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A Rowing Tour of the Meuse: Charleville-Mézières & Deville
My first leg of this rowing tour of the Meuse river was no picnic. It had been more than three weeks since I had last been in a scull. On top of that, it was a hot, sunny day with temperatures in the low thirties. Add to that the fact that we were basically rowing a marathon or so a day and this was my first time rowing more than 12 kilometres at a time. Overcoming Adversity Needless to say, I struggled. Which, unfortunately, negatively impacted my rowing mates. By late in the day, my hands were slipping from perspiration. And my thigh muscles were tightening up so that it…
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A Sancerre Vineyard Tour – Part 2
As I write this, a warm, sunny, breeze wafts through my open window and I am immediately transported back to a similar day in the Sancerre region of the Loire Valley. The vineyard tour I was on had just finished a delicious lunch at the bistro of La Côte des Monts Damnés in Chavignol. And now we were now strolling down a lane to visit a local fromagerie – cheese maker, Dubois Boulay. Crottin de Chavignol In addition to producing wonderful Sancerre wine, Chavignol is also known for making the most famous goat cheese in the Loire Valley – Crottin de Chavignol. Some believe that the name comes from the…
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A Sancerre Vineyard Tour – Part 1
I love it when serendipity shows its wondrous face. The act of finding something valuable or delightful when you are not looking for it always brings me joy. So I was thrilled while visiting Paris to receive an email from Le Cordon Bleu offering a Sancerre vineyard tour. The first bit of serendipity was that Sancerre, a dry Sauvignon blanc, has become my favourite French white wine. The second was that this world-renowned culinary arts school was offering this tour during my current visit. Naturally I jumped at the opportunity to visit this beautiful corner of the Loire Valley and registered for the tour immediately. I arrived bright and early…
