Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

52 BACK ROADS FRANCE

ª From the Avenue du Champagne,
take the Rue de Reims and pass
through Magenta cross the railway
and the river, veer left to take the
N2051. At Dizy turn left onto the D386
uphill following signs to Hautvillers.
This village is best discovered on
foot. There are several parking areas,
including one at the top of the village,
near the church.
9 Hautvillers
Marne, Champagne-Ardenne; 51160
The highlight of Hautvillers is
the Benedictine abbey, St-Pierre
d’Hautvillers, founded in AD 650 by
Above Tower of Champagne de Castellane in Saint Nivard, Bishop of Reims. The
Épernay Above right Town hall at Hautvillers 8 Épernay Champagne region at this time was
Below Vineyards in Champillon Marne, Champagne-Ardenne; 51200 subject to many invasions, and people
The town is at the heart of 300 sq km from the nearby village of Villare had
(115 sq miles) of vineyards, on the been forced to take shelter up in the
WHERE TO STAY crossroads of the tourist routes hills. This new community came to
through the Montagne de Reims, be known as Alta Villare and subse-
ÉPERNAY Marne and Côtes des Blancs. Winston quently Hautvillers. Perched above a
Le Clos Raymi expensive Churchill called its Avenue du patchwork of Marne valley country-
Housed in a mansion, this breezy place Champagne, which is lined with side, the immaculately groomed
has lots of art and white furnishings. grand maisons de Champagne, “the village is crowned by forest. Starting
3 rue Joseph de Venoge, 51200; 03 26
51 00 58; www.closraymi-hotel.com most drinkable avenue in the world”. from the tourist office on Place de la
From Place de la République and République, follow the signs on a
La Villa Eugène expensive Hôtel de Ville, the avenue starts with walk along the Rue des Buttes and
Housed in a villa formerly owned by
the Mercier Champagne family, the Moët & Chandon, which dates back Rue de Bacchus, and other streets full
hotel has 15 rooms, ranging from to 1743 and is the largest of the of medieval houses and some 140
standard to luxury. Champagne Houses. It continues forged iron signs. The self-proclaimed
82 avenue du Champagne, 51200; past some of the most prestigious “cradle of champagne” has over a
03 26 32 44 76; www.villa-eugene.com
Champagne names, including dozen Champagne Houses to visit
AROUND ÉPERNAY Perrier-Jouët, De Venoge, Pol Roger, and there are walking trails in the
Les Grains d’Argent moderate Demoiselle, Boizel, Martel, de forest and among the vines.
Situated 4 km (2 miles) from Épernay Castellane and Mercier. The 110-km ª Instead of leaving Hautvillers via
towards Hautvillers, this hotel’s 21 (68-mile) net work of champagne the D386, turn left at the car park by
rooms are furnished with fresh, storage cellars nearly outstrips the the cemetery, in the lower part of the
unfussy elegance. The in-house
restaurant serves delicious dishes. total length of Épernay’s footpaths. In village, and then immediately right
1 allée du Petit Bois, Dizy, 51530; 03 26 all there are some 200 million bottles onto the Route de Champillon, which
55 76 28; www.lesgrainsdargent.fr of champagne stored underground. passes under the main road and
arrives in Champillon.
Father Dom
Benedictine monk Dom Pierre
Pérignon is credited with putting
the bubble and the cork into
champagne in the 17th century
while he was the cellar master of
the Abbey of Hautvillers. He
transformed dull “grey wine” into a
sparkling wine by marrying high-
quality grapes, extracting the juice
under the right pressure, choosing
thick resistant glass bottles and
using a Spanish cork. Legend has it
that on tasting champagne for the
first time, he cried out, “Come
quickly, I am drinking the stars!”