Trip to France - some advice please!

[Willem]

For champagne to be a memorable wine, you unfortunately have to pay very dearly for the bottle... very expensive... but then, we say to ourselves that if we had paid this price for a wine without bubbles, we might have be better spent your money...

In my Cambridge days I drank some well known expensive ones, but there too, I was never too impressed. There are far nicer dry white wines, and sometimes even for less. As for bubbles, by now I think some of the non Champagne ones that you mention are not only a better buy, but sometimes also nicer. And as I said, the bicycle tour through the various fields of high quality Burgundy wines such as Clos de Vougeot brought back far happier memories. But to each their own.

 

[EJ3]

I'm very fond of Champagne and many other sparkling types. We're particularly looking forward to seeing the chalk caves. We first really became aware of them in an episode of "Meurtres en" and felt they were something we really wanted to see.

I'm in agreement with sparkling wines. But now I have to look up these caves, dang it.
I have been 10 miles into Mammoth Cave, so I like caves.
(In spite of the fact that they are just a hole turned sideways).

 

[Haskil]

I'm very fond of Champagne and many other sparkling types. We're particularly looking forward to seeing the chalk caves. We first really became aware of them in an episode of "Meurtres en" and felt they were something we really wanted to see.

What, you see the series of “Murders in…” all the way to the United States!? My God ! Three or four scenarios presented in each region of France, which we take a tour of! I see that it is a very effective tourism promotion tool... in addition to sometimes being a completely honorable detective soap opera typical of French public television: neither good nor bad.

For bubbles without risk of making a mistake: in France you have Crémant de Bourgogne from the house of Veuve Ambal which are excellent in their different versions in brut. And for the Crémant d'Alsace, those, always raw, from Wolfberger... the price is ridiculously low - 7 to 9 euros in supermarkets like Carrefour, Leclerc, Intermarché... And the quality is all snobbery aside, truly excellent... And no headache the next day...
And I am a lover of Cristal Roederer, Bricart-Salmon, the great Pomery, Deutz and other excellent ruinous champagnes.

 

[Ken1951]

What, you see the series of “Murders in…” all the way to the United States!? My God ! Three or four scenarios presented in each region of France, which we take a tour of! I see that it is a very effective tourism promotion tool... in addition to sometimes being a completely honorable detective soap opera typical of French public television: neither good nor bad.

For bubbles without risk of making a mistake: in France you have Crémant de Bourgogne from the house of Veuve Ambal which are excellent in their different versions in brut. And for the Crémant d'Alsace, those, always raw, from Wolfberger... the price is ridiculously low - 7 to 9 euros in supermarkets like Carrefour, Leclerc, Intermarché... And the quality is all snobbery aside, truly excellent... And no headache the next day...
And I am a lover of Cristal Roederer, Bricart-Salmon, the great Pomery, Deutz and other excellent ruinous champagnes.

We've watched a massive number of "Murders in..." on Prime via a MHz subscripion. Something like 14 "seasons" worth. Also "L'Art du Crime", "Astrid (Astrid et Raphaelle)", "Capitaine Marleau", "Perfect Murders", "Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie" the ones with Elodie Frenck, "Disturbing Disappearances", and likely many others adding up to many hundreds of hours of French TV. Several series we've watched more than once. We don't watch much in the way of current US programs other than some on Prime and Netflix. Most US network stuff is garbage.

 

[Xombul]

We're planning a trip to France in September to last about three weeks. We're starting in Paris for about 10 days and have most of that fairly well decided upon. Guided tour of the Louvre for two days, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame, Ste Chapelle, Versailles, and Giverny. Possibly more I can't remember at the moment. Then the train to Reims and renting a car there. We're particularly interested in a tour of some Champagne caves after seeing them in an episode of Murders In. Does anyone have a recommendation for the best of the caves to tour? We're also going to Annecy, Lyon, Arles, Avignon, and I want to go out with a guide birding in the Camargue area. At this point the caves recommendation is an interest as I can't really seem to figure it out online. Any other advice will of course be appreciated.

Musée des arts premiers? Grand palais? Musée Guimet? Chateau de Chantilly?, Chateau de St Germain en Laye?, Hospices de Beaune?, Aigues-mortes?

 

[sergeauckland]

In my Cambridge days I drank some well known expensive ones, but there too, I was never too impressed. There are far nicer dry white wines, and sometimes even for less. As for bubbles, by now I think some of the non Champagne ones that you mention are not only a better buy, but sometimes also nicer. And as I said, the bicycle tour through the various fields of high quality Burgundy wines such as Clos de Vougeot brought back far happier memories. But to each their own.

When we had our holiday home in France, my usual drink was the local Blanquette de Limoux. Preferred it to Champagne. The local reds were also superb, especially the Domaine de Mayrac organic wines and those from the nearby Corbieres.

The Aude is my favourite part of France, and Carcassonne is unforgettable, even with all the tourists.

S

 

[Haskil]

We've watched a massive number of "Murders in..." on Prime via a MHz subscripion. Something like 14 "seasons" worth. Also "L'Art du Crime", "Astrid (Astrid et Raphaelle)", "Capitaine Marleau", "Perfect Murders", "Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie" the ones with Elodie Frenck, "Disturbing Disappearances", and likely many others adding up to many hundreds of hours of French TV. Several series we've watched more than once. We don't watch much in the way of current US programs other than some on Prime and Netflix. Most US network stuff is garbage.

