INTERFACING WITH THE FRENCH HEALTH SYSTEM

Skiing was not good for me this year! I fell badly on the first day, knocked myself out and ended up in hospital overnight for observation!

Margaret being taken down the mountain after her fall - still smiling!

I recovered well after a day apart from dizziness when I lay down and turned my head. Back in Reims I decided I needed further tests. So off to find a neurologist. The first was fully booked for two months, the second was available but I had to be referred by the polyclinique. So we went into what was the UK equivalent of A & E. 

A long drawn out process of tests, blood samples, balancing exercises and eventually a CT Scan which was what I wanted, for peace of mind. All was perfectly normal but we had to get to the bottom of this dizziness. So it was back to the neurologist that I'd tried to see five hours earlier but now I had a referral!! He heard my story and said 'Ah, you are suffering from vertigo, BPPV. I have a friend who will see you. The crystals in your ears have moved and need to be relocated.' Crystals?? In my ears?? What crystals?? He then proceeded to tell us he could speak some English as he had watched Little Britain and really liked it!

That night I was googling crystals in the ear, BPPV etc. and sure enough we all have crystals in our ears!! Next morning, un rendez-vous with the vertigo consultant. This was in a new clinic which only opened last year. It is the only one of its kind in France and is called C.E.R.V.E.M. centre d'évaluation et de rééducation des vertiges et troubles d'équilibration et de la marche (what a mouthful). Amazingly it was a couple of hundred metres from where we were moored. The neurologist was there as well even though it was across town from his surgery. He was still joking about Little Britain and trying to explain it to the consultant who didn't speak a word of English!  

The neurologist and consultant studying my eye movements which were relayed to a computer

After lots of head movements, shaking, vibrating and turning, the consultant performed the Epley Manoeuvre. I then had to be really careful for the next 4 or 5 days not to do sudden or extreme head movements and sleep on my back propped up on two pillows. Not very comfortable. 

Still it seemed to work.....dizziness gone and confirmation from the consultant that the crystals are back where they should be. 

I must say I was impressed by the system and had all that treatment for €44 with my European Health Insurance Card. What will happen with Brexit? I presume we'll all have to claim on our private insurance and surprise, surprise our premiums will go up!

HALLES DU BOULINGRIN

Saturday morning and it's back to the food market. Halles du Boulingrin in Reims is a fantastic 1920's Art Deco structure which after being open for many years suffered from the arrival of supermarkets. The building went into disuse, then dereliction, squatters and vandalism. The city authorities wanted to tear it down and build apartments. Fortunately there was a huge backlash and recently a multi-million Euro project saw the total renovation of this unique building. The space has been renovated to allow for vegetables in the morning and concerts in the evening or was it Vodka and Caviar in the morning and culture in the evening. Either way it's good.

Detail of the hyperbolic roof, apparently only 70mm thick.

Always lots to buy for a Saturday night feast. We were amused by a couple of chocolate croissants. Do you bite the head off first, or a leg. Probably the same as you do with jelly babies!

Chocolate Croissant anyone? Or should I correctly say 'Petit Bonhomme?.

PROTEST

It's good to see the French are living true to their reputation of protest. I'm not talking about full on riots with armed police but everyday protest against the more local events.

A right of way protest.

I was particularly inspired by the artistry and thought behind this simple protest that someone obviously does not agree with the imposed one way system.

Planning Permission protest.

This Art Deco 1920's house in Reims has recently been given planning permission for demolition and redevelopment into apartments. A bad decision I feel. This is also echoed by local people who have written their feelings on the planning permission notice :

Tres Dommage - Very harmful

C'est Honteux - It is shameful

Scandale! - Scandal.

A detail of the house to be demolished.

ÈCHANGE DE LIVRES

I do like the many small book exchanges we find in cities throughout France. Anyone can deposit or take a book/magazine free of charge. What a great idea. We find it a good way to try to improve our French and if the book/magazine gets too challenging or you just don't get on with it you just put it back or into another book exchange at a later date.

Take, Read, Deposit.

Particularly liked this very small exchange on the walking/running/cycling path next to the Canal de L'Aisne à la Marne in Reims. There was a convenient bench next to the 'Boite À Livres' so you could rest, read and take in a bit of culture during you exercise routine.

Another small exchange next to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Reims.

A larger book exchange in Nancy.

Thorough examination of the contents of this book exchange by Andrew, Valerie and Margaret. Were they admiring the integral seats, sheltering from the rain or just saying let's go for coffee?

CATHÉDRAL NOTRE-DAME DE REIMS

Thought I'd do a bit of history now we are back for a week, then away again, back again, away again, before we are back for 2017 navigation. One of the main sights in Reims is 'Cathédral Notre Dame de Reims'. It's big, in fact very big. Obviously built to impress and intimidate the worshippers or as it is nowadays the tourists. There are a multitude of aspects to this immense ancient building, a couple are: All the kings of France were crowned in the Cathederal and the stone statues of them are arranged around the top storey, just below the towers. They look big and are supposed to be imposing. You don't realise how big they really are until you go into the Palace du Tau, the old palace, now a museum next door. Here they have statues that weathered into a dangerous condition. New replica statues were carved, installed and the original ones maintained in the museum. 

The west/main elevation, under constant renovation.

Adjacent to a weathered statue in the museum.

