It’s not for nothing that the residents of Epernay compare the Avenue de Champagne to the famous Parisian thoroughfare. The Avenue de Champagne is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the most prestigious Champagne houses. It recounts the history of this vineyard in Eastern France with a global reputation. The Champagne lifestyle is celebrated every year in December at the Habits de Lumière festival, which fetes the region’s exceptional culinary heritage.
DINNER IS SERVED!
You can’t visit Champagne without visiting its wine cellars. Mumm, Veuve Cliquot, Taittinger... not to mention Moët & Chandon, with the region’s largest vineyard. The maison’s wine cellars form part of its outstanding heritage, with 28km of wine cellars providing a unique snapshot of centuries of winemaking.
GO CULTURAL
30km north of Epernay, we get to Reims! More than just the bubbles, Reims owes its fame to the Notre-Dame cathedral in which Charles the Simple in 893, Charles X in 1825, as well as more than 30 other kings were crowned. You can also admire its facade, with its famous Gallery of Kings made up of 56 statues, each 4.5m tall!
GET ACTIVE
Wooded meadows, forests, ancient windmills... the Avesnois Regional Nature Park, nicknamed “the Little Switzerland of the North”, is a lovely place to explore. The park lies in the northeast of Hauts-de-France, and can be explored on foot, horseback, or by bike along the cycle paths, with family or friends. Once you’re there, you can also explore the surrounding villages and the famous Avesnois bandstands!
TOUR TRIVIA
Epernay will welcome the Tour for the 7th time in its history, but it is only the second time since 1963 that it will mark the finish line. Back then, it was Belgium’s Eddy Pauwels who cracked open the champagne on the podium.
EXPERIENCE
The Arts de la Marionnettes puppetry festival, celebrating its 20th edition in 2019, totally transforms Charleville-Mézières.
Every year, the town’s venues, sports halls, and streets become stages for a town-wide show. This year’s festival will run from 20 to 29 September 2019, a one-hour drive north of Reims.