125 years. 70,000 homes. One promise.
Left to right: A stained glass homage to Champagne production; the Smiling Angel; the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Reims, France( photos by Carol Fletcher)
is the village of Ambonnay, where the well-respected Billiot et Fils craft their Champagnes. South of Épernay, the D10 winds along the Côte des Blancs, with vistas of vineyards, villages in bloom, and grower-producer Champagnes that collectively take your breath away. Appointments to visit these tasting rooms are not required, and sometimes the winemaker is there to pour in person.
Beyond the draw of the wine, Champagne is a place of rich history and landmarks. Reims boasts the home of three UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the 13th-century Cathedral of Notre-Dame. As in
many other European cities, its cathedral becomes evident to the visitor by feel rather than by sight. A shadowy glimpse from this corner, a reflection from a shop window, and then, as one rounds a corner to stand on rue Bergier, it rises from the end of the street to dominate the scene. The famed Smiling Angel statue graces the outside. Inside, stained glass windows feature work by Marc Chagall, and another set of windows offers a tribute to Champagne production. In the square outside stands an evocative statue of Joan of Arc, who reputedly brought a reluctant Charles VII to Reims to be crowned the King of France.
125 years. 70,000 homes. One promise.
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