The independent

traveller’s guide

to Champagne:

the region and its wine

A trip to Champagne would be nice,

Go once and you’ll want to go twice;

The countryside’s fine,

The wine is divine,

And the people are awfully nice.

Each year there are about 280 million bottles of champagne produced from 34,000 ha, 150km. east of Paris. Champagne’s rolling countryside combines vines and grain, grazing cattle and forests, with visitor-friendly towns that offer the warmest of welcomes and the fondest of memories. This guide tells you...

• The history of champagne.
• How it is made, whether from the famous Grandes Marques, or the myriad small growers producing their own champagnes. Plus a glossary of terms like dégorgement and remuage.
• The different regions: Marne valley, Mountain of Reims, Côte de Blancs, as well as the not so well known Aube and Riceys.
• Visitor-centres to stay like Epernay, Reimsand historic Troyes.
• Well-signposted wine routes to discover tiny towns and villages nestling in the folds of the hills.
• Champagne houses, winegrowers and co-operatives who welcome visitors (and speak English!), as well as hotels, B&B’s or chambres d’hôte and restaurants.
• Places of interest and lots of fascinating stories.
• Info like how to get there, good hotels and restaurants, useful addresses and websites, with recommended books to take with you, not least my own book, Destination Champagne, post-free and with an author’s dedication, or as a printable PDF. But for now, can I suggest you start with...

• The story of champagne.
•  How it is made, from the famous Grandes Marques, or the myriad small growers producing their own champagnes. Plus a glossary of terms like dégorgement and rémuage.
• The different regions: Marne valley, Mountain of Reims, Côte de Blancs, as well as the not so well known Aube.
• Visitor-centres to stay like Epernay, Reims and historic Troyes.
• What to expect when visiting Champagne growers, whilst discovering towns and villages nestling in the folds of the hills.
• Champagne houses, winegrowers and co-operatives who welcome visitors (and speak English!), as well as hotels, B&B’s or chambres d’hôtes and restaurants.
• Places of interest and fascinating stories.
• Info like... how to get there, good hotels and restaurants, useful addresses and websites, with recommended books to take with you, not least Philippe’s own book, Destination Champagne (UK: post-free) and with an author’s dedication, or as a printable PDF. First...