Champagne, France
“I 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'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty.” ~ Madame Lilly Bollinger
The Champagne region of France is magnificent. The scenery is superb, the history is compelling and above all, the wine is divine.
This is the region where Dom Perignon perfected putting the bubbles into champagne, where conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte would stop to drink with the Moët family. This is the epicentre of a centuries-old love affair with a remarkable French wine.
The Champagne region is 1 ½ hours east of Paris, and you really need at least 3 days to discover the delightful villages around Epernay and Reims that conjure up the world’s favourite drink of celebration.
This is where you’ll delight in finding the grand houses of Dom Perignon, Moët et Chandon, Bollinger, Krug, Mumm, Veuve Cliquot, Taittinger, Laurent-Perrier…the list goes on and on. And this is where you’ll find gorgeous chateaux with gourmet food designed around the champagne you’ll be drinking.
e luxurious Chateau les Crayeres in Reims is a must on
any visit here, with a classic Michelin-starred restaurant and a chef taught by
Alain Ducasse who is a gastronomic genius named Didier Elena. More on that later.
When in Champagne, the best way to get a feeling
for the
grandeur and history of the region is by going straight to Moët et Chandon’s
cellars in Epernay on the aptly-named Avenue de Champagne. Outside the
entry, you’ll find a statue of the fascinating French monk Dom Perignon, who
didn’t quite invent champagne in the 1600s as widely believed, but
certainly refined and promoted it.
The Moët et Chandon and Dom Perignon houses are now
owned by the giant Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton group who have put big money into
this slick operation. It’s expanding so much that 40 new villages have just been
included in the exclusive Champagne zone, or “appellation”.
If
you’ve ever wondered what “Grand Cru” means, it refers to the top Champagne
vineyards in the region, followed in quality by “Premier Cru”, then “Best Cru”.
The powerful Moët et Chandon controls 15 of the 17
“Grand Cru” in the Champagne region. As such Moët et Chandon is the
dominant producer in the Champagne region, thanks to the efforts of patriarch
Claude Moët who founded the company in 1743.
Moët’s wine caves where the champagne matures run for 28
kilometres under the main streets of Epernay and are fascinating to explore in a
two hour tour. Even in the middle of summer, it’s
remarkable how cool
these caves are as you descend just a few metres under the main road.
The tour costs 13 Euros including a flute of Moët Brut Imperial, and it offers
interesting sights as well as insights. The sights include a grand cask
with 1,333 litres of port presented to Napoleon by Jean-Remy Moët in 1810.
The insights include “riddling” or turning of the maturing champagne - placed
neck-down in the racks. Moët’s
skilful riddlers can turn 50,000 bottles a day by hand.
What to See in Champagne
What is there to see and do in the
Champagne region of France? The biggest town is Reims (pronounced “Rance”) which was
bombed thoroughly in World War I. The magnificent Reims cathedral built at the
end of the 12th Century has seen centuries of coronations of French Kings.
The beautiful rose window is a sight to behold, as is the Mars Gate nearby, built by the Romans in the 3rd
or 4th Century.
For a good meal, head to the many restaurants near Rue Gambetta. If you want something
seriously luxurious that you’ll remember for a long time, go to the famous
Chateau les Crayeres.
It’s such a feeling of freedom to experience champagne
tasting at those labels you’ve looked at longingly in liquor stores. In Reims,
try the wine houses of Mumm, Pommery and Veuve Cliquot for starters. Henriot
is another beautiful champagne, based in Reims.
Then move on down the “Route Touristique du Champagne”
to Epernay for champagne tasting at Moët et Chandon (and Dom Perignon),
Perrier-Jouet and Pol Roger. Head north out of Epernay on
a pretty
vineyard-rich drive to Hautvillers, where you’ll find Dom Perignon’s
grave. The Bollinger champagne house is nearby too in the quaint village of Ay,
near another pretty town, Champillon. Keep driving east though the
aptly-named Champagne villages of Dizy and Bouzy, and you’ll feel at peace with
the world.
And that’s what’s wonderful about the Champagne region –
there are so many good small producers of champagne to discover which will
absolutely delight you with taste, quality and especially price. You can
buy very good champagne everywhere in the Champagne region for as little
as 20 Euros, often
with a festival atmosphere at the cellar doors. These include J.M. Gobillard champagne just outside Hautvillers and Barnault Champagne in Bouzy.
You’re likely to feel boozy by the time you leave.
The luxurious
Chateau les Crayeres
has been at the centre of society life in Reims since 1904. It was the
Pommery champagne house estate until 1979, when current owner Xavier Gardinier
bought the property and transformed it into a classy hotel that became the
gas
tronomic venue for the champagne houses.
