* France - Champagne : On the Champagne Trail

Arrive in the Champagne region in time for lunch. We visit with a group a biscuit factory in Reims and sample their wares. Then we visit the Snail Museum. Dinner and overnight.

Guided tour of Reims with its impressive cathedral, the basilica of St Remi, and the Tau Palace. Lunch with the group before setting off along the Champagne Route, taking in Hautvilliers and the Abbey where Dom Perignon first created champagne, then Epernay and its prestigious Champagne Avenue where all the big names of Champagne have a boutique.  We visit a wine cellar for a tasting. Dinner and overnight.

Visit with group  of Conde en Brie and its château. Onetime home to the Princes of Conde and Savoy, you can admire the sumptuous décor of the 18^th century appartments. After lunch, we take to the Marne and let the river be our guide as we cruise amidst the vines and flower-filled villages of the Champagne countryside.

We head to Verzenay Lighthouse. Visit with the group the Vine Museum which recounts the fascinating history of the Champagne wine-growing region. Lunch.