I had forgotten how much I like ferries, they really do have a lot going for them. We have taken a few over the years; various Channel crossings, Madeira to Porto Santo, and Naples to Sicily to name a couple.
Today, we arrived at the ferry terminal ridiculously early, not wanting to reinstate our past reputation for being late, or completely missing them (by a whole day, on our honeymoon).
It worked in our favour, as we were offered a place on an earlier ferry, arriving in Calais 2 hours earlier than planned. Imagine if you turned up at the airport early and they popped you on an earlier plane!
But back to ferries: you simply show your documents and drive on, before heading to the restaurant for a full English breakfast for less than a tenner, then enjoy an hour cruising gently in the sunshine before driving off and away, hassle-free - brilliant!
Once 'en France', we drove stress-free along lovely, roads with immaculate surfaces, well-behaved lorry drivers and zero roadworks, for 200 miles, arriving in Reims in under 3 hours, the polar opposite of yesterday's experience on Britain's motorways.
We visited the cathedral, Notre Dame de Reims, which has a spectacular gothic facade, showcasing hundreds of statues of religious figures, animals and scenarios, one of the best being of the 'Judgement Day' on the southern portal. This magnificent sculpture dates back to the 5th century and was the place where 34 Kings were crowned between the 9th and 19th century.
Back in the car, we continued down through the Champagne region to Èpernay to enjoy champagne tasting in Pierry. Santè!
Lovely!
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