December was the month of snow here in Champagne, and this year we had lots of it. Here’s a few photos of us and our dog, who loved it!
Autumn 2010 Newsletter
Greetings from Les Molyneux, your home from home in the heart of Champagne, and welcome to our first ever Newsletter.
Don’t worry we won’t be bombarding you with offers every five minutes, just timely information about what’s going on here in France and there are a couple of things we really think you should know about.
More about that later but first of all, the summer has been lovely with temperatures in the low to mid thirties which has been brilliant for the grapes, 
although we’ve had a bit too much rain in late August/early September so some of the grapes are rotting on the vines, which is worrying to say the least.
However, the Harvest starts on Monday 13th and there’s a real buzz of anticipation about the place.
Over the next few weeks there’ll be opportunities to come and pick some grapes, experience the atomosphere of a traditional harvest and meet some of the local champagne makers, as well as taste the juice as it’s pressed. Call us now on 0033 (0) 3 26 48 20 52 or email me at yvonne@yvonnehalling.com to check availability now. Places are limited.
And now news about two very special weekends coming up this autumn for serious champagne lovers.
First is our Reims Wine Festival weekend – November 12/13/14th where you’ll get to discover some amazing wines from all around France at one of the most spectacular wine fairs I’ve ever seen.
Check out full details here and call us to check availablility. Places are limited and at the time of writing there are only 4 places left, so don’t delay, call today.
Second, is the Habits de Lumiere weekend on December 10th/11th/12th . This is an extra special pre-Christmas treat for you, where you’ll experience the magical atmosphere of Epernay.
The famous Avenue de Champagne lights up the sky with street entertainment, glittering candle-lit champagne houses and a fabulous firework display, just for starters.
Check out the full programme here and then give us a ring to book your places.
We’ll be closing from December 13th until March 1st, so don’t miss these opportunities to round off your year with a well-deserved break. We’re looking forward to welcoming you.
Until next time…
Yvonne & Jiles Halling
Festivals in Champagne
Last Sunday, the sun was shining and the sky was blue, so we headed off to the nearby village of Ay, which was more prominent than Epernay back in the days of Henri IV. He favoured many of the champagne houses there, especially Bollinger. So every other year, even numbers only, the residents of Ay hold a festival in his honour. Here are some pictures of the day.
It was quite warm, but thankfully someone thought to give the horses some shade under the parasol!
Many of the champagne houses opened their doors to the tourists, and here at Bollinger, there was al fresco dining to the tune of a small group of musicians.
And lunch at Champagne Ed. Brun was very lively with a fantastic jazz band playing while we ate.
Put it in your diary for 2012, it’s a great day out
The Million Entrepreneurs – Brainstorming in Champagne
The weather in Champagne is wonderful right now, blue skies and lots of sunshine. Last week two of my good friends Judith Morgan and Janet Swift came down for three days of brainstorming on Judith’s new idea T1ME. We had such a lot of fun sitting in the garden, laughing, dreaming and plotting. Our job was to create an action plan for T1ME and a to-do list for each of us. And we had a great game of Cashflow 101 over a glass of champagne, of course! Taking time out of our daily lives was a great way to get productive on what we wanted to create.
Could you use some time out?
Walking in the forest
It was such a beautiful day yesterday, that I decided to take my dog up into the forest and take some pictures of ‘Les Faux’ the twisted beech trees that only grow here in Verzy, near Hanover in Germany and near Malmo in Sweden. Hope you like the pictures. I took some video too, and once I figure out how to upload it, I’ll do it! Just one of the great things we can do here in Verzy.
Just joined One Million Entrepreneurs today
A beautiful day in Champagne again today, and I’ve just joined this global network of entrepreneurs! A good day today
Hello from Verzy, France!
Well, this is my first post on our brand new site ! It’s April 2010 and the sun is shining and the temperature rising. Spring is in the air, at last.
Jiles and I have just returned to France to open our doors again, and since 19th February when we arrived here, we’ve welcomed 15 groups – here’s what some of them have said:
‘Warm, welcoming, informative and sparkling!’
‘What a fabulous house, you have everything, very comfortable and welcoming, thank you’
‘A wonderful place, fantastic hosts – thank you’
‘Fabulous place and people. Hospitality great, very nice to have been here – thank you’
‘Warm, welcoming in your charming house – thank you’
It’s so lovely to have so many happy clients, and we hope to welcome even more in the coming weeks and months. There’s so much to do in Champagne, anytime is a good time to visit. Check out some extra special weekends to come here