My second trip unto Furrrr-ronce



Wednesday: Come sweeping in a day b4 the snow closes London/Heathrow aeroport...get to Orbais late


Enter thru here to hear a short clip of the Bells of L’église Saint Pierre-Saint Paul d’Orbais l'Abbaye (a Monday morning 'bout 8:30am)


wk and a half later...
Sun: Drive to Chapelle Orbais and south to Fromentières...


le Retable de Fromentières, church of Sainte-Madeleine; to view altarpiece detail, see.. online websites..

And then east to Vertus, Church of St Martin... See/view new organ ('96) assembly


Infamous Epernay Champagne houses... see area map at.... sorry, search "Champagne Route"


Wed: Hautvillers. Abbaye of Saint-Pierre and tomb of Dom Pérignon, right in church floor; vineyards of well-known growers dot the area, right across the river from Epernay; relics of Constantine's mother St Helena are here too. Magnifque orgue assembly.


Fri: Drive west and north thru Le Breuil and into Epernay. Nice drive, nice views; the bare hillsides are vineyards

Many anti-war demos in all parts of Europe (Feb/Mar '03)


a wk later...
Fri: Make first trip into Reims since my arrival. Glorious. Will return for Cathedral tour. Went searching for jazz club.

A little something from planetware.com re: Reims. 'The city takes its name from a Celtic tribe, the Remi, whose capital it was. Later it became the Roman Durocortorum, one of the most flourishing cities in Gaul and originally more important than Paris. The high standing of the bishops of Reims, enhanced by their role in the conversion of the Franks, earned them in Carolingian times the right to anoint the king, and from 988 to 1825 almost all the kings of France were crowned in Reims. On July 17 1429 Joan of Arc conducted Charles VII into the Cathedral for his anointing.'


Sat: Church of St Pierre & St Paul, in Epernay; organ, ca 1897; for another view, see.. do a search of name place.
Found launderette, some angel there to show me, run me thru it; how to use machines, etc




Sun: Attend Epernay Mass, Church of Norte Dame. Looking northwest across valley to Vinay and Moussy, south of Epernay



Mon: Reim's Roman road, nearby stand remnants of ancient fort; walk Notre Dame neighborhood, see Carnegie Library and Musee of Beaux Art. 3euros gets 5 musee! Will return for St Remi Cathedral and Planetari show


wk and a half later...
Fri: St Remi Cathedral/Musee; just wordless, undescribable; saw cathedral plan showing scaffolding beams inserted into small 6x6 inch holes; up, up, up... the side of the wall. Below, we see the Grand Orgue and the Smaller Choir Organ.

Also, in Epernay, find Maison d' Italie, an Italian deli; a wonderful pastry shop (Les Gourmandises d'Amaelle/the Delicacies of Tatiana) to purchase beignets and a vacuum/appliance repair shop. Bought a new carafe for the coffeemaker. Tres bonnes.


Mon: Head off to Sezanne, all still there and Provins: Catherdral and City stronghold sits atop promitory




Fri: Spot big goldfish/carp in former water-wheel aqueduct; and Madeline's ghost (previous owner's wife). Keep seeing her at the edge/periphery of my vision, peeking in on me in her "former" residence


Sun.... 2 personal one-on-one tours of Reims Organ and Cathedral. It was a dream, a prayer come truuu. Find later trans Venus was conj my mars/north node

A little something from planetware.com re: Reims Cathedral. 'Built on the site of the fifth century church in which the Frankish king Clovis was baptized by Bishop Rémi (Remigius) and used for more than eight centuries for the coronation of French kings, Reims Cathedral enjoys a very special position in French history. The present building was begun by Jean d'Orbais (also designed church/abbey in the town where i was staying) in 1211, following the destruction of an earlier church by fire, and was practically complete by 1294 (the upper parts of the towers being completed only in 1428). The tower over the crossing which was added in 1485 was destroyed by fire in 1914 and was not rebuilt'... roof/ceiling/building repairs paid by J.D. Rockefeller


Fri: Query drive to Château-Thierry (and later to nearby Belleau Wood and American WWI cemetery) to see how to get to interstate... drive west from Orbais completely pastoral... thru Conde-de-Brie


Sat: Head to Reims for Planetari show and tour of Jesuit College Musee, given by sweet utterly gorgeous young lady....


Sun: Reims again to the Musée de la Reddition (the Surrender Museum). Was the actual WWII military headquarters for General Eisenhower, his staff and on May 8 1945, the paper-signing location of the Axis surrender
Mon: exit south to Sens, say hello to Elizabeth...in absolutely terrible noisy, smoky Best Western hotel, but the food was good.
south to Perigord area; Montignac/Lascaux.

7 hr drive thru the most unreal countryside, vistas and towns. Chatre and Sully-en-Loire.



Chateau Sully.....front...


...and back. More views w/ interior shots see.... their comprehensive website.


Stayed at a little motel near Terrasson-Lavilledieu, on D6089. And then, on Wed... the Dordogne River Valley and Meyronne village. Grottes and Gouffre of ancient man dot the area.


On to Alvignac w/ its Gouffre de Reveillon; est to Padirac Cave, near Mathieu, then est again, then nord, thru Bois de Presque, pass the Grottes de Presque, and behold!....
the Chateau de Presque

Could you imagine waking up to this nearly everyday of your life?


Thurs: Back to Orbais; find slides/books of previous owner in boxes on pallet in MM basement; a civil eng, he was involved in the making of Aswan Dam. Present owner looked high and low, for over 5yrs


Tues: Drove to nearby grottes, Marsh of St Gond; burial sites dating to 100,000 BC


Sun: Drive to Paris at 930p get there at 11p...damn...people up and about; drinking, having dinner..the City of Lights, never sleeps


Wed: to Paree; Ugarit restaurant, spoke no English and mistaken street name searching 4 jazz club


Thurs 6p snow!! blizzard from the NW on 30 mins, off; then again 8p; melts by Fri


Palm Sun: Paree, see 'Gauguin and Friends' exhibit and do the the ulitmate in movie going: see 'the Bicycle Thief'..spoken in Italian w/ French subtitles..doesn't get much better. Stroll round Jardin du Luxembourg



Tues: so warm; Paree and Tex Mex restaurant, their gucamole and pico de gallo as good as SD, w/ Bohemia!! Owner did live in the States; wander St Michel area for 2hrs...all the people


Good Fri: drive to Baye, Adency, Dolman to see ancient sites; then on to....
Paree! Nite photo looking east down Rue de la Huchette from Blvd Saint Michel, as the Moon rises overhead. Meet Eli and get dinner at seafood restaurant; fun w/ waiters who say I look like Lionel Richie..we sing, we agree we don't like barbara, oy.


Sat: Waking up in a Paris hotel. Now there's a concept, what an odd feeling. Breakfast, then on to the Louvre. Stirring, tres magnifque! and only 7.50 euros!! Wander thru Egyptian exhibit...takes 5 hours!!


back to Orbais....then, au revoir mon petite Moulin Minette

the loyal pain in da ass