La Cloche D'or Verdun

... but then we aren't Japanese down under!! It was a bit like WW3 had started for a couple of hours in the pm with several fighter jets and helicopters doing maneuvers above us, just like a free air show. Don't know if we are near an air base or a manufacturing facility, the locals didn't seem to take any notice but for me interesting!!

Number One Son drove today all around the quaint villages of the champagne district. The tastings are not free, at least 5E each and there are hundreds of cellars, but the ladies managed to restrain themselves to just two samplings!! Apparently the champagne tasted good a few bottles were purchased and we ended up at Epernay which has the Avenue de Champagne. Local produce was bought for lunch which included some powerful smelling cheese that tasted good ...

... it only had to surrender weeks after the German did occupy France and the armistice was signed. As a sign of respect the French crew of the "Fort De Fermont" was allowed to parade out of the fort with full military honours.we then returned to Etain for a fast change of clothes to head to my cousin jean-claude for diner. I will not bore you with the menu but a lot was homemade like fois gras etc...Etc...

... a special "borne" or marker. But as I am not that familiar with the area we looked for the monument for 2 hours and could not find it (only to learn later it is on a side road) anyhow we had to go packing as tomorrow we are leaving for Berlin. But before we are allowed to go we have to go for dinner at Anne-Marie (my cousin and godmother) and here we go again re fois gras ...

... the Jewish and Muslims fighters on each side. Take a look at the windows and be surprise with piles of bones from the unidentified soldiers. Even today when a body is found in the field or forest and cannot be identified the remains are deposited at this sacred place. On the way home we did finally visit one of the WWI fort "fort de Vaux"

So far the weather has been pretty average for Europe... even in spring where it should be much nicer and warmer than what we have now. Unfortunately this morning we have to get up at 0545am to go gat Alex at Frankfurt airport and is raining like the proverbial deluge. So here we go for the next 3 hours in the pouring rain ... too bad as I really love the autobahn. On arrival we are told that the flight from London will be around 45 late (damn we ...

Got up this morning a little late as we were supposed to do breakfast with Manu and Isabelle but as we have a big "Bauchet family reunion at lunch we do not have the time so... sincere apologies to everyone I may have offended but we only have a limited time. So here we go on the road again for the next hour and half to a little place ...

... hotel in Paris to let them know that we were going to be arriving late. When all was said and done, I asked the front desk how we pay. She insisted that we don't have to pay and sent us on our way with a perscription for stronger medicine. (However, upon arriving home in Canada, we received an invoice for the services rendered. Humph) We arrived in Paris late at night but our hotelier helped us to find parking relatively close to the hotel. Once in our room ...

Distance: 0 KM Best bit: walk around the historic fort Worst bit: nothing bad today really Apparently the WW2 General, Patton, described Verdun and its environs as a "nasty country where it rains every day and the whole wealth of the people consists in assorted manure piles", and the Rough Guide wasnt much more complementary ...

... was a batch of Islamic ones from Morocco. I had never seen or heard of Northern African people fighting in WW1. Once again, you learn something new everyday !!! Their graves were pointing towards Mecca and there was even a littled Islamic mausoleum built for the Issy lovers. We walked back to the Ossuaire and took a walk around the back where there were little windows. Looking in were the bones of around 40000 German and French soldiers. They had ...