So we were in the Champagne-Ardenne region, and I left you behind when I zoomed through the vineyards on my lightning-fast e-bike (named Schwarzenegger). After all that exercise (cycling is cycling is cycling, e-bike or not) it was time for a little drink, and we did that at Au 36. That place is located on rue Dom Pérignon and of all the rues, that is really my favorite rue. For obvious reasons.

The tasting we had here came in sixes and a table full of flutes does particularly well in my book. On the little board next to it, all kinds of snacks and a giant macaron, all in all it was not exactly suffering. We puff a bit and then walk through the small village, which is interspersed with small crooked houses and steep streets, along with wide views over the fields and valleys – it is really very idyllic.

After all this, we get back into our North which takes us to Épernay. We have an appointment at Champagne Mercier, and that house is located on Avenue de Champagne. So now we have my favorite rue and my favorite Avenue. For again, obvious reasons. At Mercier, we get a tour of the cellars just like at Taittinger, but Mercier knows very well how to approach this as grand as possible, so instead of walking, the tour happens in a sort of train, through the long corridors. Quite spectacular, also a bit commercial, but that certainly doesn’t make it any less fun.

But we’re not done yet, because we’re going on to C Comme Champagne which is just around the corner. Until now we had been in the large to medium-sized houses, C Comme focuses on the smaller houses. In the cellar are hundreds of bottles and at the bar you can do a tasting, where the menu changes every week. The fun part is that you now come into contact with the houses that produce only 4000 bottles a year and thus quickly pass by your attention, which is a shame. We buy a bottle (from the house Jacques Chaput) because, you understand, that’s nice for my collection.

And then comes the inevitable end of this dream trip. We spend the last night in Hostellerie La Briqueterie and that was also a highlight. The hotel is completely covered in ivy on the outside and it is truly a little paradise. So green, so serene, so classic. The bar features a warm, cozy, and classic interior, where you’d prefer to curl up in one of the large armchairs with a good book and not come out for a day. We had dinner there and I believe I’ve run out of superlatives to describe how incredibly delicious that was.

The next morning it’s time to leave. We load North up and head back to a stormy Netherlands. If anyone is in the mood for a weekend away and doesn’t know what to do yet, this is your region. Really. Pop!