Circuit de la Montagne de Reims

The village of Vrigny, the next stage of your itinerary, marks the start of your journey along the north-eastern slopes of the Montagne de Reims, which undulate down to Trépail, passing through Sermiers and Verzy.

Le relief s’accentue, pour mieux mettre en valeur les longues pentes couronnées par la forêt qui plongent dans la plaine agricole. À perte de vue, les vignes habillent le versant et ses escarpements, ponctués de panoramas exceptionnels tout au long de la Route touristique du Champagne.

Vous venez aussi d’entrer dans le Parc naturel régional de la Montagne de Reims, un territoire unique qui s’étend sur 533 km².  Vous aurez tout le loisir de l’apprécier à sa juste valeur en traversant plusieurs des 65 communes qu’il recouvre, à commencer par Coulommes-la-Montagne et Pargny-lès-Reims, dans leur habillage forestier. 

Le circuit forme ensuite une petite boucle vers le Tardenois et les villages de Bouilly et Courmas, avant de redescendre vers Villedommange. Vous pourrez y cheminer jusqu’au sommet d’une butte où se niche la chapelle Saint-Lié. Depuis le sentier, on embrasse du regard toute la région de la plaine de Reims !

One after the other, wine-producing villages follow one another on the hillsides. You’re in the heart of the “Petite Montagne”, where you’ll be seduced by the richness of its churches: that of Sacywith its long, elegant spire; that of Chamery with its 57-metre steeple; then the one in Sermiers with its bulbous steeple… Don’t hesitate to push open the door of one of the many winegrowers who sublimate the Montagne de Reims terroir to share their passion or taste their authentic cuvées.

Along the way, you may come across cyclists on the Parc de la Montagne de Reims V5101 departmental cycling route. This challenging 38.5 km route between Reims and Epernay passes through Villedommange, Sacy, Ecueil, Chamery and Sermiers.

Take a stroll through the narrow streets of Rilly-la-Montagnea great name in champagne, or in those of Chigny-les-Roseswhere the memory of rose-lover Madame Pommery lives on. At the beginning of the last century, Emile Loubet, then President of the Republic, renamed the commune in honor of the magnificent rose garden surrounding Louise Pommery‘s country cottage, the family’s birthplace.

A few kilometers further on, marvel at the ancient village of Verzy. Head for Mount Sinaia listed historic monument with its blockhouses. Located in the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park, this 286 m-high peak still provides a viewpoint over the Reims plain, with a 180° panorama to the north. The orientation table created here is one of the focal points of the Verzy forest.

Right next door, you can access the Verzy national forest. This is the most visited protected natural area in Champagne-Ardenne, due to the presence of the famous Verzy twisted beech trees, otherwise known as Faux. With over 800 Faux spread over some 60 hectares, the Verzy site is unique in the world. This natural rarity has been protected by a classified site since 1932 and by a biological reserve since 1981.

The Faux de Verzy Biological Reserve is criss-crossed by a trail that has been awarded the Tourisme & Handicap label for all four types of disability (hearing, visual, motor and mental) since 2010. This walk is accessible to all, and allows you to observe around a hundred Faux trees.

Several fun tools are available to help you discover the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park. Thanks to the the “En forêt de Verzy” applicationan innovative educational tool from the ONF, you can take a fresh look at the Faux de Verzy. The only condition is that you download the application onto your smartphone before your visit! The Verzy forest is not covered by the network required to obtain the multimedia tool on site…

Another option for getting off the beaten track in the Montagne de Reims: the adventure app “Le secret du Chêne à la Vierge” adventureapp. Part escape game, part orienteering course and part geocaching, the Chêne à la Vierge trail comprises 10 stations, covering 3.6 km and lasting between 1hr30 and 2hrs. Your mission? Find a treasure using QR code beacons located all along the circuit. The game is offered free of charge by the ONF, and is ideal if you’re traveling with the family. And don’t forget to download the app before you get there!