I am blown away by this information! Captain Marleau is hilarious because of the personality of this very special kind of policewoman... her humor is devastating but I wonder how it can be translated... Astrid and Raphaele, The Art of Crime are very surprising... the first because an autistic woman leads the investigation with a real policewoman, the other because it takes place in the field of museum art... You have to watch Cesar Wagner who is played by a quartet of actors and actresses amazing...

 

[neilbardsley]

Since you renting a car in Reims. If you are interested in Motorsport drive out to the old F1 grandstand. We stopped there about 2 years ago. The best way to get around Paris are eBikes. Also you are only a short train ride away from Europe's greatest city : London Ps why miss Mount St Michel and Honfluer?

 

[Willem]

I noticed last week when I was in Paris (Quartier Latin) that there was a lot more cycling than even two or three years ago, and it must be a quite feasible option by now. As you can imagine I am a very experienced cyclist myself and even rode my bike in Rome, but in the past I was too worried to try. What was troubling for me as a Dutch pedestrian was that most bike lanes were two lanes on one side of the road, rather than one lane on one side and another on the other side. Crossing the street demanded a conscious effort because the bikes could come from an unexpected direction. I think there is still some to learn from the extensive Dutch scientific research on street layout, but even so, they are making good progress. I hardly saw any Ebikes, however, and I do not see the point in a city that is as flat as Paris.

 

[Karmacoma]

What, you see the series of “Murders in…” all the way to the United States!? My God ! Three or four scenarios presented in each region of France, which we take a tour of! I see that it is a very effective tourism promotion tool... in addition to sometimes being a completely honorable detective soap opera typical of French public television: neither good nor bad.

For bubbles without risk of making a mistake: in France you have Crémant de Bourgogne from the house of Veuve Ambal which are excellent in their different versions in brut. And for the Crémant d'Alsace, those, always raw, from Wolfberger... the price is ridiculously low - 7 to 9 euros in supermarkets like Carrefour, Leclerc, Intermarché... And the quality is all snobbery aside, truly excellent... And no headache the next day...
And I am a lover of Cristal Roederer, Bricart-Salmon, the great Pomery, Deutz and other excellent ruinous champagnes.

Good point to underline for foreigners who might not be aware: french supermarkets, the bigger the better, have an impressive display of wine, you won't believe the price/quality ratio as long as you have a clue of what you're looking for. Unbeatable.

 

[neilbardsley]

I noticed last week when I was in Paris (Quartier Latin) that there was a lot more cycling than even two or three years ago, and it must be a quite feasible option by now. As you can imagine I am a very experienced cyclist myself and even rode my bike in Rome, but in the past I was too worried to try. What was troubling for me as a Dutch pedestrian was that most bike lanes were two lanes on one side of the road, rather than one lane on one side and another on the other side. Crossing the street demanded a conscious effort because the bikes could come from an unexpected direction. I think there is still some to learn from the extensive Dutch scientific research on street layout, but even so, they are making good progress. I hardly saw any Ebikes, however, and I do not see the point in a city that is as flat as Paris.

The purpose of an eBike is that your none cycling wife can keep up with you

In fact in Ibiza I had a normal MTB and she had an eMtb. All I heard was faster, faster. Unfortunately I'm no MVP

If you cycle by the Siene there is a path completely protected from traffic but quite busy.

 

[Willem]

My 66 year old wife is a very good cyclist, and often beats me on long climbs in the mountains. Also, she quite likes beating Ebikers for speed. She is getting a new custom bicycle and the frame should arrive from the paint shop this week, ready for the new season. Yes, Ebikes are often used to equalize ability, but as you say, that introduces a new problem.

 

[Haskil]

Good point to underline for foreigners who might not be aware: french supermarkets, the bigger the better, have an impressive display of wine, you won't believe the price/quality ratio as long as you have a clue of what you're looking for. Unbeatable.

In the Lecler Centers, wines range from 2 euros per bottle to more than 1000 euros per bottle: the great wines are in a separate room, protected from the light!

 

[Ken1951]

I am blown away by this information! Captain Marleau is hilarious because of the personality of this very special kind of policewoman... her humor is devastating but I wonder how it can be translated... Astrid and Raphaele, The Art of Crime are very surprising... the first because an autistic woman leads the investigation with a real policewoman, the other because it takes place in the field of museum art... You have to watch Cesar Wagner who is played by a quartet of actors and actresses amazing...

We adore Marleau! The two main actors in Astrid are incredible, especially Sara Mortensen as Astrid. We look forward to the Louvre and seeing the works highlighted in Art of Crime. We have two days set aside for the Louvre with a private guide.

As far as biking goes, that is a non-starter. And as I mentioned earlier we've also abandoned the idea of a car and will be using trains between destinations and taxis as needed. Really looking forward to our day out birding in the Camargue area.

 

[Ken1951]

I am blown away by this information! Captain Marleau is hilarious because of the personality of this very special kind of policewoman... her humor is devastating but I wonder how it can be translated... Astrid and Raphaele, The Art of Crime are very surprising... the first because an autistic woman leads the investigation with a real policewoman, the other because it takes place in the field of museum art... You have to watch Cesar Wagner who is played by a quartet of actors and actresses amazing...

Thank you so much for this recommendation! We just finished all of the episodes available to us here, which is everything except the last two episodes shown as being from January of this year. We thoroughly enjoyed this series and were able to pick up a little help for our French.