What an exceptional destiny for this wine originating from a tiny parcel of land, a few thousand acres, this wine that graces all great parties and feasts ! The past of the Champagne region is also rooted in some of the most well-known pages of French history, in the building of high places of worship and magnificent works of art. The Ardennes, more modest but also engaging, the Ardennes mountains harbour charming valleys, deep forests and valleys where powerful industrial traditions have emerged in textiles , metal work, woodwork, a land of ancient legends…

It required all the ingenuity of a Benedictine monk of the 17th century, Dom Pérignon, to produce, from a red wine, the champagne that we are familiar with today. He obtained carbonation thanks to a second fermentation, several months after the grape harvest, and the quality of the product thanks to a clever blend of grape varieties : the basic production method was born. Later, the use of a cork plug, to replace oiled tow and the manufacture of glass bottles strong enough to resist the powerful pressure contributed to the necessary technical improvements. From the 18th century on, large champagne production facilities developed in Reims and Epernay. The assembly requires great skill and each phase of the production and manufacturing processes, clearly explained during visits to the cellars, demands meticulous attention to detail. The different wines, brut, dry or demi-brut, are produced from three varieties of grape : Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Poetic names, reminiscent of antiquity, are given to the bottles depending on their capacity, ranging from Nabuchodonosor’s quart (20 bottles of 75 cl), through the Magnum (2 bottles), to the Jéroboam (3 bottles), etc…

The province of Champagne held an eminent role in French history from the time that the Frankish kings were converted to Christianity around the year 500, when Clovis was baptised by the Bishop of Reims. Later, the crowning ceremony of French Kings in Reims Cathedral was institutionalised and 25 French Kings were crowned there, from Louis the 13th (1223) to Charles the 10th (1825). The most famous crowing was that of Charles the 7th, in the presence of Joan of Arc. Charlemagne used his crowning ceremony to consolidate his authority over his vast empire. Reims was truly at the heart of European history.

In recent history, the Ardennes mountains were in the front line of the wars between France and Germany, due to their location on the North-East border of the country. Champagne, which was the theatre of bloody confrontations during the First World War (battle of the Marne), is also a land of memory : a giant Lorraine cross was erected in Clairvaux forest to honour the memory of General de Gaulle, who lived in Colombey-les-deux-églises and who rests in the graveyard of this tiny village. In the Middle Ages, this region was a bridge between Northern and Southern Europe. Champagne festivals, especially those of Troyes and Provins, were famous. A motley throng of merchants, especially drapiers, met there twice a year. Transactions were carried out in several stages : exhibition of the merchandise, presentation of the price, actual sale ; payment was made in Provins pounds, with the assistance of Florentine bankers who were renowned experts in monetary exchange. The location of Champagne at the nexus of the great European trade routes explains its early development and its wealth during periods when most French regions suffered hardship.

The region is characterized by its strong spiritual tradition, ever since the advent of Christianity. Under the wealthy Benedictines (attached to Cluny), the monasteries vastly increased their prosperity. In reaction to the ostentatious opulence of the Benedictine order, a monk from Champagne, Robert de Molesme, founded the particularly strict Cisterian order, at the Citeaux Abbey in Bourgogne. Over 350 European monasteries joined his order. Among them Clairvaux (near Bar-Sur-Aube), played a leading role during the 12th century and became the authentic centre of the West’s religious life. The religious heritage of this region is both varied and extremely rich. The Gothic period is magnificently represented. Reims cathedral, where so many French Kings were crowned, is one of the largest in the world and one of the most remarkable in its stylistic unity, its splendid façade, its collection of statues and its stained glass windows. In Troyes cathedral, which is richly decorated, the art of stained glass is superbly represented over a period of 5 centuries. The region also boasts many buildings, churches, abbeys and basilica, including the curious wattle and daub churches of the Marne and Aube regions.

Arriving in the Ardennes region, the tourist discovers spectacular landscapes, where nature flourishes (the name “Arduena sylva” means “deep forest” in the Celtic language). This country has always been reputed for its superb conifer and leafy forests, ideal for hunting wild boar, the animal that has symbolised the region ever since legend represented the Goddess Ardenne riding one. Local sports champion are admiringly called “boar of the Ardennes” ! The Ardennes forest is a mythical place, the refuge of wild animals and imaginary beings, such as the “nutons”, artful little garden gnomes, and has given rise to many a legend. Among the best known of these are the “Dames of the Meuse”, unfaithful wives who were turned into statues, the Devil’s Castle or the Four sons of Aymon, who monted on their steed Bayard, boldly attacked Charlemagne. This courtly narrative in the form of an epic poem was the subject of several poems and novels. Contrary to the regions that enjoy vast, open spaces, the essential economic activity of the Ardennes was neither agricultural nor linked to agricultural production, but industrial : metallurgy and textiles. From the 13th century, nail manufacturing was introduced, followed by bolt manufacture, iron work and foundries. One of the most astonishing images from that period portrays a nail-maker in his small workshop with a dog harnessed to a wheel activating the bellows of a forge ! The rare foreign visitors at that time were surprised by the number of dogs sitting in front of these workshops, waiting for their shift. Another activity which had its origins in earlier periods (the religious wars), was the textile industry, especially drapery and lace. The “Sedan stitch” was famous throughout Europe. Later, this industry re-converted to the manufacture of high quality rugs. Equally the exploitation of slate, extracted from underground schistose layers, flourished. The river Meuse, which since early times was used to transport these goods towards the dynamic Flanders region, is the muse of this country. Winding around the mountain range, meandering majestically around the plains, the river provides delicious landscapes.

In this region of great variety, several theme trails allow visitors to discover the landscapes, the heritage and the produce : the champagne trail, the fortified or wattle and daub churches, the iron trail, the forests, lakes and abbeys, the stained glass trail, Rimbaud (the poet “with shoes of wind” was born in Charleville), etc… Several popular celebrations have their roots in the traditions, typical local features and homages to personalities (information can be obtained from the tourist offices). Among the great men born in Champagne features our greatest story-teller, Jean de la Fontaine, a native of Château-Thierry.

To mention traditional produce and gastronomy is to recall a historic event : the arrest of King Louis the 16th in 1791. The King – who it is rumoured appreciated Ste-Menehould pork’s feet – made a stop with his family in this town and was recognized by the son of the postmaster. The rest is well-known, his arrest a few kilometres further on, in Varennes and the return to Paris of the Royal Family. Pork’s feet attract gourmets even today ! Ardennes raw ham smoked with juniper branches is famous, as are the cold meats, Rethel white puddings, andouillettes de Troyes and all the different game and fish dishes. The best known Champenois cheese is chaource. As for the local pastries, there are many varieties and they all have a common feature : they should be tasted with a glass of champagne !

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