Even today you can see where Madame Pommery opened up the
trees to allow a view through to the magnificent Reims Cathedral.
Today, you can luxuriate at this much-awarded chateau for as little as 300 Euros
or as much as 575 Euros for one of the beautiful suites, including the one named
after Princess Diana. The classic French furnishings in Chateau les
Crayeres are certainly worth seeing before a stroll through the beautifully
manicured gardens of this private 17 acre estate.
But it’s the gastronomic delights of Chateau les
Crayeres’ stylish restaurant that
make a visit here an absolute must. Don’t worry about the cost – once you
taste the cuisine of Michelin-starred chef Didier Elena you’ll understand that
it’s worth every Euro. There’s a set menu Monday to Friday for 65 Euros or an a
la carte menu with main courses ranging from 60 to 80 Euros.
If you want an experience you will remember for a long
time, try the remarkable Menu Tradition de Champagne at 305 Euros, including
fine champagne such as Henriot Blanc Souverain. This comes with great
service from beautifully dressed sommeliers and waiters who are formal yet very
friendly, thanks to the expert guidance of the very kind restaurant manager
Patrice Willems.
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Master chef Didier Elena learned his craft from the legendary Alain Ducasse, who himself still travels to Chateau les Crayeres to enjoy Didier’s creations with fresh produce such as black truffles. Didier Elena’s bottom line is that the cuisine taste is paramount. His presentation is pretty well perfect too. Here’s a brief description of some of Didier Elena’s creations that are just remarkable. One of France’s favourite foods is the langoustine,
half way between a lobster and a prawn. At Chateau les Crayeres, try the four
langoustine variations together, paired perfectly with the right champagne.
First, the grilled langoustine with a light red pepper oil. Second, the
delicately fried langoustine with a saffron-perfumed mayonnaise. Then, the
langoustine tartar marinated with avocado, apples, green mango and light
peppers. And finally, the langoustine mouselline served with a textured
ball with champagne inside that explodes in your mouth when you bite it.
This emulsion is a sensational climax created by the chef, thoroughly French and
fantastic. The Mumm de Cramant champagne with the langoustine is
heavenly. |
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Accommodation near Reims and EpernayIf you can’t quite afford Chateau les Crayeres, still go there for lunch to see the gracious building surrounded by acres of parkland, making you feel far away from the city even though you’re right there on the edge of Reims. For accommodation in Reims, try Hotel Azure which is
basic but bright for 55 Euros a night and |
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At the other end of Avenue de Champagne is Villa Eugene, a well-run hotel with a
pool and a price of 190 Euros a night. Rooms are spacious, comfortable and
classy and the hotel is right next to the Mercier champagne house. A quick
walk down Avenue de Champagne will take you past Pol Roger, the gorgeous
Perrier-Jouet champagne house and up to the dreamy properties of Moët et Chandon.
Where to Eat in Champagne |
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In Reims, try La Table Anna, a cozy little café in an older building near the Cathedral that oozes charm, with main meals around 20 Euros. Restaurant L'Opera is centrally situated, with friendly owners, lovely ambience and very good local cuisine. Fresh local ingredients are used, with main courses including Coq au Vin and seasonal dishes of boar. Mains around 20 Euros. Restaurant le Foch at 37 Boulevard Foch is another superb restaurant with mains such as shrimp ravioli or pike roasted with wild rice. Mains from 30 Euros. Le Grand cafe is a cheaper place near the Cathedral and railway station, a traditional noisy brasserie specialising in seafood and pasta. Mains from 8 Euros. Le Brasserie du Boulingrin is a good choice on Rue de Mars (near the Mars Gate) with a wide choice of dishes including tender lamb accompanied by a glass of Pommery champagne. Friendly service and genuine owners, mains from 12 Euros. |
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Champagne Summary
The Champagne wine region of France
is certainly the world’s best wine region because of the superior quality of its
champagne, the beauty of the scenic little villages between Epernay and Reims
and the grandeur of the powerful champagne houses dominated by Moët et Chandon.
The Champagne region is easily reached from Paris by car or the superswift TGV
train which now has international train connections straight into and out of the
Champagne region.
As in much of France, the French cuisine here is “magnifique” and dining at the
seriously luxurious Chateau les Crayeres in Reims with the perfect pairing of
champagne is an unforgettable experience.
The Champagne region of France has it all, from the majesty of the Champagne
chateaux to the smaller operators whose champagne quality is superb for just 20
Euros a bottle of champagne. It’s a drink of celebration that is offered freely
in champagne tastings everywhere, making Champagne the ultimate in Best Wine
Holidays.
Photo JM Gobillard Champagne near Dizy, one of many
champagne houses offering champagne tasting