After this enchanting interlude, return to Trépail, where you’ll leave the hillsides of the Montagne de Reims and head for Epernay via Ambonnay with its pretty wrought-iron street names, Condé-sur-Marne, a pleasant nautical stopover, Tours-sur-Marne and then Bouzy, home of the famous Bouzy rouge, a still wine that was served in Reims at the time of the coronation of the kings of France. The village is also famous for a flower, the “Bouzy-Bouzy” iris ((Monique Anfosso, R. 1984), an intense ruby red with brown and purplish tints, enhanced by a flamboyant golden beard.

It’s in Louvois, in the valley formed by the Livre river, that the cereal plains, forests and vineyards of the Montagne de Reims meet. In this setting steeped in history, Château de Louvois and its 35 hectares of gardens are well worth a visit… behind the gates only, as the estate belongs to the Laurent-Perrier Champagne House !

Your route continues towards Fontaine-sur-Aÿ aptly named, since two rivers, the Germaine and the Livre, flow through the village before coming together. There’s an undeniable bucolic charm here. Walkers (including those on the GR 14 footpath) are no strangers to the old village. Don’t hesitate to follow their example, either here or in the next village, where you’ll enjoy the same green atmosphere.

In Avenay-Val-d’Or, you can choose between two itineraries. You can choose to take a variation of the Tourist Route to discover Mutigny, the highest winegrowing village in Champagne (240 m above sea level). Thanks to its exceptional geographical location, it boasts magnificent, incomparable views over the Marne Valley and its vineyards. It is also the starting point for the Winegrower’s Traila 2.2-km guided walking loop through the vineyards. This guided trail is dotted with fun and educational stations, giving visitors an insight into the work of the vine over the course of the seasons, the history of viticulture and the preservation of the environment.

Alternatively, continue on to Epernay via Bisseuil, then Mareuil-sur-Aÿ . With its nautical relay station, this village offers a pleasant setting for a ride along the Canal Latéral à la Marne on the Véloroute de la Vallée de la Marne on national route no. 52 from Paris to Strasbourg. The 45km route winds through the Champagne vineyards (from Dormans to Condé-sur-Marne), a UNESCO World Heritage site, discovering the riches of the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park.

The next stage takes you to Aÿ-Champagne. Vineyards, wine cellars and beautiful wine houses, it’s all here! In the heart of this emblematic village, take the René Lalique Traila tribute to the artistic genius of the world-renowned master glassmaker and inventor of modern jewelry. Born in Aÿ-Champagne in 1860, René Lalique spent his childhood vacations here, retaining a special affection for this pleasant and inspiring environment. The interpretive trail, made up of 12 street furniture stations, traces the man, his times, his inspiration and his works. Good to know: an “Esprit Lalique” augmented-reality digital application adds a playful twist to the visit!

At the foot of the historic hillsides, the village ofAÿ-Champagne is home to another not-to-be-missed point of interest: Pressoria. The Centre d’interprétation sensorielle des vins de Champagne invites you to take your senses on a journey around Champagne. This new cultural venue in Champagne gives a second life to a former Maison Pommery pressing center. On the program? An immersive, interactive tour, followed by a tasting experience of two champagnes or grape juice. Room after room, explore all the facets of vine and wine-making thanks to innovative, interactive and entertaining technological devices. The perfect way to discover the mysteries of the wine of kings, with family and friends!

You’re already in Epernay. Your itinerary ends in front of the Tourist Officethe ideal starting point for exploring the Champagne Capital! Ahead is the mythical Avenue de Champagnea condensed collection of Champagne heritage treasures, including the mansions of the Champagne Houses, the Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology Museum and, of course, the miles of cellars housing millions of bottles…

The Museum of Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology is housed in the Château Perrier, a 19th-century building listed as a Monument Historique since 2013. With over 2,000 exhibits, it tells the story of the Champagne region, from the formation of its soil several million years ago to the champagne industry today. Spread over three levels, the collections are organized around four visitor areas. Designed as a cultural facility for the 21st century, the museum features a modern, interactive scenography. These facilities encourage visitors to touch and experiment, to better understand the past and the materiality of objects. They shed new light on the collections, while adding a playful dimension.