By Rita Cook
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
It is always a good time for champagne.
Take that a step further and visit France’s champagne region to get the full experience.
It is a short train ride from Paris and a decadent destination for the Francophile traveler.
Arriving in Reims by train and renting a car to drive to the town of Epernay will have you among the famed Avenue de Champagne in time for tastings in the romanticchampagne houses such as Moët & Chandon, Mercier, Champagne de Castellane or Perrier-Jouët where you can also enjoy an elegant lunch and pairing.
The town of Epernay is surrounded by vines and each champagne house along the tree-lined avenue welcomes those strolling by the massive gates to enter, sip and relax.
For at least one night stay at Le 25bis by Leclerc Briant, located on the avenue and since 2015 named part of the area’s UNESCO World Heritage site.
The boutique property has five bedrooms, as they are referred to, each with its own classic style. Depending on the room there are views over the gardens, the vineyards, or the Avenue de Champagne. Into the evening guests can sit in the courtyard among those sipping the regional bubbles and enjoy the night air with fellow champagne enthusiasts.
Champagne Leclerc Briant offers private tours by reservation allowing the guest an understanding of the story of the historical vineyard La Croisette. This is a small plot cultivated bio-dynamically ever since it was first planted, and it is the place where the cuvée of the same name began.
The House of Leclerc Briant is also impressive in that it was one of the first biodynamics in Champagne beginning back in the 1950s. This practice is part of the story ever since the Leclercs obtained a full certification for the house.
My takeaway here was not only the refined boutique overnight accommodations, breakfast and location, but it is clear the House of Leclerc Briant and those who are part of the journey among the vines have a deep respect for nature. They workwith and not against the natural elements of the region with Hervé Jestin, whospecializes in biodynamics at the helm of the relationship with vines and wine
It is about the harmony of the earth and the wines are listened to and respected with some bottles spending a year under the ocean, some bottles in the snow, and the moon phases also play a key role in the decadence of the champagne gracing this house and its admirers.
The knowledge that as much as $2 billion worth of bubbles age quietly below the avenue in the cellars of the champagne housesmake this the reason many refer to this area as the most expensive in the worldwith millions of bottles of champagne stored in the belowground chalk cellars.
The private mansions and residences are welcoming for visits for the best of the best champagne along the Avenue de Champagne and primarily feature 19th century architecture with manicured grounds, gardens and courtyards as well as the vineyards as the Epernay backdrop.
Also, on the Avenue de Champagne is the Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology Museum located in Château Perrier, a historic monument in Epernay and the former home of champagne merchants. Here you can spend hours learning about the region’s history and archeology and how it became part of the Champagne story. You can also enjoy the grounds of the chateau walking from the main building to the side wings through the chateau’s park and courtyard.
Another grand stop in the Champagne region of France is the Royal Champagne restaurant, also a hotel, but the main appeal is the restaurant Le Royal on property boasting 1 Michelin star and home toChef Christophe Raoux. Located in Champillon, the hotel is also a Leading Hotel of the World and the entire property is picturesque from afar and full of lush secrets in addition to the Raoux surprises, as well as the creations of Pastry Chef Claire Santos Lopes and Philippe Marques, Head Sommelier’s pours.
Lunch on the terrace looking at the vines for miles in the warmer weather is a feeling that for a moment is “there is no place you would rather be.” Rightly so as the dishes created by Raoux include a piece of nature combined with fresh ingredients and the effervescence of just the right pairing of Champagne.
Also in the region is a must stop visit to the Pommery pressing center in Aÿ-Champagne. This place also highlights the important parts of the architectural and industrial heritage of the Pommery house while allowing for a quick dive into the history of the region with a few sips to be shared among guests at the end of the tour.
While one could visit and enjoy France’s Champagne region for days, remember too, Champagne can be divided into five sub-regions including Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne and Côte des Bar. Each have their own special story and characteristics. While the first stop might be the Avenue de Champagne, the many houses and families that might not be as well-known are definitely worth the sips waiting to be discovered.
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