Campsites on the Champagne route
Camping accommodation to visit the vineyards will make the trip easier and add to the holiday effect by spicing it up with relaxation and fun. And if you have children with you they will appreciate it even more. There are 24 campsites on offer on the Champagne route, including the beautiful Camping de Châlons-en-Champagne ****, which offers Wi-Fi access throughout the site, fishing on the private pond and the label of welcome for bicycles and motorcyclists, and is located 3 km from the centre of Châlons-en-Champagne.
The six routes of the Champagne tourist route
Starting from Reims and Epernay, a 70 km circuit awaits you, as do these singular trees, called Faux, which are part of the magnificent Montagne de Reims regional nature park, considered to be one of France's most beautiful viticultural treasures. You can start with a stop in Epernay, the capital of champagne and its 100 km of cellars. In Reims, the Saint-Remy basilica and its museum, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a must-see. Then you can get caught up in the old village of Verzy and the 300-year-old vineyards near Gueux, as well as the pretty Saint-Lié chapel in the commune of Ville-Dommange.
The hillsides of Sézannais and Petit Morin are an area with a rich heritage. Lovers of old stones will be able to explore the castles of Montmort-Lucy and Etoges, as well as the splendid Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame du Reclus at Talus-Saint-Prix. You will walk in a setting of vineyards of course but also of bocages and marshes. Take the opportunity to visit the medieval town of Sézanne, where the remains of walls and towers and a superb 16th century church are on the programme. A museum in memory of the soldiers killed during the first battle of the Marne as well as a monument are to be seen in Mondement. To complete this rich heritage trail, you can even see dolmens and menhirs. To finish this colourful tour, let yourself be tempted by the famous earthenware of Villenauxe-la-Grande and its Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul church.
The Massif de Saint-Thierry is the third proposed route. Starting from Reims, the colossal cathedral and the Palais de Tau are a must-see. Green landscapes with vineyards and forests await you here. Picturesque villages are nestled here in direct connection with the coronations of the kings of France. You can admire the 17th century chapel in the village of Saint-Thierry, where the detail of the sculptures is admirable.
A route with a rich heritage, the Marne Valley offers a magnificent panorama from Epernay towards Reims, you will explore the village of Pierry which has preserved a beautiful 17th century architecture, you will admire the Pinot Meunier vineyards and the view of the heights of Champillon. And also, the village of Oeuilly with its special atmosphere, the view on the Boursault castle in Venteuil, the Louis XIIIth castle and its Memorial.
From Virty-le-François and the Lac du Der, the humid part of the Champagne bocage, the Coteaux Vitryats are a new entrance to the Champagne vineyards. On sixty kilometres of small roads surrounded by hills, you will cross twenty or so typical villages. You must see the Mont de Fourche, in Vitry en Perthois, the huge arches of Vavray le Grande and of course the superb collegiate church of Vitry le François.
It is a wine-growing area whose name comes from the colour of the Chardonnay grape which constitutes 95% of its variety. It is part of the Champagne vineyards and is intended for production.
The Côte des Blancs is the last stretch of the Champagne route, which promises attractive surroundings. The walk is recommended through many charming villages, set up in amphitheatre along the hills. Like Chavot-Courcourt and its Saint-Martin church entirely surrounded by vineyards, or the cellars and 18th century castle of Pierry located southwest of Epernay. If you leave Epernay, don't miss its legendary avenue, which is home to some of the most prestigious champagne houses as well as several buildings protected as historical monuments. Finally, the Côte des Blancs gives birth to a quality champagne, highly esteemed, with subtle and light perfumes according to the amateurs.