17/02

Paris

Wow! We thought we had had big days before. Today was massive! We had another 6:30 taxi booked this morning to take us to our meeting point for our Champaigne tour today.

Champaigne is nearly three hours out of Paris but that was fine for me and Trav, we slept most of the way there! Our first stop was at Mumm and Co. We received a guided tour and learnt how to make champaigne. I loved this. Aftter working at Rochford and a couple of wineries in Australia; it was really good to learn the different techniques and ways to make the different types.

Random fact: it is not only called Champaigne because of the region but also because it is the only place in the world where their technique is all done by hand. From the picking of the grapes, to the squishing of the grapes, to the bottling, adding and corking to the twisting of the bottles and the removing of the yeast.

After the tour we got a choice of two champaigne's to taste; one was a brut and another a sweat one. Trav and I both really enjoyed it here. Second stop was at a cathedral in the town of Champaigne. It was beautiful and very interesting to learn that most of it had been knocked down during the war and all the French royalty got crowned there. It has been rebuilt in recent years. After a tour around the cathedral we have free time to look around and get some lunch. It was actually raining so we went and sat in a bar and had a couple of drinks.

Once we got on the bus after our break, our next stop was at Chandon and Moet. Again we had another tour and like Mumm and Co. we were taught about the production and the history of the company. Although Chandon and Moet is a much well known and popular brand, we both not only enjoyed the champaigne more at Mumm but also the tour.

We returned back to the meeting point just after 6 an had to be at that point by 6:30 for our next tour to go to Moulin Rouge. Trav ran down to McDonald's just so we could have some dinner, we both needed the energy after being asleep on the warm bus. When we were checking in for the Moulin Rouge tour, we were told we had to go to the 11pm show instead due to the popularity of the show that night meaning they were throwing in a free city site tour and boat cruise. Bummer hey?!

Moulin Rouge was incredible! Highly recommend it for everyone who comes to Pairs! Trav had no idea what he was going to be seeing but it really has something for everyone! May it be the boobs, the music or the talent from the dancing, it is amazing!

Today we had a massive 20 plus hour day by the time we got back to our hotel, but we both enjoyed every second of it and wouldn't change a thing!

Sweet dreams,

Bree and Trav

xox