To illustrate the size of the statues of the front elevation I am standing next to one in the museum. The Cathedral is literally encrusted in statues there are in excess of 2000 carved into the building all originally painted. Apart from the statues Cathédral Notre-Dame has had a long and very checkered history, partially burning down on more than one occasion. One of the many fires had the roof on fire causing the lead roof covering to melt and flow down the gutters and out of the gargoyles. As the fire receded the lead cooled and left the spectacular 'sculptures' of gargoyles foaming at the mouth with lead. All a bit surrealistic. Must have been a touch 'hairy' with molten lead raining down from above. Perhaps it was seen at the time as a message from God?

One of the gargoyles that flowed with lead.

I'm not really a Cathederal fan, however, the scale is impressive. One element I feel you should not miss is the new stained glass windows on the east face. They are stunning especially in morning light and are a bit more 'illuminating' than some of the ancient ones. It's interesting that after more than a century after being severely damaged by German bombing raids, the Cathedral has been fitted with these three new stained glass windows designed by a German artist Imi Knoebel who refused payment for the project. The creation of the windows, which cost €900,000, was financed by the German Foreign Ministry to 'heal a scar between Germany and France'. All interesting and European!

One of a series of windows by Imi Knoebel.

LA GRANDE ROUE

There's a child in all of us. The Christmas Ferris wheel came to Reims, the sun was shining so it was up up and away. What else do you do on a Thursday pre a Champagne bar?

Geoff looking slightly apprehensive. He was! 

It was the first revolution and it is very high.

Margaret looking a lot more relaxed. A pilot at heart.

Great views over the roof tops of Reims. It's a pity the ride was so short. Not good value but great fun. That's it from Reims for now. Back to the UK and further afield for Christmas and New Year so no more blog posts for a while. Back in January. Off to the station TGV to Paris for lunch then Eurostar to London, leaving Soraya in a frozen canal!! Did I mention her new photovoltaics, she's gone all solar. Well as they say more of that later.

MARCHÉ DU NOËL AND FESTIVE LIGHTS

This is the time of year that towns light themselves up. Reims is no exception, they do seem to do it in a grand manner, starting off with the Son et Lumière on the Cathedral. What a show. It's worth coming to Reims just for this alone. Well I suppose you could have a glass of the local brew whilst you watch.

Part of the Son et Lumière show on the face of the Cathedral.

Margaret got into the 'spirit' straight away and headed for the Tsarine/Lanson stall. You can only have so much pretty lights projected onto a Cathedral elevation.

A local market stall, with a satisfied customer.

Moving away from the market which is huge and busy, other parts of the town are filled or covered in lights. I particularly liked the Angel in Place Drouet d'Erlon. Fortunately the monument has just had a total renovation, the wraps being taken off in time for Christmas and the Angel newly gold leafed looks stunning.

Local landmark in the centre of the shopping area of Reims.

As you would expect many commercial enterprises are covered in lights. I did like this little Creperie.

Even the shops and restaurants and fully lit up. Looks like it's time for a beer.

NAMES

What's in a name? Well, often there's lots of information and sometimes none. While walking through Laon recently we came across this coffee shop and was I enticed to go in?

Arsenic and old lace coffee shop in Laon

The next shop wasn't much better!

Shop in Laon

Why would you call a shop 'mice in the attic' unless lots of things had been nibbled! I didn't want to risk it in case they came down from the attic!

MARCHÉ AUX TRUFFES D'AUTOMNE

It's that time of the year in Champagne-Ardenne when there are a rash of markets, food, wine, champagne and Christmas. We were intrigued to see a truffle market advertised. So off we went. The market was in the cloisters of an old Abbey now a regional museum. The market was organised by the venerable 'L'Association Marnaise des Producteurs de Truffes'. Not to be crossed! Serious stuff this truffle hunting.

There they are at a mere €450/kg.

As well as a lot of discussion, choosing and smelling, the truffles were being bought in good amounts. Apparently a few years ago they had an exceptional regional harvest unearthing ~150 tonnes! That's a lot of truffles.

Margaret merging in as a local Reims resident.

In addition to the truffles there were numerous foods containing truffle and a few local delicacies such as Lentils de Champagne, Saffron and Boudin Blanc (White pudding) set in jelly. The lentils are excellent, the Boudin Blanc, well the less said the better.

Yes we did have the 'démonstration de chiens truffiers'.

The dog was very good and found all the hidden truffles and returned them without eating any. Obviously it prefered the reward food to the truffle.

L'ECLUSE, CANOEISTS AND ALICE

Recently in Musée des Beaux-Arts de Reims we came across this painting of a lock on the canal we are on. This is not what I would like to be presented with when entering a lock. I would definitely leave it until the next locking. 80 tons of Soraya and a bunch of randomly experienced canoeists are not a natural mix.

'L'Eclusée' by Ferdinand Gueldry 1888.

Along with the normal selection of brown paintings of local dignitaries and local scenes there is a small Art Deco section and a Modern Art area. Some of this was surprisingly good for a regional gallery. I was impressed by the piece labelled 'Alice'. She must have been a touch cool though. I actually was reprimanded for taking this photograph and shown a tiny sign indicating the photography was forbidden! I really don't know why, I would have thought any exposure they get about the gallery would be welcome.

'Alice' by Etienne Hajdu 1958.

Still it's back to the Champagne, didn't know there were so many producers and styles. Do we have to try them all. Margaret says YES!