Paris-->Champagne

We spent a leisurely morning packing up and having cafe au lait and croissants in a cafe before leaving Paris. About noon, we headed off to the airport to pick up a rental car. We decided to get the car at the airport rather than pick it up in Paris and drive in and out of the city. That would have been doable on a Sunday morning because traffic was light. Returning it on a Wednesday evening on the other hand, would not be as easy!


We drove to the champagne area with no problems (our Garmin GPS works wonderfully!) where we spent the afternoon and evening with Jacques and Bernadette. Years ago, I met Jacques at a technical conference and we hit it off.


After visiting a bit, we went to the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial near Seringe et Nesler  where 6,012 American soldiers who fought in WWI or WWII are buried.

It was a beautiful and somber place to visit. Many of the crosses simply said "Here rests in honored glory, an American soldier, known but unto God."


After visiting the cemetery we visited a very old castle  near Fere en Tardenois where kings would stop and rest while traveling from Paris to Reims.

The castle is a bit unusual because it is built on a manmade hill. It has a very deep and steep ditch around the castle, but it was not filled with water.

We walked across the bridge and wandered around the castle ruins. Queen Caroline found her throne in the middle of the castle.

Our final stop of the day was at the Memorial de Dormans. This is a memorial to the soldiers who died in two WWI battles near Dormans

. The battles n this area were fierce. Nearly 80%  of the village of Dormans was destroyed in WWI. It is a quite special place for the French. There is memorial remembrance every year and often the French President participates.

© Charles Eklund 2012