Tam & Di

Our 'house champagne' was from Lamiable in Tours, on the pinot-predominant rive droit. Jean-Pierre Lamiable's daughter Ophèlie took her Canadian pen-friend on a cellar visit in Épernay - a thing she'd never thought to do before on her own - and was ashamed at the poor quality cheapo champagne visitors were offered.

I guess a trip round a vinyard on a tourist train can be fun, but next time L'Heritage is in the region you'll get a much better bottle from almost any of the small producers.

Tam

You can get the necessary ICC in the UK, but it will not give you any experience of what canals are like in France/Holland etc where you are sharing a narrow waterway with commercial craft of 2000+tonnes and are in locks with them. You don't say if you have a partner, but crewing is also very different on the continent, and also it is mandatory to have competent crew on larger rivers.

Hi Lucy,

Hope the problems at Bulls Bridge have not extended to Spikes Bridge too. I guess the main Southall road bridge is not so attractive for dossing under. I noticed the gate across the access alleyway from Berwick Ave was open when we visited a week or so ago - don't know if it is sensible to keep it closed again? Keep us informed if you get trouble.

Tam