We have sentimental feelings towards Reims and even to the Hotel Campanile Reims Sud – Bezannes. This is where our Via Francigena ended in 2022 when I fell off my bike and badly injured my foot. We had to go home. I blame it all on Ken and his insistence on going to McDonald’s. Two ladies at the hotel took such good care of me. On a happier note, we returned in 2023 to Reims to the same hotel and the same “flag pole of doom” and completed our walk through France, over the Great St Bernard Pass in Switzerland, and down through Italy to Rome. And here we are again, same town, same hotel, planning a 1300 km stroll from Reims to St Jean Pied de Port in the south of France, where we began our 800 km Camino de Santiago.
I blame Ken
First things first. Let’s mail some stuff home. LaPoste has a pretty slick system. You buy the box, stuff it with junk, scan it, and then do everything on a giant screen, which offers several language choices. 9 pounds less to carry.
The smiling angel is very famous as she is the only smiling angel on any cathedral anywhere. They are usually very morose and stern. I admit she makes me smile too.
A candle for dear Ethel.
The pilgrim desk, where you can get your pilgrim stamp and information on the Via Francigena (been there done that 😁) or the Via Campaniensis (gulp, here we come 👣).
I had trouble explaining that I wanted a Via Francigena stamp in one credential to signify the end of the walk from London to Reims on the VF and a Via Campaniensis stamp in the Camino de Santiago booklet to start the VC. She was also very helpfully trying to find us a hotel room and I couldn’t convince her we already had one.
Our stamps thus far.
How could we not eat poutine at a Canadian restaurant called Oh Caribou???
Cheese squeakers in France are called fromage skouik-skouik. Which is what I will be calling squeakers from now on.
Ah, yes. Touring the local laundromat is always fun, as is deciphering the French instructions on how to use the machines.
What happy little guitars! 🙂
This was a life size dog painting…pointing at the tires of a parked car. No clue why.
Great. Happy happy joy joy. A car museum.
Peter stayed at the hotel for the day. Two large blisters healed and the third getting there. He doesn’t seem to mind being on his own with his electronics for the day.
Major packing for the next day…which involved a lot of…where the heck is my (insert anything here).
We officially begin our French walk tomorrow.
VF Britannica Via Campaniensis Voie de Vezelay 2025 