Reims et Champagne Mumm

It's Friday so this must be Reims, Champagne capitol of the world.

I thought I might escape a tasting but once you're there it seems de rigueur. Champagne MUMM is my alma mater so to speak. I did art work for MUMM 20 years ago.

Call the day/week ahead. You will need a reservation.

Even though I worked in the Champagne business for 2-3 years and stayed at Mumm's mansion, it is always interesting to take the cellar tour. Tasting their CORDON ROUGE BRUT was an delight end-of-tour.

The long, long dark underground cellar storing 25 million bottles is the perfect counterpart

To visit Reims Cathedral, above-ground wondrously high passage ways. You feel like an ant.

An overcast day turned absolutely beautiful.

Reims (rhymes with "chance" if you hit the "n" lightly) is merely 45 minutes away from Paris on the new special TGV.

Skip the self-tour audio guide. Unfortunately there is no riveting Malcolm Miller of Chartres to decipher this Gothic temple. But there are well-written explanation posts at each point of reference.

Upon entering the cathedral I could hear the faintest hint of choral singing.

In the Chagall chapel all the way back on the left, a lovely compilation of choral singing is playing. I hope it's played everyday. There is no CD available upfront in the shop sadly. The perfect companion for exploring Reims Cathedral or any cathedral I suspect.

My watercolor stains using reds and blues over a pale, pale yellow wash.

I've used the WATERCOLOR POCKET PALETTE for years for layering colors.

More stained glass of an edible sort rom Waida Patisserie

Back in the cathedral the very fine 'Rose' window is not to be missed.

A 'rose' window made up of chocolate bouchon filled with champagne.

Don't miss visiting MAISON FOSSIER, Home of the famous pink biscuits (le biscuits rose) you can dip into your Champagne and they won't crumble.

The word biscuit comes from bi-cuit (baked twice) and originally colored with carmine to hide the black specks of vanilla bean in the biscuits.

Along with all these other 'must-dos' do read Ina Cara's PARIS TO THE PAST. Thank you Jean for insisting. I even got the audio version. It's perfect for visits to France's Gothic cathedrals, fill of intriguing historic anecdotes and an aesthetic point of view as well.

I love how Caro reminds you to notice the half-Rose window at Gare de l'Est before you set off for Reims. Her book, full of details like that is my new BBF.

Still more watercolor stains for Paris letter/map subscribers/renewers. Here Ye all!