My Christmas getaway in Aube en Champagne

During these festive times, I headed off for a short trip to the Aube department, located in the southern part of Champagne-Ardenne, to soak up a bit of the Christmas spirit. Just a 1h30 train ride from Paris, this region offers the perfect opportunity for a lovely year-end getaway, featuring the charming city of Troyes, great deals at its factory outlets, and some champagne tastings in the Côte des Bar area.

Half-timbered house in Troyes decorated with illuminated Christmas snowflakes.

Christmas lights on a pedestrian street in Troyes, Champagne.

Lit square lantern in a half-timbered courtyard, dusk blue sky.

Table of Contents

Troyes en Champagne, a city of art and history

A part of the medieval and, above all, Renaissance city of Troyes was very well preserved and saved from destruction after the Second World War. Capital of the Counts of Champagne in the Middle Ages, the city offers beautiful streets lined with colorful half-timbered houses and intimate squares in the historic city center, nicknamed “the cork” because of its resemblance to a champagne cork.

Aube en Champagne is also the European capital of stained glass, with a unique collection and a panorama of stained glass from the Middle Ages to the present day, especially well-represented regarding 16th-century creations. You absolutely must take a tour of the city’s churches to discover this treasure of stained glass windows (Saint-Urbain Basilica, Sainte-Madeleine Church, Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul Cathedral, etc.).

"La Mignardise" illuminated sign on a half-timbered facade in Troyes.

Half-timbered house with a turret and a crêperie sign in Troyes, Champagne.

Narrow passage leading to a half-timbered house in Troyes decorated for Christmas.

Detail of half-timbered architecture in Troyes, Champagne, ocher and yellow walls.

Narrow street in Troyes with half-timbered houses and lanterns.

Gothic facade of the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul Cathedral in Troyes with a clock.

Interior of the Troyes Cathedral: rose window and colorful stained glass in Champagne.

Illuminated stained glass rose window in the darkness of a Troyes cathedral.

Medieval stained glass in Troyes, Champagne, depicting the Magi.

Factory outlets in Troyes

Troyes is the city of bargains and great deals when it comes to shopping, with over 250 factory outlets (spread across 3 large centers) that offer 30% to 70% discounts all year round.

McArthurGlen Troyes

This designer village (which has 21 centers in Europe) has existed since 1995 and is located about 10 minutes from Troyes. On-site, there are 30,000 m2 of retail space, 115 stores, and restaurants featuring over 300 brands (Nike, Gant, Zadig & Voltaire, Escada, Levi’s, Gerard Darel, La Perla, Sandro, Petit Bateau, Lancel, Mango, Lacoste, the first French outlet for Pandora, and more).

Tips: The central parking is free; register at the center’s reception desk to become a VIP client and get invited to pre-sale events; free shuttle to get to the center during sales from the Troyes train station (the rest of the time, you can reach it via public transport using the city buses).

Christmas activities: workshops for children centered around the Christmas theme.

Lacoste Outlet decorated for Christmas in Troyes, store exit.

McArthurGlen Troyes factory outlets, storefronts for Chevignon, Petit Bateau, and Caroll.

Marques Avenue

This other brand outlet center is located 5 minutes from the city center and features over 240 brands at reduced prices.

Avenue de la Maille, 10800 Saint-Julien-les-Villas

Marques City

My favorite spots in Troyes

Aux oiseaux de passage

This charming tea room has more than one trick up its sleeve. Restaurant, game library, book swapping with its free library, special workshops for children during the day, wine tasting classes, collection evenings, knitting and crochet classes… It’s truly a spot with a friendly atmosphere that I highly recommend you discover if you’re passing through Troyes.

Must try: the endive and walnut salad, the mushroom, Comté, and Parmesan tart, and the vanilla and passion fruit verrine.

Rusty "Aux Oiseaux de Passage" sign on a half-timbered facade.

Decorative stone well in front of "Aux Oiseaux de Passage" sign in Troyes.

Half-timbered inner courtyard in Troyes with a stone well and a plant.

Cozy interior with wooden table, library, and green plants.

Cozy interior with plants, books, games, posters, and handcrafted decor.

Table set in a place with large bookshelves.

Slice of mushroom quiche served with green salad and vinaigrette.

Endive, walnut, and cheese crouton salad, local dish from Aube Champagne.

Christmas meal in Aube en Champagne with quiche, salad, and sautéed potatoes.

Desserts and coffee, fruit salad, mousse, and biscuit in Troyes.

Cozy interior of a café or tea room in Troyes with wooden tables.

Aux oiseaux de passage

1 cour du mortier d'or 10000 Troyes

open for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday + for brunch on Sunday
open from Thursday to Saturday in the evening

Price: daily duo menu (two dishes) €14 and trio (three dishes) €17.50

Chez Philippe

This very lovely Champagne bar is an excellent spot to discover in Troyes if you don’t have the opportunity to travel to the Côte des Bar to taste the local champagnes. The host will be happy to present his selection of Champagne, coming exclusively from a few producers in the town of Celle sur Ource. Not to mention that the atmosphere is extremely warm, and I highly recommend you try the various little local specialty platters offered by the establishment.

