Photo : Wikimedia Commons (domaine public)
Épernay
Épernay is a town of the Marne of about 22,000 inhabitants, third in the département after Reims and Châlons-en-Champagne. It is crossed by the Marne and is regarded as the capital of champagne, of which it is a major economic centre. Its origin goes back, according to sources, to about 418, and it was often disputed in the Middle Ages and then heavily hit by the two world wars.
The Avenue de Champagne concentrates large champagne houses, set in fine mansions. Under the town, cellars carved in chalk serve for storing and ageing the bottles, and several houses open them to the public. The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars, of which Épernay is part, are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The town serves as a starting point for exploring the vineyard and its wine villages.
