Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [64]
TRANSPORTATION BASICS
As always in France, intercity buses are less frequent than trains, and much slower.
There are trains to all the towns and cities mentioned in this chapter.
The natural hub remains Reims—especially now that it’s just 45 minutes from Paris by TGV.
Reims is linked to Laon by the A26 expressway, and to Châlons-en-Champagne by the A4 expressway arriving from Paris.
The west, Amiens and Beauvais, are connected by the A16.
Épernay, south of Reims, can be reached from Reims by the twisting wine road or quicker N51.
Only Soissons, 20 mi southwest of Laon, is a bit off the beaten track.
FINDING A PLACE TO STAY
Dining and Lodging Price Categories (In Euros)
Restaurants
Hotels
¢
under €13
under €65
$
€13–€17
€65–€105
$$
€18–€24
€106–€145
$$$
€25–€32
€146–€215
$$$$
over €32
over €215
Restaurant prices are for a main course at dinner, including tax (5.5%) and service; note that if a restaurant offers only prix-fixe (set-price) meals, it has been given the price category that reflects the full prix-fixe price. Hotel prices are for a standard double room in high season, including tax (19.6%) and service charge.
The Champagne Region has a mix of old, rambling hotels, often simple rather than pretentious.
In addition, there are a handful of stylish hostelries catering to those with more discerning tastes, including a large contingent of staffers who work in the vast Champagne industry.
Be warned, though, that few of the destinations mentioned in this chapter have much in the way of upscale choice.
Many of the region’s most characterful establishments, to boot, are in the countryside and require a car to reach.
EATING WELL
This region is less dependent on tourism than many in France, and most restaurants are open year-round. However, in the largest cities, Reims and Amiens, many restaurants close for two to three weeks in July and August.
Smoked ham, pigs’ feet, gingerbread, and Champagne-based mustard are specialties of the Reims area, along with sautéed chicken, kidneys, stuffed trout, pike, and snails.
One particularly hearty dish is potée champenoise, consisting of smoked ham, bacon, sausage, and cabbage. Rabbit (often cooked with prunes) is common, while boar and venison are specialties in fall and winter, when vegetable soups are high on the menu.
In Picardy, the popular ficelle picarde is a pancake stuffed with cheese, mushrooms, and ham.
Apart from Champagne, try drinking the region’s hydromel (mead, made from honey) and ratafia, a sweet aperitif made from grape juice and brandy.
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Air Travel | Bus Travel | Car Travel | Train Travel
AIR TRAVEL
If you’re coming from the United States and most other destinations, count on arriving at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport.
Charles de Gaulle offers easy access to the northbound A16 and A1 for Beauvais and Amiens, and the eastbound A4 for Reims.
If coming from the United Kingdom, consider the direct flights to Beauvais from Prestwick, near Glasgow.
BUS TRAVEL
The main bus operator in Picardy is Courriers Automobiles Picards; their main hub is the Gare Routière in Amiens. In the Champagne region, services are run by STDM Trans-Champagne; the main hub is Châlons-en-Champagne. Their main routes are: Reims to Troyes (line 14; 2 hrs, 15 mins; €14.75) by way of Châlons-en-Champagne (50 mins, €13.50), and Épernay to Châlons (line 52; 1 hr, €6.60); RTA has one daily bus between Reims and Laon (Bus 510; 2 hrs). In Reims, municipal buses run by Transports Urbains de Reims depart from the train station (ticket prices vary on route, from €1-€3). The best way to navigate the confusing bus system is to contact the tourism office at the city you’re leaving from.
Bus Information: Courriers Automobiles Picards (B.P. 59, ZAC La Haute Borne, | Rivéry