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Regions of France : Champagne-Ardennes
Hotels Champagne-Ardennes
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Champagne is of course "the king of wines". Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon is credited with discovering the process of double fermentation in
the 17th century, which puts the fizz into champagne.
Over the centuries, 25 kings of France chose to be crowned in the
incomparable cathedral in Reims and the guests were naturally served
champagne. Word spread in all languages that champagne was most definitely
the drink to celebrate special occasions and toast good news.
Visitors are encouraged to follow La Route Touristique du Champagne to
discover the main producers, but all roads seem to lead eventually to one
producer or another.
Epernay and Reims bubble with champagne houses from the well known, such
as Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin, Pommery and Mumm, to smaller but equally
important independent producers. Epernay is the unofficial capital of champagne, understandable as it is home to the distinguished houses of Mercier, Pol Roger and Möet et Chandon.
Beneath the celebrated Avenue de Champagne lie a staggering 90 million
bottles of champagne! Most of the champagne houses have tours of their caves
and tastings.
The fortified towns of Langres,
Troyes and Sedan (with its colossal
medieval fortified château) have survived intact and clearly show how the
Champagnois protected themselves against attack.
Puppet capital Charleville-Mézières has an annual festival as well as
weekly demonstrations by the puppet institute in the elegant Place Ducale,
modeled on Paris’s wonderful Place des Vosges.
G.H. Mumm Champagne House Cellar Tour
Located in the heart of the champagne region, the House of Mumm, which was established in 1827, welcomes visitors for a tour of the cellars where some 25 million bottles are stored.
On this fascinating tour of the cellars, you will be shown the ...
Best Western Hôtel De La Paix
Located in the heart of the city, the hotel offers a refined atmosphere in a decor that subtly combines the charms of ancient times with modern design.
Best Western Hôtel De La Paix was entirely renovated and features 169 soundproofed and ...
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G.H. Mumm Champagne House Cellar Tour - Located in the heart of the champagne region, the House of Mumm, which was established in 1827, welcomes visitors for a tour of the cellars where some 25 million bottles are stored.
On this fascinating tour of the cellars, you will be shown the main stages involved in the production of the famous Mumm champagne. You can also spend some time in one of the finest museums dedicated to Champagne production. At the end of the tour, enjoy tasting the famous G.H Mumm Cordon Rouge for yourself.
More Champagne Tours
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Ardennes
- Puppet shows and bustling markets in elegant Charleville-Mézières
- Sedan’s fortified château is the largest medieval stronghold in Europe
- Unspoilt countryside and sweeping views across the Meuse valley
Aube
- Water sports galore in the Parc d’Orient with its 5,000 hectares of lakes
- Troyes annual champagne fair in June is known around the world
- France’s only half timbered churches and wonderful cheese of Chaource
Haute-Marne
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Chaumont has a world class collection of posters and graphic art and
stunning statuary in the basilica
- Spa town Bourbonne les Bains has been popular since Roman times and still
draws sufferers from rheumatism
- Hilltop and fortified, Langres is famous for its cheese while Rouvres is
better known for its petrified waterfall
Marne
- Gothic splendour of the cathedral in
Reims and medieval treasure in the
museum next door
- Sleepy Epernay hides 90 million bottles of champagne below its streets
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Châlons en Champagne, where the Romans defeated Atilla the Hun has been important ever since
Reims
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A visitor’s first impression of Reims (pronounced Rhance) is of a sprawling
industrial town peppered with concrete apartment blocks, the result of World
War I bombs and later disastrous town planning. However Reims is an ancient
Roman city and the birthplace of the French nation – it contains one of the
most impressive Gothic cathedrals in France, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de
Reims, where dynasties of French monarchs were crowned starting with Clovis,
first king of the Franks. The neighbouring Basilique St-Rémi is even older
and, half Gothic, half Romanesque in style, includes the old royal abbey
which is now a museum documenting the history of the town. Most visitors
come to Reims not so much for history but for the hedonistic pleasure of
visiting the cellars of its great champagne producers. This is the home of
the world's best bubbly. The best of the best is to be sampled at the Maison
de Pommery (tel: (03) 26 61 6256; entrance: €8), which has more than 10
miles (16km) of tunnels extending 100ft (30m) down into the chalk below its
Gothic superstructure. Move on to Mumm (tel: (03) 26 49 5970; entrance: €5),
which contains 25 million bottles of slowly fermenting champagne in their
vaults; Tattinger (tel: (03) 26 85 4535; entrance €6); and Veuve Clicquo (tel:
(03) 26 89 5441; free admission). All give a guided tour of the cellars and
champagne making process, followed by a tasting. Tours take between one and
two hours. Reims is situated 90 miles (145km) east of Paris.
 Best Western Hôtel De La Paix 
Located in the heart of the city, the hotel offers a refined atmosphere in a decor that subtly combines the charms of ancient times with modern design.
Best Western Hôtel De La Paix was entirely renovated and features 169 soundproofed and air-conditioned rooms, a bar with a private terrace and a fully-equipped fitness centre.
The hotel boasts an ideal location within a stone’s throw of the Cathedral of Reims, some of the most prestigious champagne houses of the area and the city centre.
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Hotels Reims |
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| Reims, the town of champagne and chocolate, also has excellent butchers,
cheesemongers and bakers-confectioners.
Since the great psychiatrist Edouard Zarifian has co-authored a book on
champagne (Bulle de champagne, with Catherine Coutant and Gérard Liger-Belair),
shouldn't the social security reimburse any stay in Reims? Lovers of good
fare will find many opportunities to indulge themselves here. Apart from
champagne that can be tasted either in the cellars of the major
establishments or at specialist wine retailers, the town has many quality
restaurants and artisans.
A trip round the champagne cellars
Most of the major establishments are located in the Champs de Mars
district (to the north) and on the chalky slopes of Butte St-Nicaise (to the
south in the direction of Épernay).
Among them, the Elizabethan style buildings and 18 km of galleries at
Pommery, the 15 million bottles at Taittinger, the Gallo-Roman chalk pits at
Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin and the magnificent chalk pits at Ruinart, spread
over three levels. Nor should Piper-Heidsieck and Mumm be forgotten.
After visiting these cellars, a glass of champagne awaits you! But you
can always have a little tipple nearly anywhere in Reims. |
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