Sunday 19 – Friday 24 October 2025

So good to be here in a modern kitchen and new house. 16 year old Soko the cat is timid and largely eats and sleeps. Lady P is planning her three day excursion to LPR to meet EL and Johnny with the builders for a site meeting about the proposed extension planned for 2026 and we are still chasing compensation for the London booking.

By Wednesday we have walked into town a couple of times and have been reminded of the annoying French custom of closing businesses from noon to 2.00 pm and if not closed, the kitchen sure is, so no food. A drink is sometimes grudgingly possible. This is fairly prevalent in not so touristy areas. However, we managed not to starve or go thirsty. Flashy is cooking soup and fish pie as the weather remains cool and drizzly rain persists. We are enjoying the down time and the TV works.

Friday dawned sunny but only 8C, so it’s still scarf and coat time.

Troyes is in the Aube Department, one of five in the Champagne region and the city of 60,000 is 140 kms from Paris and 100 kms from what is the unofficial capital of Champagne, Reims. Troyes however, is the capital of the Aube Department and is at the southern end of the Champagne AOC, on the banks of the Seine.

It is a beautiful medieval city, with narrow, cobbled streets lined with colourful, half-timbered houses, mostly dating from the 16th century and being lovingly restored by the local community. The town is home to several Gothic churches and a cathedral with striking stained-glass windows. Within 10 kms is the vineyards of Montgueux, makers of wonderful Champagne.

As Lady P announced at breakfast that today, 24 October, is World Champagne Day, we decided a tasting of the beverage was required. Not having a car, we nonetheless found le Cerce du Vin in town. This house of wine does tastings and bottle sales of many Champagnes and still wines and that’s where we walked to sample four of the region’s Champagnes, Montgueux being a tad too far to walk.

Hervierux-Dunez premier cru, la grande blanc de blanc naturale; a Faveurs Brut; Jean Guerinot Brut and a Jean Guerinot Rose were all sampled. The Rose was OK, the rest were excellent.

After our tasting, we walker around parts of the town we hadn’t been before and managed to get a new strap for Flashy’s watch. The watch battery last year in Madrid and the new band in Troyes add up to more that his watch is worth! He did manage a decent haircut, too.

At Cercle du Vin.
All good. Some excellent.
500 year old houses.
local community hall.
A city of many sculptures.

Comments

  1. Graeme24 October 2025 at 22:57

    Some photos of the stained glass windows would be nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Roger24 October 2025 at 23:32

      Doing a greeter tour on Monday. I'll send them then. You'd love Troyes. Like but better than Strasbourg.

      Delete

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