Discover Aÿ in Champagne

East of Paris lies the region of Champagne – known around the world for its effervescent wine. The most well-known vineyards are in the Marne department, also home to the two major cities of Champagne: Reims and Epernay. Both sit above hundreds of miles of cellars in which several million bottles of Champagne lie waiting to be released and enjoyed by a legion of fans. And around these two Champagne cities is glorious countryside, peppered with farms, unspoiled villages and precious vineyards, where the soul of Champagne resides says Janine Marsh.

Aÿ get a kick from Champagne

Aÿ, pronounced like ‘eye’, is the third most important Champagne wine town in the Marne. As far back as Gallo-Roman times, the Romans arrived in 57 BC, it was already well known for its wine. King Henri IV (1353-1610) called himself “Sire d’Aÿ” and legend has it that he kept a wine press in a house behind the medieval church of St Brice. A stone’s throw from the church is Pressoria – not a museum says the director Victor Canchon, “it’s a sensory journey to the heart of Champagne.” And it’s a fabulous place to start your discovery of Champagne.

Pressoria

No dry exhibition this, quite literally – as it ends with a delicious tasting. Pressoria is housed on the site of a former Pommery Champagne pressing centre. It’s innovative and interactive, fun and fascinating, and great for the whole family. A visit here gives you a marvellous overview of Champagne from the land to the bottle. 10 rooms are dedicated to all things Champagne. Animated vines snake across the floor at your feet, bubbles follow your hands as you run them over the walls; it really is a sensory visit as you taste, touch, see, listen and smell the magic of Champagne. You can easily spend two hours here. Details: pressoria.com/en

And there’s no better place to continue your Champagne voyage of discovery than this exquisite part of the region. There are many producers and growers in the hills around and if you can’t make up your mind which to choose – the Champagne Tour Co. can help with setting up tours, meetings and transport in very posh cars! Very few of the big Champagne houses grow all their own grapes; some grow none. They mainly depend on the 16,000 individual growers in the region. Of the growers, just 4,700 actually produce Champagne and two of the best are Champagne Lallemont-Massonnot in Coulommes-la-Montagne and Champagne Delavenne in the aptly named village of Bouzy.

Champagne tours and tastings

At Champagne Lallement-Massonnot, you can take a superb tour that takes you from the vineyard to the pressing room, past the tanks and into the bottling room. It’s a backstage tour and tells the human story of Champagne production. Plus, you’ll taste some of the finest Champagne ever made, created by 5^th generation Champagne makers Xavier and Marie Lallement.

Jean-Christophe Delavenne of Champagne Delavenne learned about making Champagne from his grandfather and father, and he is passionate about respecting the land, organic and natural production. Just one sip of one of the outstanding Champagne he makes will tell you all you need to know – astonishingly good, it tastes like heaven.

Dine at: Restaurant Calsis next to Pressoria is a must. Big windows overlook hilly vineyards, and it’s always packed with locals enjoying the excellent 3 or 6 course menus, with of course Champagne.

Stay at: Domaine du Chateau in Chigny-les-Roses near Pressoria is no ordinary hotel, it’s a little piece of Paradise, elegant, luxurious and exquisite. The little chateau is so discreetly marked you may miss the sign as I did, but everyone in the village knows it. I arrived under a star-filled sky and the big wood fire was crackling in the cosy salon. There are four rooms and each of them is very different. One is a suite really with a library/sitting room that reminded me of the film “My Fair Lady” and has its own wood fire. My room had a huge terrace overlooking the vineyards and a bathroom with a spiral staircase that wouldn’t look out of place in a Harry Potter scene. There’s also a treehouse you can stay in, plus a pool and spa area.

Whatever you do, don’t miss the chance to experience chef Damien Litaudon’s exquisite dishes. Seriously, seriously special, Michelin level without the theatrics, innovative, impeccable and very, very delicious. Every course is paired with one of the Domaine’s own superb Palmer & Co. champagnes. One of the best meals I’ve ever had.

Find out more about Champagne: tourisme-en-champagne.co.uk

Janine Marsh is the author of several internationally best-selling books about France. Her latest book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de vivre, is out now – a look at the French way of life. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com