What’s In a Name?

Champagne is full of curious names. I live in the village of Dizy, the name of which might also describe the result of drinking too much of its wines. Bouzy certainly indicates a condition of too much champagne; Mutigny is what occurs when the champagne runs out. Moussy seems like an appropriate name for a champagne-producing village, while Billy-le-Grand, on the other hand, sounds more like the protagonist of a Western film, riding off into the sunset.

There’s a village named Ludes, although even there the drug of choice is generally champagne. Merfy could be the remnants of a forgotten attempt at colonization by the Irish. And driving along the N3 west of Epernay takes you through the little hamlet of La Pierre Qui Tourne, which is none other than “Rolling Rock”. I wonder if they’ll consider putting their champagne in pony bottles.