Page 180 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

it’s where a Benedictine
TRIP HIGHLIGHT 3 Verzy monk by the name of
2 Verzenay This village is home to Dom Pierre Pérignon
is popularly believed to
Reims marks the start several small vineyards have created Champagne
of the 70km Montagne that provide an interest- in the late 16th century.
de Reims Champagne ing contrast to the big The great man’s tomb lies
Route, the prettiest (and producers. Étienne and in front of the altar of the
most prestigious) of the Anne-Laure Lefevre Église Abbatiale.
three signposted road (%03 26 97 96 99; www.cham The village itself is
routes that wind their pagne-etienne-lefevre.com; 30 well worth a stroll, with a
way through the Cham- rue de Villers; h9-11.30am jumble of lanes, timbered
pagne vineyards. Of the & 1.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat) houses and stone-walled
17 grand cru villages run group tours of their vineyards. On place de la
in Champagne, nine lie family-owned vineyards République, the tourist
on and around the and cellars – if you’re on office (%03 26 57 06 35;
Montagne, a hilly area your own, ring ahead www.tourisme-hautvillers.
whose sheltered slopes to see if you can join a com; place de la République;
and chalky soils provide pre-arranged tour. There h9.30am-1pm & 1.30-5.30pm
the perfect environment are no flashy videos or Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun, short-
for viticulture (grape multimedia shows – the er hours winter) hands out
FRANCE 13 CHAMPAGNE TASTER
growing). emphasis is firmly on the free maps detailing local
Most of the area’s vine- nitty-gritty of Cham- vineyard walks; one-hour
yards are devoted to the pagne production. guided tours cost €3 (€5
pinot noir grape. You’ll For a glass of fizz high with a tasting).
pass plenty of produc- above the treetops, seek Steps away is Au 36
ers offering dégustation out the sleek Perching (www.au36.net; 36 rue Dom
(tasting) en route. It’s Bar (www.perchingbar. Pérignon; h10.30am-6pm
up to you how many eu; Forêt de Brise-Charrette; Tue-Sun, closed Christmas-
you choose to visit – but hnoon-2pm & 4-8pm Wed- early Mar), a wine boutique
whatever you do, don’t Sun mid-Apr–mid-Dec) deep with a ‘wall’ of Cham-
miss the panorama of in the forest. pagne quirkily arranged
vines seen from the top The Drive » Stay on the by aroma. There’s a
of the Phare de Verzenay D26 south of Verzy, and enjoy tasting room upstairs; a
(Verzenay Lighthouse; www. wide-open countryside views two-/three-glass session
lepharedeverzenay.com; D26; as you spin south to Ambonnay. costs €12/16.
lighthouse adult/child €3/2, Detour west onto the D19,
museum €8/4, combined signed to Bouzy, and bear right The Drive » From the centre
ticket €9/5; h10am-5pm onto the D1 along the northern of the village, take the rte de
Cumières for grand views across
Tue-Fri, to 5.30pm Sat & Sun, bank of the Marne River. When the vine-cloaked slopes. Follow
you reach the village of Dizy,
closed Jan), a lighthouse follow signs onto the D386 to the road all the way to the D1,
constructed as a publicity Hautvillers. It’s a total drive of turn left and follow signs to
gimmick in 1909. Nearby, 32km or 45 minutes. Épernay’s centre-ville, 6km to
the Jardin Panoramique the south.
demonstrates the four
authorised techniques for 4 Hautvillers TRIP HIGHLIGHT
tying grapevines to guide
wires. Next stop is the hilltop 5 Épernay
village of Hautvillers, a
The Drive » Continue south hallowed name among The prosperous town
along the D26 for 3km. Champagne aficionados: of Épernay is the self-

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