Tour to Reims, Epernay, Dizy and Bouzy... with intronisation into the Brotherood of Golden Sabre, performing "sabrage" and much more!

Programme:

Thursday, 5.11.2009 - departure from Prague and Beroun with CK Lingua Tour.

Friday, 6.11.2009 - arrival in Champagne, at 9h30 for a visit to one of the greatest Champagne houses and grandes marques TAITTINGER in Reims with their vast underground chalk cellars beneath the Saint-Nicaise abbey, which have been in existence here since the Roman times.  Free time for lunch, to explore Reims or alternatively visiting the famous cathedral. After lunch we will take a short excursion to nearby village of Verzenay where we shall visit a small family Champagne house of LOUIS DOUSSET in the heart of Montagne de Reims and its vineyards. Return to Reims and accommodation in hotel Bristol in the city centre. Free programme for the rest of the evening.

Saturday, 7.11.2009 - 10h00 visit LECLERC-BRIANT, an innovative Champagne house in Epernay, whose owner Pascal Leclerc (who passed away very recently) I watched five years ago at the Paris Hilton near the Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Roissy to enter the Guinness Book of Records by creating the largest champagne fountain...!  At 11h00 visit a family Champagne house JEAN MILAN in Oger, which is a grand cru village in the Côte de Blanc sub-region with tasting and light lunch. Transfer to nearby Avize, another grand cru village and visiting a family firm of three generations PETIT-LEBRUN.  Transfer to Rilly-la-Montagne in the heart of Montagne de Reims and visiting Champagne house BRUGNON, whose owner  Philippe Brugnon is a Grand Maître of the Confrérie du Sabre d'Or brotherhood who amuse themselves with decapitating the tops of Champagne bottles and of which I am also member.  Dinner with Champagne and intronisation of new members into this brotherood of the golden sabre who will be recommended.

Sunday, 8.11.2009 - after breakfast check-out from the hotel and  transfer to Hautvillers, to see the famous abbey where Dom Pérignon, the Benedictine monk, "invented" Champagne at the end of 17th century.  We will travel through villages with such poeitc names as Dizy and Bouzy (a.k.a. "dizzy" and "boozy") and there will visit another small family Champagne house PIERRE GOBILLARD and taste their cuvées. At noon we will stop in Epernay, the capital of Champagne.  Free time for lunch or individual exploring of the town with its famous Avenue de Champagne, the most expensive street in the world.  Possibility of visiting MERCIER and MOËT et CHANDON individually for a visit and a train ride through the cellars or DE VENOGE, DE CASTELLANE etc.).  We will round off the tour with a visit to Champagne POMMERY-VRANKEN in Reims, which was made famous by another Champagne widow - Louise Pommery.   Departure for Prague at 18h00.

Monday, 9.11.2009 - arrival in Prague during early morning hours (06h00).

This tour was organised in cooperation with CK Lingua Tour, Beroun www.linguatour.cz