Cote des Bar, L'Aube, Franch Friday 14th May 2016

Yesterday turned out to be an easy day, washing, shopping and some basic cooking.

Today, armed with several maps, we drove through this very green and lush area of the southern Champagne area. Many of the roads we drove on passed through small villages where the streets were very narrow, sometimes we needed to give way to on-coming traffic. Fortunately there seemed to be little traffic and we were lucky to see anyone! I am not sure but the villages appear to be partly abandoned. There are many old buildings in great need of repair, with the shutters closed and walls crumbling. In the town of Bar-sur-Aube the population has gone from 10,000 to 7,000 people in only a few years. There is 25% youth unemployment in France and little confidence in the government.

We headed to Les Riceys for lunch at Le Marius Hotel. A very French style of lunch of buffet entree (pates, terrines and various sliced sausage), a potted fish dish with rice and carrots then to finish off a plate of cheeses with slices of baggettes, all washed down with their famous Rose'.

After luch we drove on to Essoyes, where impressionist artist Renior had lived and there was a museum dedicated to him, which we didn't go into. Then onto Clairvaux Abbey, a huge walled complex which had been established by St Bernard in the 11th Century for the Cistercian Order. Later in 1808 it became a high security prison till 1970. Victor Hugo's short story Caude Gueux is set here. Now the government is in the process of turning it into a museum.

The highlight of the day was champagne tasting at Champagne Christophe in Colombe' le sec. There are over 5,000 Champagne houses in this area alone.

Top of an old stone wall in Blaye

River in Les Riceys

Lunch at Le Marius

Streets of Essoyes

One of the many buildings inside the high walls of Clairvaux Abbey

Champagne Christophe