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The Champagne

With no less than 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Marne department is not lacking in attractions and is one of the high places of French gastronomic excellence, thanks in particular to its champagne production. In this beautiful region of the Grand-East, the Marne is home to the most northerly vineyard in France around which several activities are offered to epicureans.
 

Eloquent figures

338 km2: this is the surface area of the AOC Champagne production. Spread over 5 departments of the region (Marne, Aube, Aisne, Haute-Marne and Seine-et-Marne), 33,868 hectares are currently farmed by winegrowers who respect traditional cultivation practices. Each year, 15,800 of them produce more than 300 million bottles!

Half of them are exported all over the world, 190 countries (Europe, Oceania or America in particular) particularly appreciate, among the rich offer of French wines, the emblematic sparkling drink.

More precisely, with this vineyard belonging to 90% of its operators, not less than 319 vintages are made through a whole ecosystem generating 30 000 direct jobs: 320 Champagne houses, 140 cooperatives and 120 000 grape pickers.

 

This natural, cultural and human heritage benefits from the supreme recognition in terms of wine tourism: the Vineyards & Discoveries label.

Awarded by the Ministries of Tourism and Agriculture, it recognizes destinations that offer a wide range of wine-related tourist activities: cellar visits and tastings, museums, events... but also hotels and restaurants, all in a spirit of sharing and transmitting this age-old know-how.

For a successful weekend or short stay around the Champagne region, more than 500 certified service providers offer activities to discover, according to the tastes and pace of each person, what makes the pride of this territory.

An ocean of vineyards 45 minutes from Paris

Here is a small selection of things to do in remarkable sites:

  • Tasting champagne in medieval cellars. In Châlons-en-Champagne, city of art and history, an oenologist transmits his passion within an impressive historical site.
  • Discover millions of bottles in the chalk quarries of the Butte Saint-Nicaise. These old chalk quarries are part of the Coteaux, Maisons et Caves de Champagne listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.
  • Be a grape picker for a day. Initiation and picking in the vineyards, visit of the press and lunch with champagne: several winegrowers offer (upon reservation) to live the harvest experience.
  • Discover the Champagne vineyards by bike. Starting from the beautiful village of Hautvillers, the cradle of Champagne, a guide will show you this vineyard also classified by Unesco.

Are you excited by the idea of this discovery of both taste and heritage? Go to the website Marne, an experience in Champagne to plan your visit.
 

 

Valérie from Comme des Français

 

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Discover other inspiring tours:
- France on a (cheese) plate
- The wonders of the Loire Valley
- Art in the vineyards

 

Photo credits: ©Agence de Développement Touristique de la Marne