We’ve visited the Champagne Region (including Epernay) many times before but that will never stop us returning. Even when the sun isn’t shining, there is something special about Epernay. There was no fancy hotel this time. We booked into the Municipal Campsite and it wasn’t at all bad; it’s best features being it’s close proximity to the town centre and the food and wine served in their pop-up restaurant. More about the restaurant later.
Being so close to the centre of Epernay provided plenty of opportunity to wander the town and I took advantage of that. During previous visits we were primarily concerned with visiting the Avenue de Champagne. This one kilometre long avenue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015, is bordered with impressive 19th century neo-renaissance mansions, most of which house the great champagne producers such as Moet et Chandon, Perrier-Jouet, Pol Roger and Mercier and; many of these have massive underground cellars where champagne is stored. Indeed, there are over 100 kilometres of chalk wine cellars holding millions of bottles of champagne under the Avenue. We’ve toured a few of Epernay’s champagne houses and they are fascinating (Mercier is my favourite) but the focus on this occasion would be towards two other buildings on the Avenue, namely Chateau Perrier and the Hotel de Ville.
I started with Chateau Perrier at the western end of the Avenue de Champagne. This mid 19th century mansion was built in a renaissance style and was the home of Charles Perrier, a director of the Perrier-Jouet champagne house and one time mayor of Epernay. During the First World War it served as a hospital and during World War II it was used as the Military Headquarters of first the British Army (1940) and then the German Army (1940-1945) and finally the United States Army (1945). It was later purchased by the municipality and now serves as a museum. Of course, it being a Sunday, the museum was closed but it was pleasant enough wandering it’s gardens for a while and practising with my camera.
The Hotel de Ville is also at the western end of the Avenue de Champagne, almost directly opposite the Moet et Chandon champagne house. This neo-renaissance mansion was donated to the town by the Auban-Moët family after the previous Hotel de Ville was destroyed during the First World War and the town’s impressive war memorial featuring the Greek Goddess of Victory (Nike) now takes pride of place at the building’s entrance. It’s a fine enough building but it is the gardens at the rear which are it’s best feature. They were designed by the Bühler Brothers, landscape architects who plotted gardens all across France in the nineteenth century, and they are impressive. I spent a fair amount of time practising my photography in these gardens also.
The 19th century Eglise Notre Dame on Place Pierre Mendes is perhaps the most impressive of the churches in Epernay but, it is the Eglise Saint Peter and Saint Paul at the end of Avenue Paul Chandon on Rue de Magenta which I most favour. It’s a gem with it’s wonderful stained glass windows and it is well worth seeking out. The windows reflect various historical events associated with the Champagne area; my favourites being one of Pope Urban II triggering the Crusades by offering forgiveness for all sins to those who would help wrest Jerusalem from the Muslims and; another of Charles VII being crowned King of France at Reims Cathedral with Joan of Arc in attendance.
Epernay suffered badly from bombing during the World Wars and there are few monuments remaining which date back to medieval times. One which dates back to 1540 and is believed to be the oldest surviving monument in Epernay is the Portal Saint Martin near the Place Hugues-Plomb. It was a side entrance and it is all that remains of the renaissance Abbey of Saint Martin.
While strolling back to the campsite along the banks of the River Marne I made a point of stopping by Champagne de Castellane on Rue de Verdun. This champagne house is easily identified by it’s iconic tower (the highest point in Epernay). A wine tour with this producer includes access to it’s underground cellars (there are 10 kilometres of them – Moet et Chandon has 30 kilometres!) and, it’s champagne museum (dedicated to explaining champagne production methods over the years) and; to the top of the tower (which offers unrivalled views over the town and the River Marne). It was the climb to the top of this tower which most attracted me to the De Castellane tour but, having said that, the tour used to be free and it included champagne tasting. I don’t know if that’s still the case (the place was closed) but I’ll be back.
Last words go to the Blue Nautic pop up restaurant at our campsite. They made us so very welcome and served great food. As for the wines, the Charles Mignon Special Reserve Champagne was very good. Slightly better was the Pierre Mignon Premier Cru and, best of all and Vanya’s favourite (and the most expensive of course), the Pierre Gobillard Blanc de Blanc Premier Cru. All these from a Pop Up Restaurant in a Municipal Campsite! Only in France.
