Whether you are a lover of wine, birds, fishing or andouillette, you will find what you are looking for. In Champagne, there is something for everyone. Our columnist Jean-Bernard Carillet takes you on Monday to discover the vineyards, on a boat trip, or on a hike in the forest.
In the vineyards, tastings and picnics
The best way to visit the Champagne vineyards is to take the Champagne Tourist Route. Entirely signposted, it winds through vineyards, on hillsides, passing through the most beautiful villages in the area. Many panoramic views await you around the bends. The winegrowers will warmly welcome you to their farms. Friendly exchanges around tastings, cellar visits… They will explain their profession and their know-how with passion.
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Certain sections of the road are particularly worth a detour, such as the Côte des Blancs, cradle of Chardonnay. Between Epernay and Vertus, follow the north-south route for about 50 km. In Épernay you can walk along the prestigious avenue de Champagne, where all the great houses of the region are located. We will walk past manors, mansions and palaces, belonging to the famous Moët et Chandon, De Castellane or even De Venoges.
The Ballon d'Épernay is also worth a detour. In the heart of the city, this kind of hot-air balloon connected to the ground by a cable will give you a 360 ° view of the surrounding vineyards, and a tasting 150 meters high.
Other circuits exist, allowing to discover the vineyards in a little more original way. Electric bike, mountain bike, vans, dispatch rider, yoga workshops, picnics, tastings… The winegrowers compete in their imagination.
In Troyes, a medieval atmosphere
In Champagne, do not miss a stop in Troyes to discover its medieval atmosphere, its narrow streets and its colorful half-timbered houses. If you are hungry, consider the local specialty: andouillette de Troyes.
80 km to the north is the pretty town of Châlons-en-Champagne, crossed by canals. At night, it offers a magical spectacle of "video morphing", a scenography based on moving images. Dragons, scenes of life and colorful special effects are projected on the bridges and facades of the monuments lining the canals. A night boat trip will allow you to fully enjoy it.
But Champagne has many other assets than its cities. The National Forest Park, created in 2019, offers a feeling of space, freedom and will offer you a little freshness if you travel during the summer. Located near Langres, straddling Champagne and Burgundy, it is the green lung of the region. During your hikes, you will surely come across deer, roe deer, foxes and with a little luck wild cats.
At the lakes, swimming and water skiing
Tourists often ignore it, but Champagne also has many lakes. At Lac du Der, for example, Sunday bird watchers will have the pleasure of observing common cranes, a very graceful bird that resembles a stork. In the fall, they fly close enough to the ground to be seen without binoculars.
To swim, prefer the lakes of the Orient Forest, near Troyes. At the edge of these three lakes, areas are set up for swimming. You can also practice sailing, fishing and even water skiing.