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Champagne<br />
on the train<br />
Travelling by rail left Kathryn Tomasetti free<br />
to enjoy a flute or two of bubbly as she<br />
explored this fascinating wine region<br />
MAIN PICTURE:<br />
Vineyards around<br />
the village of<br />
Ville-Dommange,<br />
near Reims;<br />
RIGHT: A TGV on the<br />
journey through<br />
Champagne<br />
I<br />
used to think of myself as a seasoned<br />
traveller. Compact wheelie suitcase?<br />
Check. Hand luggage only?<br />
Bien sûr. But since the birth of our<br />
twin sons two years ago, standards have<br />
slipped. Now my luggage is a cornucopia<br />
of stuffed toys, picture books and<br />
whizzy cars.<br />
Fortunately, my husband and I are<br />
long-time train aficionados. These days,<br />
travelling by rail – where we are welcome<br />
to take all the luggage that we can carry<br />
– has never been more appealing. The<br />
bonus? Unlimited baggage works both<br />
ways. We are taking the Channel Tunnel<br />
route to Champagne (the historical<br />
region), not to be confused with<br />
le champagne (the beverage I plan to<br />
imbibe and then put in my suitcase<br />
wrapped up in two sleepsacks).<br />
A snappy 2hr 12min Eurostar<br />
➳<br />
PHOTOGRAPHS: JOHN KELLERMAN/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; ZENG JIANG<br />
44 FRANCE MAGAZINE www.completefrance.com
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