Champers in Champagne!

I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad.
Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.
When I have company, I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am.
Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty.

~Madame Bollinger


Truer words I have yet to hear. Imagine owning a Champagne house and being able to drink as much Champagne as you want…one word…fabulous! Not only because of the drink, but because the area is such a great place too. I’ve been to Champagne 4 times. The first time was on a day trip with my mom and brother while on holiday in Paris , the second time was with college (I did a wine course while living in London ), the third time was with my boyfriend (now husband) and the 4th time was on another college field trip. It’s a small area without all the grandeur of Paris , but the champagne houses, beautiful towns, churches, great food, hills and vineyards make such a magical place, so naturally beautiful and SO worth going back for again and again and again.


Beautiful vineyards on the hill


Just a bit of a lesson on champagne and its history:

Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk, discovered the method to make champagne while serving as cellar master at the Abbey in Hautvilliers. Due to the shorter and colder growing season in Champagne, the grapes get picked later in the year so they have less time for fermentation. (Fermentation is when the yeast in the wine converts the sugars in the grape juice into alcohol). The monks of the Abbey, discovered that they could make wine with bubbles, by using a second fermentation process which occurs inside the bottle. Wine with bubbles is made according to this natural method in other areas of France and other countries (for instance Cava in Spain, Cap Classiques in South Africa and Prosecco in Italy) , but because of the AOC (appellation d’origine controlee) system that strictly defines winemaking laws, only sparkling wine that is made in Champagne, can be called champagne. (To specify that their wine is made according to this method, other areas can mention that their wine is Methode Traditionnelle.)

Reims Cathedral

When going to Champagne for a few days, I would recommend that you stay in Reims near the main tourist area. Reims is a beautiful city with a lot of history – for instance, unlike most people would think, the kings of France were not crowned in Paris , but instead all the coronations took place in the Cathedral of Reims. Unfortunately the church was almost destroyed by the Germans during the First World War, but it has been beautifully restored. Many of the big champagne houses like Pommery, Piper Heidsick, Taittinger and Veuve Clicqout are in Reims.

Place Drouet d'Erlon in Reims

When in Reims I like to stay in the area of the Place Drouet d’Erlon, a square/pedestrian walk full of bars, restaurants and cafés. There are many hotels and great shops near the square and it is also a quick walk from the Cathedral of Reims. The vibe on the square is lively with people sitting at the outside cafes and bars till the sun set and then streaming into the many restaurants nearby. The food at most of the restaurants is very traditionally French and delicious – every meal that I’ve ever had on the square, has been fantastic. Traditional foods in the area are stuffed trout, Andouillette (spicy pork sausages), Ardenne ham, Reims ham and Chaource Cheese. Off course it would be ridiculous not to pair your amazing food with a glass of champagne. Contrary to what you might think, champagne is not just an aperitif, but it is also a perfect accompaniment to almost any and all foods – in fact, I’ve never tasted anything that didn’t go well with champagne.

Sediment is removed from the bottle with a technique called riddling.

The other must-visit town in champagne is the capital, Epernay, home of Perrier Jouet, Moet et Chandon and Mercier (all on Avenue de Champagne). What goes on above ground is beautiful and interesting, but it is the 120 kilometers of chalky tunnels underground that fascinate me. Below the ground in Epernay , you can find approximately 200 million bottles of champagne ageing. What an incredible sight to see!

Rue Dom Perignon in Hautvilliers

Hautvilliers, a short drive from Epernay , is the third must-visit town in Champagne on my list of suggestions. It is after all the birthplace of this wondrous drink that made the area of Champagne a rock star in the wine industry! The town is tiny and quaint, but in my opinion, a must-see. You can visit the Abbey made famous by Dom Perignon. (There is no charge to visit, but you are encouraged to make a small donation to the church.) If you drive up the road of the church (with the church on your left – I believe it is Rue Dom Perignon) and you get to the top of the hill (till you can’t drive straight anymore), turn left and follow this road. (excuse the dodgy directions, but I never thought that I would have to remember the street names.) It leads to a great picnic location with beautiful views of the champagne valley – just gorgeous – a perfect spot to drink a bottle of champagne as you are watching the sunset. For more information when you are in Hautvilliers, you can visit their tourism office on Place de la Republique.

Love in an aisle

There are so many more towns that I need to visit in Champagne, but the above three, really made an impression on me and I've gone back to all 3 of them again and again and again...

Champagne tours and Houses...next time...