Property Champagne - Buy, Rent & Stay in Champagne, France

Champagne-Ardenne

Champagne-Ardenne is one of the 26 regions of France based in the northeast of France, bordering onto Belgium. It consists of four departments: Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne.

The rivers of the region include the Seine, the Marne and the Aisne, all of which flow in a westerly direction.

Visitors to the former province of Champagne arrive in droves to savour its rich cultural heritage and the world-famous sparkling white wine that bears the region's name.

Wines from the Champagne region were already known before medieval times. Churches owned vineyards, and monks produced wine for use in the sacrament of Eucharist. French kings were traditionally anointed in Reims. Champagne wine flowed as part of coronation festivities.

There are over 100 champagne houses and 15,000 smaller vignerons (vine-growing producers) operating in Champagne. These companies manage some 32,000 hectares of vineyards in the region, and employ over 10,000 people.

The region contains some magnificent forests and lakes where you can enjoy walks and water sports.

Aube

Surrounded by the departments of Marne, Haute-Marne, Côte-d'Or, Yonne, and Seine-et-Marne.

The geography, with its chalky soil and undulating plain, is well adapted to wine-growing, particularly the champagne that takes its name from the region.

Clairvaux Abbey is well worth seeing, located some 15 kilometres from Bar-sur-Aube. A cheese is named after the village of Chaource.

Ardennes

Surrounded by the French departments of Meuse, Marne, and Aisne and by Belgium on the north.

Situated in the Ardennes uplands on the border with Belgium, the area includes many areas of very dense woodland. The scenic beauty of the region and its wide variety of outdoor activities, including hunting, cycling, walking and canoeing, make it an important tourist destination. The area has been the location of much fighting, both in World War I and World War II, such as the Battle of the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge.

The principal river is the Meuse River.

Haute-Marne

Surrounded by the departments of Meuse, Vosges, Haute-Saône, Côte-d'Or, Aube, and Marne.

The highest mountain is Haut-du-Sac, in the southwest of that department which is some 1,693 feet in height.

Major attractions include the fortified town of Langres and its walls, the Renaissance castle of Joinville and the village of Colombey-les-deux-Églises, famed as the home and burial site of the statesman and 20th century soldier Charles de Gaulle. His grave is marked by a 164 ft (50 m) high Cross of Lorraine, commemorating his distinguished wartime role as commander of the Free French forces.

Marne

Surrounded by the departments of Ardennes, Meuse, Haute-Marne, Aube, Seine-et-Marne, and Aisne.

Reims, with its famous cathedral in which the kings of France were traditionally crowned, is a major attraction. Other tourist interests include the bird reserve on the Lac du Der Chantecoq and the fishing lakes nearby. The Parc Regional de la Montagne de Reims is a major area of country recreation. In the west of the department there are many scenic routes to be explored. Don't miss out on the town of Épernay, which welcomes visitors from all over the world who come to buy champagne and to see how it is made. The most famous street in Épernay is the Avenue de Champagne which features the leading Champagne manufacturers.

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