tonyandjaneontour: Chaumont to Langres

Before we left Chaumont we drove about a mile outside of town to see a viaduct 650 metres long and 50 metres high. It was foggy this morning so it was quite haunting.

Drove to Langres, a fortified hill town with nearly complete walls and ramparts. Parked easily next to the Tourist Office and collected a map of the town along with list of hotels. The nearest hotel was the Grade Hotel d’Europe, a 2 star Logis, so we walked there. Reception was very busy with people checking and out and we chatted to an English guy whose credit cards had been blocked and he was having trouble paying for his room. We booked a room for 2 nights but the room would not be ready until 3.00pm. We had a petit dejeuner in a patisserie where the proprietress did not stop talking. We had a walk around the market and also a tour of half the ramparts. We bought a roti poulet and baguette for lunch which we ate in the car.

We went back to the hotel to see about parking the car and discovered we were only booked in for one night. We were not best pleased but with the hotel full it was a fait accompli. Parked the car in the hotel garage and went round to the Hotel de la Poste, which we had seen on our walk and booked a room for the second night.

We resumed walking around the ramparts and on going back to the Hotel d’Europe found we had to move the car before 8.00 in the morning as the road was being closed. We were then given the key to the room but found the room still not ready. We were told by Reception there would be another half hour wait. By this time we had had enough of the Hotel d’Europe so we decided to see if the Hotel de la Poste could accommodate us. They could so we returned yet again to d’Europe to say au revoir.

Hotel de la Poste is being decorated inside so it is a bit shambolic – ye olde hotel Francaise!

We ate out at an “Italian” restaurant. Ha Ha! Service had to be experienced to be believed. Youngsters posing as waiting staff running around like blue arsed flies – people walking out and complaining – we stuck it out and were served crappish food for 35€. C’est la vie. We will look back on this day in the future with interest.