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Champagne-Ardenne: So Many Choices in Northern France!

The Champagne-Ardenne Province of France is a tantalizing mixture of enticing images. The northern Ardenne hills give way to pristine valleys filled with verdant fields and splendid wineries. Food and wine are as indicative of Champagne-Ardenne as are the many historical monuments that lie within its boundaries. This is a sight-seeing paradise, where around every bend in the road there is yet another opportunity for a photo shoot. So, grab your camera and sharpen your appetite. The Champagne-Ardenne is a trip to the bountiful!

The Champagne region gets its name from the sparkling wine that was developed in the region. The world owes a big debt to Dom Perignon (1638-1715), who figured out that if you add sugar to table wine and let it sit long enough, it starts to bubble. Champagne has been enjoyed by everyone from revelers ringing in the new year, to world leaders on their way to and from skirmishes. (Napoleon did not bring champagne to the Battle of Waterloo, the only time he didn't have the elixir, and look what happened to him!) The Moët et Chandon Champagne Cellars in Epernay is the largest of France's champagne houses. This is where Napoleon came to get his stash before battle. A guide takes you on a tour of the facility telling of the history of the potable, culminating with a sample at the tour's end. Tattinger, located in Reims, is one of the oldest champagne makers still owned by the original family members. It also has one of the best tours in the Champagne region. The Romanesque cellars were dug from the site of Gallo-Roman chalk mines in use between the 4th and the 13th centuries. The tour includes a film and a historical account of Reims and the Tattinger family's connection with the champagne industry.

Reims is also one of the most historically significant cities in France. Joan of Arc escorted Charles VII here in 1429. The city was around when Caesar conquered Gaul. Reim's trademark attraction is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, where all the kings of France from Louis the Pious in A.D. 815 to Charles X in 1825 were crowned. The Gothic church is full of statues and three spectacular western façade portals. The right portal portrays the Apocalypse and the Last Judgement. The cathedral was rebuilt after WWI, largely with the aid of contributions by American industrialist, John D. Rockefeller.

Because of its geographical location, the Champagne-Ardenne region has seen its share of battlefield action. Monuments from past wars dot the landscape almost as thickly as the wildflowers that blow in the breeze. One of the most impressive military sites is the Chateau Fort de Sedan, the largest medieval castle in all of France. The fort is a living reminder of life in the 15th and 16th centuries, and attractions include ongoing staged battles and street life depicted as it was during those eras. Another interesting area is the town of Thierry, noted for being the farthest point reached by the German offensive in 1918. The Battlefields of the Marne are just west of town; thousands of Allied soldiers who died in World War I are buried here. Atop Hill 204 is a monument honoring American troops. Visitors can also see Chateau Thierry, which contains the ruins of a castle believed to be named after Frankish King Thierry IV.

The Champagne-Ardenne is the place to be if fine wines and gourmet food are your idea of heaven. History buffs will be pleased by the numerous historical attractions. Photo hounds will keep replenishing their film supply. Take time to sample culinary delicacies like pork or sheep andouillettes. Literary types will want to visit Charleville, home of 19th century poet and author Arthur Rimbaud. The Champagne-Ardenne has something for every vacationer. Grab a map and dive right in!