Taittinger's cellars roar...

The gates of Champagne Taittinger’s cellars roared to the sound of eager exhausts as the departure further South and navigational trial began. This year’s fancy dress theme of ‘Monty Python’ had been selected by Champagne Taittinger and meant two days of mayhem in the vines of Champagne, Burgundy and Beaujolais before the challenge to bring back France’s first harvest began.

It was Epernay bound the teams found themselves for their first waypoint of the day. They found themselves as guests of Champagne Gosset, with cellar master Odillon de Varine, himself a classic car collector waiting for them. Odillon showed them the historic ‘House ‘of Gosset and gave them a gift to enjoy at their leisure and their next waypoint to travel to.

The French ‘D’ Roads rewarded the ‘Runners as they passed through villages and vineyards off the beaten track. Exhausts reverberated in tunnels and under bridges as the crew found their way through deepest Champagne. Their next stop was with further Champenoise friends at the ‘House of Devaux’. Tucked away on the river in Champagne’s most Southerly area, the crews visited it’s ornately glassed dovecote and navigators popped inside the manor to taste ‘Coeur des Bar’ their signature Champagne.

Simmonet-Simonet-Febvre was the next port of call for the crews, and they found ‘Merlin’ himself there in Jean-Phillipe Archambaud, a great friend of the ‘Run, and a true wizard when it comes to Chablis. He entertained teams with his usual generosity and a fantastic tasting. Naturally spittoons were on offer. Not so for the gorgeous warm, cheesy gougéres that accompanied the tasting.

All to soon the amazing roads led teams on deeper into Burgundy before they reached Parc Fermé in the vines. It was clear from the varied arrival times, that the ‘Runs spirit of maps or sat nav, and ‘serious, or ‘just for fun’ held true.