Villenauxe is an extremely sleepy hamlet in the
Champagne district of France and we went there to visit a cave and sample some delicious champagne. Of course you know "champagne" can only be called thusly if it is actually produced in this area, by law. Otherwise it is called sparkling wine, even if produced with the same grapes and in exactly the same methods. We visited the tiny operation of
Oudard which is run by two brothers after their father started it in the late 80s. I asked him if he grew all the grapes for his champagne and he said regretfully, no I must buy some. But he buys them from his uncle. You can only buy their product from them or at their parents' restaurant in town, or perhaps locally, I'm not sure. I am definitely not a wine expert but I think the Oudard Brut is delicious! I bought several bottles and hopefully I can make it back to the states with at least one. My mother says you should have a bottle of good champagne in the refrigerator at all times, in case something really good happens.
The church was heavily battered during World War Two and in the early 90s they chose to redo the stained glass windows in the beautiful old church with a modernist flair. Here the Virgin is asking why, why?
A baby duck ignoring me
I will buy this place and make my own champagne.
One of the brothers gving us a tour of his caves. If you walked by this building on the street, you would never know - it just looks like a big house.
In France, you can rent a building from Shakespeare's time to live in. In America this would be a national monument.
A carved figure above the door to the church
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