Description | Cuisine | Places of Interest

Major Cities: Reims. Nancy, Troyer

Champagne routes through picturesque rolling hills and vineyards offering visits to the winemakers.

90 minutes from Paris, making it an easy day trip or overnight from Paris. World War I Memorials, British, Canadian, French and American.

Many of our clients have so enjoyed having our friend and driver Henri take them on a private drive and visits.  Some include WW I sites, others the ancient streets of Reims, others to visit abbeys, families and small champagne houses- etc.

Historical gothic cathedral in Reims where France's kings were crowned. 

Enjoy both Champagne and the wonderful (and only every three years) Festival Mondial des Theateres de Marionnettes - A week with the puppeteers of the world. 600 shows September, 2006

Description and History

Nancyhelen and Henri will tailor your visit to your wishes. While many like to visit famous champagne houses others prefer visiting the canals, growing areas and war memorials. Several also loved touring the gothic churches where our guide arranged specific visits for research or historical/family reunions with native speakers.

Using a guide or self tours do demand a car outside of Reims and the major cities.

Champagne, the very symbol of sophistication, graceful living and celebration, is produced nowhere else in the world. All champagnes are made within a few miles of each other outside Reims and Epernay, near the Abbey of Saint-Pierre where the legendary Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon, supposedly invented the bubbly by accident in the early 18th Century. (Some would say, by divine inspiration). Just as still wines have different characteristics and tastes, so do champagnes, and the great houses of Mumm, Piper-Heidsieck, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Moët & Chandon, among more than 100 others, want to prove this with guided tours (in English) of their cellars and tasting of the current vintage.

Sightsee in Reims and its Notre-Dame Cathedral, the heart of France's royal history where twenty-five kings were crowned. This Gothic structure is one of France's most magnificent churches, an its rose windows are among the best in the world.

South of the Champagne vineyards is Troyes, once one of Europe's most magnificent cities. This capital of the Counts of Champagne, who ruled the region before there was a France, is lined with beautifully-preserved half-timbered houses built during the 16th Century. North of Reims are the French Ardennes where Europe's sometimes bloody history has often been decided on the fields of Sedan, Argonne and Châlons-sur-Marne, by the rivers Meuse and Marne.

The World War One Memorials to Allied Soldiers are a cherished visit not to be missed.

Cuisine

Champagne-Ardenne's refined cuisine incorporates the region's native sparkling wine whenever possible. Whether accompanying the meal (before, during or after) or used in the meal itself (in anything from seafood to chicken), champagne is a very important part of the region's culinary tradition. YOUR FRENCH CONNEXION has prepared your way and added new locations with friendly French families for your lodging enjoyment.

The Montagne de Reims route (47 miles) starts in Reims and goes to Epernay, home of the famous Moet & Chandon and Perrier-Jouët vineyards. The Marne Valley route (33 miles) begins in Epernay and extends past Hautvillers, Ay, Dizy, Cumières, Chatillon and Vincennes. The Côte de Blancs route (68 miles) goes from Epernay south to Verus and Villenauxe la Grande, an area planted almost exclusively with Chardonnay white grapevines.

Champagne derivatives such as, "Ratafia", "Marc de Champagne" and "Fine de Marne" are also quite popular, as well as other spirits and wines including "Côteaux Champenois" (available in white and red), "Bouzy rouge", "Riceys rose", cider and fruit liqueurs. Desserts include sugar tarts, massepains & croquignoles (from Reims), and Haute Marne's meringue caissettes.

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Places of Interest

Asfeld Baroque church.

Charleville-Mézières Place Ducale, Rimbaud Museum.

Chalons-sur-Marne St. Etienne Cathedral, Cloister Museum of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux.

Colombey-les-deux Eglises General de Gaulle house and memorial. Champagne cellars.

Epernay Champagne vineyards and cellars.

L'Epine Notre Dame Basilica.

Fère Bridge and 13th century medieval castle.

Hautvillers Town where Champagne was invented, reconstruction of Dom Pérignon's cellar and laboratory in the abbey museum.

Langres Home of Diderot, Renaissance houses, ramparts.

Mouzon Notre Dame Abbey.

Nogent-en-Bassigny Museum of the "Espace Pelletier"

Novion Porcion Three Wars Museum. 13th century gothic Catheral of Reims.

Reims Champagne cellars, Notre Dame cathedral, St. Remi Museum and Basilica, Palais du Tau, Surrender room, Fine Arts Museum, La Pompelle Fort.

Renwez Forest Museum.

Rethel St. Nicholas Church, Ardennes canal.

Revin View of the Ardennes forest. 

Rocroi Museum of the Battle of Rocroi.

Saint Ménéhould City Hall, walks in the Argonne forest.

Sedan Largest fortified chateau in Europe.

Signy-l'Abbaye "Gouffre" de Gibergeon (natural cave).

Troyes Museum of Modern Art, Workers Tool Museum, churches, Pharmacy Museum.

Varennes-en-Argonne Town where Louis XVI was arrested in 1791, fleeing from Paris.

Verzy Spectacular view of the city of Reims.

Villy-la-Ferté Last fort on the Maginot Line.

Vimy Canadian WW I Memorial.

We are pleased to share some highlights of cities from www.francetourism.com.  You will also find us on their site under Washington State.