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Day 2 - Today started in Folkestone at 4.30am getting ready for an early Eurotunnel crossing. After talking about having spare bulbs for the car, Murphy's Law struck and when we started the car a warning light came on indicating the dipped beam lights had a problem. So plans were made to find a BMW garage in Calais. As for the crossing we had hoped we might catch an earlier on but we were stuck with the reserved crossing we had already booked.
The crossing was great and the girls only barked once at someone walking down the carriage so fairly quiet for a change. But soon enough we were driving off the train in Calais in search of the garage. We headed into Calais after following directions to a BMW garage, gleaned from the Internet. With no success in locating it (the location the SatNav directed us to was an ambulance station) a nearby Ford garage employee directed us to the BMW garage at Cite Europe... which is where we had just driven from.
Success at last, we located the garage and the bulb was replaced. Dreading the bill, we were delighted with just €16 and no service fee. One up for French BMW dealerships. The rest of the journey went without a hitch, even when we came off the toll road and took the scenic route, although we didn't see any Champagne vines despite many Chateau advertising their produce.
After a long 6 1/2 drive we finally made it Vougeot. The hotel, Clos du Vougeot, is nice with fantastic views across vineyards to the Chateau and the hills, but the room at the top of the building lacks air conditioning and is stifling. Concerned for the dogs we asked for an alternative but they were full. Luckily we had brought a fan with us and with the one in the room we hoped we might make the room more bearable during the evening.
We stayed outside enjoying the view, seated under a large parasol we were shaded from the worst of the suns rays and enjoyed a glass of lovely white wine from Marsannay; from up the road. Then rounded off with a dinner comprising of a selection of cold meats, cheeses and bread. The dogs sat under the chairs where they had some shade.
Once the sun dipped below the horizon the room cooled down a couple of degrees but was still very warm. It was cooler outside so we made a couple of brief walks in the evening and drank plenty of cold soft drinks. With enough water down for the dogs we turned in for the night and tried to get some sleep for tomorrow we set off for Provence; 4 1/2 away.
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