Arriving in Champagne Country - Epernay Day 1

Day One of the French Wine Route Tour - we begin (where else?) in the heart of the Champagne region staying in a very lah-de-dah hotel on L’Avenue de Champagne itself in Epernay. EVERYTHING in Epernay is about Champagne.
The place is literally bursting with Champagne Houses from the small houses to the mahoosive world dominating labels like Moët, Pol Roger and many more. L’Avenue de Champagne is very clean and bright and exudes money from every inch. Wander off the Avenue however and Epernay itself is... well... it’s Ok. Quite nice. But nothing to write home about as a place. And beware arriving on a Sunday - it’s really hard to find a decent restaurant that is open in the evenings. We struggled.
Our hotel is very nice and all that but, to be frank, a little pleased with itself for its grand location on L’Avenue and not so hot on the attention to detail like having a working light in the bog, or an air conditioner that doesn’t pee water all over the desk below and anything you happened to have put on said desk. Plus it is “tres expensive”. Another effect of being in a prime location. However I’m sure tomorrow, with Champagne tastings galore to keep us happy, will be a fine day.
The photos are of the House Boisel which we are touring tomorrow (but is right next door to where we are staying) and of Portail St Martin, which appears to be a last stubborn relic of old Epernay stuck in the middle of new Epernay.Town Centre.