Both invigorating and familiar. Away from home but not too far. Our neighbor to the south has always had an everlasting appeal, even more so now as we begin traveling internationally again.
France's ornate hotels, immaculately kept vineyards and rich culinary scene are calling our name. In France's emerald northeast, cultural majesty coexists with the bucolic lifestyle of the French countryside, producing a pale honey colored bubbling nectar, interlacing the then and now.
The Champagne region has never had more sparkle! It was a balmy 23 degrees in the wine-making town of Sacy, France , in mid-August, and I was overlooking the wee town below from one of the surrounding vineyard-clad slopes. In the mid 18th century, Sacy, just outside of France's monarchical city of Reims, was a tiny farmer's community.
And to some extent, it still is today. When the cows left, fruit farmers took over, focussing on the production of grapes to create a local wine which was on prominent display at the coronation banquets of the kings of France of yore.
We had come to spend our romantic weekend stumble among the most expansive Champagne slopes, at the base of the Montagne de Reims, chasing the pastoral spirit of the Champenois countryside. Le Montagne de Reims has long been central to its appeal among tranquility seekers and lovers of the outdoors. The empty landscapes, surrounding Sacy, that I was peering down upon, a major selling point. An antidote to the kind of travel where stellar views or famous sights always seem to have been overhyped.
