Rowdy Reims

We had guests arriving and didn't want to take them all the way to Paris.  So we decided on a detour up the Canal Aisne a la Marne to Reims.  This took us up a flight of locks and through the Billy tunnel (a mere 2.3km).

The mooring in Reims was right in the city centre and close to the historic cathedral.  It was also under a flyover and across the canal from the A26 motorway.  So peaceful it wasn't.  But it gave us the opportunity to explore the history of this important city .  The cathedral sums it up quite well with its century old tradition of royal coronations, brought up to date by being the place where France and Germany formally reconciled in 1962.  It's a history that binds us all and I worry that we're too quick to forget it sometimes in our little island.

We also enjoyed a visit to Eisenhower's headquarters and the room where the surrender of the 3rd Reich was signed on 6th May 1945.  It's a lovely story as Stalin was furious when he found out although a Soviet General was present.  He insisted on another signing in Berlin and that's why VE Day is the 8th May.  Diplomacy!

Looking for somewhere more peaceful to moor we headed for a nice spot outside Aldi and a derelict factory - everything is relative.

And then we settled down to await the arrival of THE BOY!

Comments

  1. Unknown14 August 2019 at 21:33

    You forgot to mention Jean d'Arc .... We're supposed to be guilty of grilling her in front of the Cathedral after the Burgundians, (French!) betrayed her to the English!! Been many a Franco/Brit argument over that one!! Carry on enjoying. Been raining chats et chiens here!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. sccrh6 September 2019 at 09:46

    Where is Taddy - gone very quiet

    ReplyDelete

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