The Grand Cru Champagne village of Mailly Champagne is in the department of Marne, close to both Reims and Epernay. It is the ideal location to explore the region, to walk in the vineyards or Montagne de Reims National Park. Visit the Geological Centre in the village and see in part what makes Champagne so unique, and meet the growers and producers who are the sole of Champagne. Mailly Champagne, set in the beautiful countryside of the Montagne de Reims National Park, is your ideal year round location to stay and explore the Champagne region.

Also visit the caves and sample the wine of Grand Cru Mailly Champagne, the first, pioneering champagne co-operative founded in 1929. The co-operative Mailly Champagne also produces extremely highly rated Mailly Coteaux Champenois Rouge. The next village to Mailly Champagne, Ludes, is the home of Ganard-Duchêne Champagne. In Canard-Duchêne cellars you will also find sculpture by the artist Michel Leburn.

Close to Mailly Champagne in the direction of Verzenay and Verzy, you have the windmill with no sails; it was used in the great war of 1914-1918 as an observation post. A great place to stop for the panoramic views across the vineyards to Reims, take a few pictures with your camera. The windmill today is owned by Mumm Champagne and used to entertain their clients. We then have the Le Phare de Verzenay, a lighthouse built in the middle of vineyards in 1909 to promote the J. Goulet Champagne, it is now a great wine museum and exhibition centre, with again some amazing views. In Verzy visit Les Faux de Verzy, forest of 1000 different shaped dwarf beech trees, there also a great many signed posted walks through the rest of the forests for you to walk and enjoy at your leisure.

There are far too many places to visit in and around Reims to mention them all here, but here are a few:

• Unesco World Heritage sites Cathedral Notre-Dame
• Palais du Tau which contains the cathedral museum
• The basilica, museum and Abbey Saint-Remi
• Roman Forum in Place du Forum, Planétarium
• Musée des Beaux-arts, Musée Automobile, Musée du Fort de la Pompelle
• The Porte de Mars, the trimphal Roman Arch
• Plus of course you have the great Champagne houses to visit.

Described some times as the home of Champagne due to being the location of many of the World famous Grand Champagne house, highlights include:

• Avenue de Champagne, home too many of the great Champagne houses
• View the L’Orangerie, the orange grove garden of Moët et Chandon
• 16th Century Notre-Dame church
• Saint Martin’s Gate one of the oldest monuments in Epernay
  Hôtel de Ville former townhouse of Mr Auban-Moët.

Close to Epernay on the route touristique de Champagne is the village of Hautvillers where the famous 18th century monk Dom Pérignon lived, see his tombstone in the local church.

The Champagne-Ardenne region from the north to the south has something to offer everyone - not just its local world famous wine. It is a region of dense forests, open plains, vineyards and waterways, lakes to great architecture. The region north to south is full of history, place to visit, to relax, and to enjoy the hospitality of the people. The region is criss-crossed by nearly 635 kilometres of navigable canals and rivers, and 8 lakes covering 10,000 hectares of water, the largest being Lac du Der-chantecoq, which is the largest man-made lake in Europe, referred to locally as just 'La Der.' The region consists of four departments:

• Ardenne - 08: Department capital Charleville Mèziéres
• Aube - 10: Department capital Troyes
• Marne - 51: Department capital Châlon en Champagne
• Haut Marne - 52: Department capital Chaumont
  

Charleville Mèziéres:

Located on former Gallo Roman road linking Reims to Cologne renowned for it Renaissance architecture and home of the poet Arthur Rimbaud.

Troyes:

Troyes has been in existence since Roman times, in the centre there are a great number of medieval timber building, the centre is laid out in the shape of a Champagne cork, it is also famous for the production of its cloth.

Châlon en Champagne:

The Prefecture of La Marne and the Champagne-Ardenne Region, until 1998 it was known as Châlon sur Marne Renowned for its 17th & 18th century’s champagne style half timbered building, it is surrounded by many canals and parks, and:

• Notre Dame en Vaux Cathedral Unesco World Heritage site
• Saint Etienne’s Cathedral 12th Century rebuilt in part Gothic style
• Saint Alpin church rebuilt around 1170 Roman & Gothic style
• Musée Garinet, Musée Municipal, Musée Schiller et Goethe
  
• Hôtel des Intendants of Champagne 18th century
  
• Le Cirque, national centre des Arts du Cirque
  

Charleville Mèziéres:

This medieval town with great architecture was home to the Comtes de Champagne. Part of the ramparts of their castle remain today. Other attractions include:

• Famous Biennial Film Poster Festival
• Musée de la Créche, Musée D’Art et D’Histoire
• La Viaduct, Basilique St Jean-Baptisie
• La Tourelles, Le Donjon Tower
  

Across the Champagne-Ardenne region there are also many monuments, historical sites and museums to the 1914-1918 war, including:

• Le Chemin des Dames
• Russian Chapel near Mourmelon le Grand
• Musée Suippes & Sommepy
• Mémorial des Batailles de la Marne Chapel Dormans
  

For more details on all these attractions, visit Le Front de Champagne or email circuit@champagne1418.net.