Renowned poets and writers …

Tragedienne Adrienne Lecouvreur (1692 – 1730), was born in the charming village of Damery, near Epernay. Victor Hugo himself stopped off at the Château de Montmort-Lucy on his travels, describing its “tohu-bohu of turrets, weathervanes, gables, dormer windows and chimneys”, as well as the Basilique de l’Epine in “Le Rhin”.

More recently, who knows that during the First World War, in 1915 at Mourmelon-le-Grand, in the heart of the Monts-de-Champagne mountains, Wilhem Appolinaris de Kostrowitzhy, known as Guillaume Appolinaire, fought; that Blaise Cendrars , “author of the severed hand”, fought at Navarin farm; or that Fernand Léger, a military ambulance driver, saw Reims cathedral in flames in September 1914? Robert Hossein, the famous director, also spent part of his career in Reims, as director of the Centre d’art dramatique de Reims (now called the “Comédie de Reims”) from 1971 to 1978.

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Inventors and designers of genius

The town of Châlons-en-Champagne, prefecture of the Marne department, is the birthplace of Nicolas Appert (1749 -1841), clever inventor of the tin can, cartoonist Cabu and Pierre Dac (1896-1975), humorist and chansonnier. Châlons pays tribute to him every year at its Festival des Chansonniers.

On the comics front, Albert Uderzo, the illustrious father of Asterix and Obelix, hails from Fismes, northwest of Reims. Cartoonist Benoît Sokal, a pioneer in the use of computers in the world of comics, also lives in the “cité des sacres”.

Famous women of champagne

What would champagne be without women? Several women have evoked the magic of this beverage. The Marquise de Pompadour claimed it was “the only wine that leaves women beautiful after drinking”. And Marlène Dietrich: “It gives the impression that it’s Sunday and that better days are just around the corner”.

It was at the beginning of the 19th century that the Grande Dame of Champagne, Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin, invented the remuage technique with remuage tables, thanks to which she enjoyed great success at the Russian Court and with famous writers such as Mérimée and Pushkin. At the height of her fame, she built herself a magnificent neo-Renaissance château in Boursault, inspired by Chambord. Another Champagne icon, Jeanne Pommery, took over the destiny of the House of the same name: in 1861, she had a brut (low-sugar) Champagne produced and successfully marketed in England. Today, brut champagne is the best-selling champagne in the world.

Journalists & sportsmen

Journalist Patrick Poivre d’Arvor was born and spent his early years in Reims. Reims-born Louis Bodin, weatherman for TF1 and RTL, was baptized in champagne at the cathedral…

Daniel Rondeau, journalist and novelist from the Champagne region, was born in Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Marne and loves to return to the land of his childhood to recharge his batteries.

Epernay-born Yohann Diniz loves walking in the vineyards. On the Montagne de Reims, in spots like Verzy and Verzenay. He also likes to return to Moussy, Chavot-Courcourt, Pierry and Aÿ, where he used to live. “There really are lots of nice little walks to do in the department,” he says.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, champion cyclist, was also born in Reims and lived there for many years.

Dom Pérignon

Between history and legend

It was the mythical cellarer monk Dom Pérignon (1639-1715), contemporary of King Louis XIV, who gave champagne its letters of nobility: addition of sugar to the foam, rapid and fractioned pressing to produce a white juice, blending of several crus, corks to preserve freshness and foam, reinforcement of bottles…
He is credited with many major inventions that have spanned the centuries and transformed champagne into an exceptional wine!

Source CIVC