Bubbly and basking in France

When I travel, I always evaluate a city or location from the standpoint of whether I could live in the place or if it is just a place to visit. Mostly, I decide that I can manage living in any big city, but wouldn't survive well in smaller towns. The south of France is one of the only exceptions.

I love the area my aunt Jane lives in. St. Antonin du Var is a lovely spot near Nice that provides a great escape destination.

My Mum and I were looking for a couple of down days to recoup from our fever pace in Paris - St. Antonin was just the place for some chillaxing.

On the two day trip from Paris to St. Antonin, the three of us invibed in some local specialties. We stopped in Eparney which is in the heart of the Champagne region. We took the tour of Moet & Chandon. Their carve has over 10 million bottles of champagne. Needless to say, Mum and I were quite excited - Jane was driving so she could only have a small taste. We enjoyed a glass of their annual masterpiece. They blend up to 300 different wines to develop the exactly the same taste every year. This also is the reason that most champagnes do not have a vintage year. They are a blend of so many years that they can't designate a single year for a vintage. The other thing I learnt while in the home of Dom Perignon is that a champagne can be stored at home for as many years as it has been aged in a carve. So if you have a three year old champagne, then you can keep it at home for another three years before it looses its bubbles. But then again, who would ever
keep bubbly lying around that long!

After we dried out from Eparney, we spent a night in Beaune, a quaint little town in the midlands of France. It is well known for being the place of the first hospice centre. We had a stroll through the sweet little town and tried not to think of the sorrow happening in the hospice nearby.

Once in St. Antonin we only exerted ourselves when absolutely necessary. The most excitement we had was watching the men's finals at Wimbledon. It was an amazingly grinding match between Federer and Roddick. Federer finally eeked out a win (his 15th major - passing Sampras for the most ever) in 5 sets. It was tough that someone had to loose. They both played with a lot of heart.

We also found our way into a couple of village markets. These are essential aspects of life in the south of France. I could definitely get used to a pace of life like this.

I hope to return someday soon. This is definitely a slice of paradise, and I have the good fortune of being related to the generous owner!!