France holiday day 2 - Eperany: Champagne town

Van was super hot like dripping sweat at every turn so didn't really sleep that well. Moved into an actual pitch rather than the siding we'd been kindly given but didn't have a long enough electric cable to reach it. No bother as we used the gas on the fridge. Kerry bought some bread and croissants. 

After lunch we headed out into Epernay town centre towards the Champagne Avenue where all the houses like Moet and Chandon are located. Like most French businesses it was shut for lunch so hung around the local park until 2pm. Unfortunately when we did enter the building for a guided tour they were fully booked for the day - something that the guide book didn't explain. Instead we headed down the road to another famous brand called Mercier though one I've not heard of.

According to the guidebook it had a laser guided train for travelling through the 'caves' or cellars but there was a technical problem so this was out of order. Kerry bought an Adult and an 'enfant' ticket for me, i.e. no free drink tasting. Tour consisted of the largest wooden casket used for a late 19th century Paris exhibition and a short history film of the business founder who clubbed together 3 local growers then making champagne affordable to the masses - a bit like Easy-Jet. Back then champagne cost as much as 4 days average wage.

Back at the campsite we paid £3 for the daily Vodafone charge for internet access to research out next destination. Unfortunately, all campsites in the South of France were either ignoring their email or telling us they were fully booked. So, in the end we booked a Loire campsite and cooked my previously frozen paella.

Saw the light show projected on one of the big houses on Champagne Avenue which was quite cool then headed back home unaware that the night would bring loud storms.