Reims for 4/5 days
 

Our 38 Anniversary Celebration...
My husband and I will be driving from Paris to Reims May 30, 2013 for 4 days.
Patty, you had mentioned Maison d’hotes Les Telliers as a lovely B&B. I would like to know what was it that made your stay there recommendable? The site is rather inviting yet personal info always wins. We plan on taking Champagne tours, especially our favorite Taittinger.
We are just building our itinerary and are open for suggestions where to stay while in that location as well as any other towns along the route South.
If you look at my profile you might get an idea of what we are like to help make suggestions for places to stay and restaurants.
Open Itinerary: Paris apartment May 25-May 30, 2013 www.vrbo.com/19130
Reims B&B May 30-June 3, 2013
Dijon area
Burgundy area
?????
Antibes beach apartment June 23-June 30, 2013 www.vrbo.com/267745
Los Angeles June 30, 2013

I can't help you with what to do in Reims but I've explored a lot of the countryside near Reims on my bike so I can tell you about some nice countryside to explore near there. But the first thing you should look at is the regional tourist office website. There's all kinds of info on here about various themed tourist trails you can follow in this area, including a lot of info about the various champagne trails you can follow:

http://www.champagne-ardenne-tourism.co.uk/default.aspx

On your drive from Paris to Reims I would suggest you take the A4 autoroute and get off at exit 19 and head south to the Marne river. Follow the road on the north bank of the river out to Epernay and this will bring you through the Marne river valley and some pretty countryside. You'll see all the vineyards and both of the steep banks on either side of the river and just about every little town and village you pass through after Château-Thierry (even the tiniest ones) will have at least a dozen champagne houses, though you'd likely need to call ahead if you want to visit. Make sure to stop in the charming little village of Hautvillers just north of Epernay, which is supposedly where Dom Perignon invented his famous beverage.

There is a pretty road that follows the champagne trail south out of Epernay starting on the D10, which turns into the D9. You'll pass through the villages of Cramant, Avize, Oger, Vertus and you could even continue following the champagne trail all the way to Sézanne.

I've written reports about some of my explorations by bike in that region that have photos and descriptions of the places I visited. They're mostly closer to Château-Thierry (southwest of Reims) and Laon (northwest of Reims) but the reports might give you some ideas or inspire you to go out and make up your own route. Thee is some pretty countryside out there if you know how to find it.

Here's a report about Laon and the countryside south of Laon and not too far from Reims: http://tinyurl.com/3co8u28

Here's a report that covers Laon and its environs a bit more plus some other countryside closer to Château-Thierry:

http://tinyurl.com/cqst5xz

Here's a report that covers an are not far from Château-Thierry: http://tinyurl.com/7keejcg

We enjoy the personal touch of staying at a B&B and interacting with our hosts. Renaud and Veronique were very helpful with suggestions and making restaurant and tour bookings for us. Their B&B is very centrally located and I think a bargain for what they offer.

After Meaux get on the side road along the Marne River as it winds in between small towns dominated by Champagne Houses - lesser known ones but still can pop in for a taste and to buy from the proprietor - this road goes via Chateau-Thieery, where above town is the monumnetal WWI cemetery memorial to American troops fallen here during the war - their white tombstonews still a testiment to that.

Pal - That is exactly what I told them to do. ;)

FMT - I posted quickly - too quickly with reading your post - Mea Culpa - great minds think alike - at least in my case!

I have ridden that road a zillions times by bike and love it!

I've biked a lot of roads in that area too, both along the river and a lot of the side roads through the countryside north and south of the river. Next time you want to go riding there drop me a line. ;)

Thank you FrenchMystiqueTours for the splendid country side tour. We too immerse ourselves in the country side and usually stay in tiny villages along the way, not too interested in staying in "the grand palace" too often.
I looked into the CHATEAU DE FERE just for fun...nothing available; ah there goes the palace. The photo of the sculpture of the fallen soldiers was very moving. The slumped arms of the man to the right truly expresses the depth of his emotional pain. Thank you.
In your pictures as in all of ours, when one is away from a city, people are no where to be seen.

I still hope for more suggestions for the middle section of our itinerary..we are up for your experiences. We would relish some restaurant recommendations for our anniversary dinner or dinners; Paris Antibes adjacent, and once again, places in the middle of the trip (Jura? Dijon? Burdundy?)

OOPS I mistyped: Burgundy

Thanks Curiousaboutit. Dijon is actually in Burgundy. If you haven't spent much time looking at tourist office websites they are loaded with info, including restaurant and accommodation info, not to mention tips on places to see and villages to visit. Here are some tourist office websites for Burgundy to get you started.

http://www.bourgogne-tourisme.com/

http://www.bourgogne-du-sud.com/

http://www.ot-beaune.fr/

http://www.cotedor-tourisme.com/

http://tourisme.vins-bourgogne.fr/

http://www.visitdijon.com/

http://www.tournugeois.fr/fr/index.htm

http://www.ot-auxerre.fr/

http://www.road-of-the-fine-burgundy-wines.com/

Since you have about 3 weeks to fill between Reims and Antibes the possibilities are endless. If you want to have a look at a trip report I wrote about spending a couple of days in Burgundy then have a look: http://tinyurl.com/6wtm6u5

There are loads of places you could explore and I'm sure people will give you all kinds of recommendations of places to choose from but one possibility would be to head to Annecy/Chamonix and spend some time there. Of course, I have a report about spending two weeks there:

http://tinyurl.com/7er3tjn

Thank you FrenchMystiqueTours again for all the sites and reports you have given. I know my night will be filled with reading. Fabulous!

Thank you Patty for the description of Les Telliers. We just booked our stay there. We now have nineteen or 20 days to explore until we must be in Antibes on June 23, 2013.
On to Burgundy .. Gite recommendations?
FrenchMystiqueTours , I have been reading and reading with an eye for landing somewhere..I have not nailed it down...Your reports are so filling. Thank you.
PalenQ, side road along the Marne River, just the thing.
We love celebrating our life as it is it is too short, therefore will you please share your favorites so we too may extend your happiness into ours.
Ideas for the fabulous dining experience in Paris for one of our anniversary dinners?
Ideas for the fabulous dining experience in-between and in or about Antibes?
Last year's stupendous anniversary dinner was at EL BULLI .. we need not go $$$$$$$ this time.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/05/13...pagewanted=all
We really enjoyed both places reviewed in Nice. You can tell us about the one in Antibes.

Thanks HappyTrvlr, I am glad that I am on the same "page" as you as I usually read the New York Times travel section too. I am a former New York City girl.
The excitement is building. My husband and I like to complete all bookings very early so we have zero to concern ourselves with. We rather enjoy being spontaneous with a sprinkling of reservations. High lights are a direct result of off roading and finding a tiny hamlet in which to stay or dine.