Our Life Aquatic

“Pop!” Few things proclaim a celebration like uncorking a champagne bottle. But one was not enough. A case was not enough. A decade of cruising requires something momentous. How about having the Champagne region of France in the Marne River valley as our playground for an entire summer? Now, that seemed like a fitting celebration. Cheers! Salud! Santé!

Five years ago, we wrote the following:

August 9, 2015 was a regular Sunday in New Orleans. It was expectedly hot, humid, cloudy, and the summertime sluggishness had settled over the city like a smothering blanket. It did not feel like a special day for us, yet it was arguably one of the most momentous days of our lives. After our morning coffee and a final weather check, we fired up Pura Vida’s engine, unceremoniously untied all our dock lines, and left our land life behind knowing we would never return.

We honestly had no idea, when we left New Orleans, just how long we would continue cruising. We told ourselves, “As long as it is fun…” We also agreed that either person could pull the plug on our adventuring when the time seemed right, or more to the point, when the time seemed wrong. Well, after ten years and many changes to the plans, we are still having fun on our two boats, with no end of our cruising in sight.

Being stuck in Champagne was not exactly our plan. Our intentions this year were to cruise northern France, spend a few weeks on the Marne River sampling bubbly, then cruise east towards Strasbourg, a historic city near the German border. But if you have been following our travels for any length of time, you know that our plans always change, and change is a constant in our lives.

When French canals close or have restrictions to navigation, the government agency in charge sends out alerts. We monitor these closely and reevaluate our options when canals along our planned route are affected. This year, the alerts came fast and furious starting in June. Initially, there were only restrictions for maximum boat depth due to low water levels. After a while, entire sections of canals were closed due to lack of water. Sustained heavy rains could remedy this, but this is not a likely scenario in summertime.

With each alert affecting us, we pulled out our charts and looked for alternatives. By mid-July, all routes heading east were closed or looking quite dubious. Then tunnel damage eliminated the only short route to the west, towards Paris. We were essentially “trapped” in Champagne. Kimberly looked at me with a wide smile and said, “I guess this will be the summer of Champagne!”

How fortuitous to be penned in one of the most beautiful regions of France, surrounded by rolling hills covered with vineyards. We felt remarkably fortunate, and did the only logical thing. We popped open some bubbly.

We normally like to travel slow, getting to know the places we visit. This summer, our pace dwindled even more than usual. With this luxury of time, we could visit small towns usually overlooked by tourists. The canal and tunnel closures created an unusual environment on the Marne River that worked to our advantage. There was no commercial barge traffic and very few cruising boats. We found ourselves blissfully isolated, just the way we like it.

Our mission became evident, like in the famous scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. We were given a quest. We must seek out chalices of our favorite champagne from small producers we had never heard of. We must drink from coupes and flutes. We must attend festivals. We must visit hilltop châteaux. And who knows, we might even stumble upon Castle Anthrax and stay there a bit longer.

The northern hemisphere summer solstice on June 21^st marks the beginning of free music festivals throughout France. On that particular evening, the entire country is alive with celebratory sound. We were just two train stops away from the historic city of Reims, so that is where we ushered in summertime. We swayed to the beat, surrounded by a large crowd of locals while sipping bubbles at Crypto Porticus, an amphitheater built atop 1st centery Gallo-Roman market galleries.

Over the next few days, we relished city life in Reims (which is pronounced nothing like it is spelled, and in a way that only native French speakers can replicate). Dazzling light shows inside ancient cathedrals. Updating our wardrobe along sprawling pedestrian walkways filled with discounted summer fashions. A decadent array of restaurants with local and global cuisine. And, of course, some of the most famous champagne houses in the world.

The only thing that pulled us away from Reims was the upcoming Henri IV Festival in the town of Aÿ. We did not know what to expect, and were delighted with the atmosphere that felt like a small Mardi Gras marching krewe had collided with a renaissance fair. Aÿ boasts the title of the place that made champagne famous when, in the 16th century, King Henri IV fell in love with the light effervescent wine and had it shipped by the wagonloads to his palace. He declared it good for one’s health. Who are we to argue with royalty? Santé!

Summer in France can feel like New Orleans. Not the weather, but how your calendar stumbles from one festival to another, sometimes overlapping. Next up, the Fête Nationale, aka 14^th Juillet, aka Bastille Day (in America). Our chosen locale to usher in the festivities was the city of Château-Thierry.

