Time to start a new blog - where have we been this Winter so far.....

Temujin is tucked up nice and warm at the junction of two canals in Champagne-Ardennes. Here, at Conde-sur-Marne, we still see occasional passing commercial peniches, busy earning a living transporting all sorts of cargo to and from the area - or just passing through!

I thought I'd show you some pictures of the local area. Here are a few photos of the Champagne area taken last Autumn:-

A flowery viewpoint from Champillon

The restored windmill at Verzenay.
This is an exclusive hotel for clients of Mumm champagne.

The Mumm vineyard at Verzenay.
La Montange de Reims.

View from Verzenay

Marne valley champagne vineyards from La Montagne

The lighthouse among the vines at Verzenay

The derelict canal de la Haute Seine

As we approached Troyes the canal disappeared, swallowed up by agriculture, only the lock houses remained.

Lock house in a field

Another lock house in a field

Still signs of a canal bridge

Derelict mill not far from Troyes

2011 The derelict canal de la Haute Seine

The canal in navigable as far as Marcilly-sur-Seine where there is a pontoon mooring where the river Seine is joined by the river Aube.

Pontoon mooring at Marcilly-sur-Seine

Junction of the rivers Seine and Aube

Paddle racks

2011 - The derelict canal de la Haute Seine

Disused canal de la Haute Seine 

Disused lock on the canal de la Haute Seine 

Disused lock on the canal de la Haute Seine

The amazing Church of Our Lady of the Thorn

Close to Chalons-en-Champagne (which used to be sur-Marne until the media men decided to change the town's image!) lies a very beautiful church with a chequered history; Notre Dame de l'Epine:-

Notre Dame de l'Epine
Our Lady of the Thorn

This magnificent church dates from the 15thc and has the most wonderful collection of gargoyles.

And the reason for the left hand tower being shorter than the right is because in 1798 it was dismantled so that Napoleon could have a Chappe telegraph 

built in its place!

see the link    http://telegraphe-chappe.com/chappe/strasb/lepine/lepine.html  for pictures and the full history in French

The communication system fell into disuse in 1852 and in 1868 Napoleon III paid to have the tower rebuilt. 

Discoveries in the Argonne Forest

A reconstruction of a chapel

A reconstruction of an artillery shelter

On an afternoon voyage of discovery by car we found the following in the Argonne Forest, scene of WWI battles:-

More reconstructions of shelters

Photo of WW1 German trenches in the Argonne forest

The war of the trenches WW1