‘Un jour’... in Champagne, discovering its heart of heritage

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Champagne’s vineyards cling to the hillside and laze on the banks of the Marne, mapping out across the landscape the lifelines of this ‘terroir’ nourished on art and history, and which exports the sparkling spirit of France’s most famous wine all over the world.

Les Riceys

866 hectares of steep hillsides make up the biggest Champagne ‘terroir’. Here, you will find ‘cadoles’ (little drystone dwellings dating from the 19th century) and straddle tractors with their lofty perches designed for the vineyards. You can also sample three AOC wines: Champagne, Coteaux Champenois, and Rosé des Riceys.

Joseph Perrier Wine Cellars

Take a contemplative stroll through the labyrinth of underground galleries carved into what was once a Gallo-Roman limestone quarry. A meditative silence reigns beneath the immense arches of this prestigious winery, where thousands of sparkling vintages hold their patient vigil.

Joseph Perrier Wine Cellars

Take a contemplative stroll through the labyrinth of underground galleries carved into what was once a Gallo-Roman limestone quarry. A meditative silence reigns beneath the immense arches of this prestigious winery, where thousands of sparkling vintages hold their patient vigil.

Place Ducale

The Place Ducale is the beating heart of Charleville-Mézières, and its arcades still ring with the verse of Arthur Rimbaud. It is the little sister to the Place des Vosges in Paris, designed by Clément II Métezeau, whose brother, Louis was architect to the king and designed the famous Parisian square. There’s a bit of family history for you!

Reims Cathedral

By turns a holy site for the Kings of France, a fodder warehouse, and a front line hospital during the First World War, which saw her gargoyles melt, her rose windows shatter, and her structure crumble. Today she stands proud and supreme in her twilight years, testament to the unshakeable history of France.

Reims Cathedral

By turns a holy site for the Kings of France, a fodder warehouse, and a front line hospital during the First World War, which saw her gargoyles melt, her rose windows shatter, and her structure crumble. Today she stands proud and supreme in her twilight years, testament to the unshakeable history of France.

Sézanne

From any direction, Sézanne rises up from a landscape filled with poetry. Its church’s massive tower acts as a beacon for distant travellers, and lends this harmonious village with its terraced rooftops its aura of French tradition.

Cirey Chateau

A theatre for explosive scientific experiments conducted by Marchioness Émilie du Châtelet and her lover, Voltaire. The marchioness was passionate about the sciences, translating and annotating Isaac Newton’s ‘Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy’!

Cirey Chateau

A theatre for explosive scientific experiments conducted by Marchioness Émilie du Châtelet and her lover, Voltaire. The marchioness was passionate about the sciences, translating and annotating Isaac Newton’s ‘Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy’!





These sites are all certified by French heritage bodies...

Here, you are invited to explore the true gems of French heritage. Launched by the French Ministry of Culture, Un jour is a rallying call for 19 French heritage organisations to jointly promote the breadth and diversity of French culture and heritage found throughout the country. These certifications celebrate this diversity and attest to the quality of the attractions on offer.
Come with us and experience the wonder of French heritage...


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