If you are a World War One history buff, you know Château-Thierry is where the allied forces stopped the German advance towards Paris and turned the tide of the war. It is where the U.S. Marines earned the nickname “Devil Dogs” because of their ferocity in combat, and the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division became known as the “Rock of the Marne” for holding the line against what seemed an unstoppable German assault.

If you are more a fan of the literary arts, you might know Château-Thierry as the birthplace of the celebrated French writer Jean de La Fontaine. Five hundred years later, his versions of Aesop’s Fables are as popular as ever in the francophone world and beyond. The city is abounding with fable-themed restaurants, bars, and shops.

For us, it was all new information, and we celebrated our newfound knowledge in style. We docked on a pontoon along a vibrant riverfront park near the city center. The Fête Nationale celebrations were held less than a block away, and the absolute best viewing spot for the fireworks show was the roof of Ziggy B. We danced the night away with the locals and with visiting friends, then watched the fireworks on our rooftop beanbag chairs with champagne in our hands. Vive la France!

Do not worry, gentle reader, we did not allow all these festivities to distract us from our quest. The champagne tastings continued. Our knowledge of the effervescent elixir blossomed. Our taste buds danced with delight.

Perhaps the most useful wisdom we gained during our quest can be summed up with the phrase “everyday champagne.” Of course, you should celebrate with it. But why not drink it just because? It’s a beautiful Tuesday: champagne! The day is over: champagne! We’re having sandwiches for lunch: champagne!

In France, particularly in the Marne Valley, champagne is quotidian. It is enjoyed for no reason beyond the pleasure of it. It embodies the joie de vivre of the French people that made us fall in love with them. It is a celebration of everything and nothing at the same time.

After partying in Château-Thierry, we continued downriver on the Marne. Long stretches of uninhabited countryside dotted with tiny towns. Rolling hills covered with grape vines snuggled us, and the occasional church steeple in the distance would announce an upcoming village.

We reached our desired turn-around point in the town of Charly. Heard of it? Neither had we. But it turns out, like most small towns in Champagne, it is the home of dozens of wine producers. These are small, family vineyards. They are usually owned by a couple that have the same last name that adorns the bottles, and has for over a hundred years. The winemakers themselves are the ones that farm the grapes, make the wine, greet you when you arrive, guide you through a tasting, and even offer to deliver your purchase right down to the dock. You will probably meet the children, and might even get to pet the family dog. It was an intimate experience, compared to visiting the large, famous, and glitzy champagne houses.

They say immersion is the best way to learn. We had a lot to learn about champagne, so we immersed ourselves. Fortunately, we had willing teachers. Most champagne houses offer tastings of their most popular bubbles. Some even let you taste their reserve and vintage offerings. On every occasion, a family member explains the winemaking process, the grape varietal and/or blend they use (assembling, as they call it), the sugar dosage, and aging time for each type of champagne. They are the most delicious classrooms imaginable. Usually, each tasting was a full glass of each sample, not just a tiny sip. After visiting three houses in one afternoon, we were relieved we were not driving. We were extraordinarily jovial, our heads spinning with new knowledge (Yes, it was the knowledge that made our heads spin! Don’t laugh).

After loading Ziggy B with cases of bubbly, we turned around and motored back up the Marne. Our destination was Épernay. We had stopped there on the way down, and were eager to spend more time in the city that boasts about being the heart of champagne. Do you know how the welcome center in Florida along the interstates used to offer free glasses of orange juice? Well, the tourism office in Épernay offers free champagne tastings. Not a glass. Not two. An entire tasting from two different champagne houses.

We are now faced with a difficult decision. In which direction do we point Ziggy B? If we go west back towards Charly, we can visit our favorite small champagne houses during the harvest. Two families invited us to return for the festivities. If we go east, we could be in Chalon-en-Champagne for their annual festival. We hear it is a vivacious event with acrobats and circus performers turning the city into a massive stage. Either way, the bubbly will be flowing for the foreseeable future.

What a rollercoaster this decade has been. We have visited or lived in over thirty countries and territories, countless islands, hundreds of cities, and too many anchorages and mooring locations to count. We stopped tracking specific distances, but have easily logged over 28,000 kilometers at sea and over 3,000 on the French canals. If you have been following our blog or social media pages, you know we have experienced unbridled bliss and sheer terror along the way. We are still writing this adventure as we go, never fully knowing when it will change again or where we might end up. Cheers to the uncertainty!