have chimed in--are there any towns / places near Verdun that you could recommend as a base just for one night?

We know that we do need to study the history and the area before we go...both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed both of your reports--written from the heart. We think it is really important to go to Verdun because of its significance in WWI and to enrich our understanding of history.

in my recent visit I looked at the ch which seemed nice. I guess don't drink and drive. If i wanted to drink more I might stay on the avenue de champagne in epernay. pretty much a farming community but good food abounds

personally, I prefer to be able to drink without worrying about drink driving.

consequently, depending on how long you have for your stay in this area, I would stay at this delightful-looking place for just the one night and stay for the rest of the nights in Reims, making day trips to the chais, or stay here for two nights, and on the 2nd night, use a cab to go to [and back from] the Michelin star restaurant they refer to as being 5kms away. I would also think about doning Epernay as a day trip.

it's a VERY lnog time since I went to Verdun, and I amy be doing it an injustice, but I suspect that it, too, is a place for a day -trip.

wren, it would probably take a half day to drive from Alsace to Verdun, so your idea of spending one night in the area would allow you a full afternoon and as much of the next day as you thought appropriate.

On the afternoon of your arrival, you could look at the sites of the 1916 French-German conflict on the east side of the city, such as Forts Vaux and Douaumont, the Ossuary, and the French national cemetery, and then follow D 913 past the Tranché des Baïonnettes north to Bras. That road would give you a real sense of what the terrain was like.

On your second day, you could focus on the west side, with a particular emphasis on the ground covered by the American Expeditionary Force in September-November 1918. You’d be looking at a wide swath that runs from the west bank of the Meuse to the western edge of the Forêt d’Argonne. You could see Butte de Montfaucon, where there is an impressive monument to commemorate the American effort (and a commanding view of much of the battlefield). You could also take a look at the site of the Lost Battalion, which is, I think, near Binarville, and then drive north to the American Cemetery, just east of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. I think you could easily do all of that and still make the relatively short drive to Ludes by mid-afternoon.

About places to stay: I stayed at this place in Etain, which is on the east side of Verdun. It was comfortable, perfectly reasonable, but certainly not luxurious. The dining room was ok:

http://hotel.sirene.free.fr/index.htm

I also stayed at a very different kind of establishment, in Ancemont, just south of Verdun. It is a refurbished chateau, with huge rooms. Your host will join you for drinks before dinner and for a drink after dinner. The food was quite good:

www.chateau-labessiere.fr

Two other places come to mind. You could certainly find very nice accommodation in the city of Verdun itself. I thought about it but decided that I wanted to try places in small nearby towns instead. You could also look on the west side of Verdun in towns such as Saint Menehould or Varennes-en-Argonne. If you do find something nice in that area I’d be delighted to hear, as we aim to go back and spend some time looking at the American battlefields.

I can suggest two books for pre-reading. The Price of Glory by Alistair Horne is one of the best English language histories of the French defence of Verdun in 1916. To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918 by Edward Engel is a very good history of the AEF’s battle. I am part way through this one. You really need to have a good map beside you when you read either of these.

AA