June 16, 2003 – Monday

Michel the Vintner

Our last full day. We spent the morning and early afternoon playing the tourist part in Reims, waiting for Valentin to finish out his school day. We saw some Roman aqueducts, and went to the cathedral where Jeanne d’Arc crowned the King. When Valentin was out, we headed over to pick him up.

Michel had invited us over to tour his vineyards and distillery. It was awesome, the place was beautiful. He then brought us to his house for some tastings of certain champagnes he had produced. He gave me a really awesome present of one of their rarest champagnes, that apparently, champagne collectorsover the world call him about daily, desperate to get a hold of the bottle. It was a limited production that was made especially in memory of his mother-in-law, for a special anniversary. He won’t sell them, only presents them as gifts. I was so honored when he gave me one.

That night, some of our friends threw a little going away dinner for us, as one last chance for all of us to sit down together before we left. It was a really awesome night.