Phew wotta scorcher

It seems that the heat-wave – or canicule as we have come to call it in France – is to continue for a few days. So it was a good idea, after putting on the washing machine this morning, to make our way, by tram, to a Champagne house for a tour and tasting. We selected Mumm, not least because it was quite close to a tram stop. The day was already hotting up.

There was an old wine press on the way in, but I think they are much more modern these days.

The important point, for a heatwave, is that the action all takes place 14 metres underground in 25 kilometres of tunnels cut into the chalk, at a constant temperature of 10˚ Celsius and 90% humidity. Here are some of Mumm’s 25 million bottles sleeping comfortably.

And some prime specimens going through the riddling process to get rid of the dregs:

We were struck by the old bottle lift from the cellar to the cellar master’s office at ground level. I’m sure many chief executives would appreciate the convenience.

Before reluctantly returning to real life at 38˚, we checked out one of the longest tunnels:

Then  it was an early lunch and back on the road. Past lots of praire-style wheat fields waiting for the harvest:

Interspersed with massive silos for drying and storage:

Finally we found a shady canalside spot to tie up for the night, driving our mooring pegs into the ground for the ropes. A bit of a breeze, and some ice for the evening drinks, were quite reviving. Tomorrow we head into the Ardennes Canal, which will take us across to the Meuse valley in about three days. It is quite high, so maybe it will be cooler (some hope!).

Later we were joined, across the canal, by a modern family-run peniche, which missed the last locking. The family had fun cooling off in the canal: