Champagne
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Undeterred, we speed away from Calais at a civilised time, long after the wild-eyed lorry drivers have screeched off into the petrol-fumed darkness. From Calais, the A26 wings us to Champagne country and the first gastro stop at Troyes, a medieval, half-timbered town where we happily while away a lost weekend. Close to the cathedral, La Commanderie, once a haunt of the Knights Templar, serves a feast beginning with cheese tart and bubbles. We learn that there are over a million bubbles in each flute but are far too tipsy to count.
Southeast of Troyes lies a lesserknown side of Champagne, an arty diversion known as the Renoir trail. Centred on Essoyes, this `artist’ s village’ was Renoir’ s summer retreat after the painter’ s marriage to local girl, Aline Charigot. Rosy-cheeked and loose-limbed, the country girl was his muse, as was her cousin Gabrielle. The Renoir centre focuses on the life-giving influence of family on the artist’ s work. Renoir’ s studio also displays personal memorabilia while the garden depicts his favourite flowers. Essoyes itself evokes the spirit of Renoir’ s paintings, from the half-timbered houses and flowerbedecked balconies to reproductions of his buxom washerwomen. Several signposted trails reveal the landscapes Renoir loved and painted, with copies of key paintings and murals in situ. The best trails lead down to the River Ource and, with a bit of imagination, Renoir’ s sundappled views soon spring to mind.
The Champagne vineyards stretch from Troyes to Reims but we decide to call into a niche producer. Dumont & Fils is set near the Benedictine ruins of Clairvaux Abbey( sadly now a prison, although the cloisters are periodically open). In itself, this is a reminder that it was the monks who first launched wine-making in the region, and that Dom Perignon, cellar-master of the Abbey of Hautvilliers, is credited with the creation of Champagne in
Above: Renoir’ s Artworks in the Essoyes Museum. Below: Atelier de Renoir
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