Tasting of four glasses of Paul Dangin et Fils Champagne.

Cozy interior of a bar or shop with a wooden chandelier and displayed bottles.

Four champagne coupes on a wooden and glass tray.

Gastronomic Champagne dishes in verrines, including one with cheese.

Chez Philippe, Champagne bar

11, rue Champeaux 10000 Troyes

Local gastronomy to taste

La Maison Pascal Caffet

This master artisan chocolatier-patissier is a praline specialist, and as it is, quite innocently, indicated on the packaging of his products, he makes “undoubtedly the best pralines in the world”. Being a great lover of pralines, I can tell you that these are effectively among the best I have ever had the chance to taste. The Caffet house was created in the historic heart of Troyes in 1979 by Pascal Caffet’s parents; Pascal is a master artisan specializing in praline, named Best Craftsman of France (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) Pastry Chef in 1989 and World Champion of Dessert Trades in 1995.

Today, the house, which has expanded significantly, advocates “homemade” and the use of high-quality raw materials (100% single-origin chocolates supplied by the Chocolaterie de l’Opéra in Avignon) to achieve artisanal products. If you pass through Troyes, you absolutely must go taste M. Caffet’s pralines, as well as his desserts (éclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles, macarons, tarts, cakes, praline-hazelnut Christmas crowns for the holidays, etc.). The production site is located next to Troyes, and about fifteen boutiques are now established in Strasbourg, Paris, Nevers, Sens, Reims, Nancy, Milan, Tokyo, Turin, Tours, and more.

The tip: the house also offers cooking workshops and gourmet classes that take place in the production site’s laboratory.

Assortment of artisanal chocolates, including those from Pascal Caffet and Morbier d'Or.

Chocolate and cream dessert in a glass jar, likely from La Maison Pascal Caffet.

Wrought iron staircase and portrait of Pascal Caffet at La Maison Pascal Caffet in Troyes.

Pascal Caffet boutique in Troyes, artisanal chocolates, and gift boxes.

Display window of Pascal Caffet pastries in Troyes with red star decorations.

Varied and colorful éclairs, specialties of La Maison Pascal Caffet in Troyes.

Pastry chef filling Mont-Blanc cakes with a piping bag.

Chouquettes filled with praline cream in preparation in Aube en Champagne.

Individual red and white Pascal Caffet pastries displayed in a window.

Maison Pascal Caffet

Addresses in Aube:

2, rue de la Monnaie 10000 Troyes
rue Claude Huez 10000 Troyes
ZI des Ecrevolles – 3 bis avenue des Tirverts 10150 pont Sainte Marie
Must try: the Caffet gourmands; the vanilla chestnut blackcurrant tart; the "Le Sans Doute" cake, success almond biscuit, crispy hazelnut flowing center from Piedmont, and chocolate mousse

Chaource is a soft-ripened, bloomy-rind cheese with AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) status, made exclusively with whole cow’s milk, which has traversed the centuries through a beautiful cheesemaking tradition of the region.

A little example of tasting this cheese: radish lollipops with their Chaource fondue, tasted at the restaurant Le Damier (10 bis rue Madeleine 10 000 Troyes).

Appetizer bites, radish on a toothpick, sandwich bread, and sauce on a wooden board.

Table set in a restaurant in Troyes with an exposed stone ambiance.

La Prunelle de Troyes from Cellier Saint-Pierre

This 40% alcohol liqueur, which is part of the culinary heritage of Troyes, comes from the maceration of sloe pits and is produced by the still at Cellier Saint-Pierre, one of the oldest in France still in operation. Prunelle de Troyes pairs perfectly with the sweet treats at the end of a meal, or it can also be served chilled as a digestif. It goes very well with vanilla or mirabelle plum ice cream, or it can even be enjoyed with a small coffee éclair…

Cellier St Pierre sign in front of the Troyes Cathedral.

Half-timbered house and Troyes bell tower in Champagne.

Ancient wine press in front of a half-timbered wall near Troyes, Champagne.

Cellier St Pierre in Troyes ancient facade with sign and mural "Fabrique Spéc[ialité] de la Prune".

Wine bottles and Balblair and Prunelle de Champagne signs.

Display of Champagne wine bottles in a stone cellar.

Price for a 70 cl bottle of Prunelle de Troyes : €23

Le Cellier Saint-Pierre

1, place Saint-Pierre 10000 Troyes

Christmas magic in Troyes

For the first time, the city of Troyes is offering a giant advent calendar, projected onto the facade of the City Hall (Place Alexandre Israël) every day at 5:45 PM until December 24th. Indeed, as the City Hall has 24 windows, they will all open one by one during this month of December, with a different 3D video projection each day. In addition to this, entertainment (games, photos with Santa Claus, etc.), shows (from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM every day after the video projection, with a program featuring gospel, storytelling, concerts, film screenings, circus, etc.), and workshops will be offered. To prolong the magic of Christmas, you can even find a complete retrospective of the projections from December 26th to January 2nd, from 5:45 PM to 9:00 PM.

Christmas carousel with half-timbered houses in Troyes, Aube en Champagne.

Advent Calendar Projection in Troyes 2015, Christmas theme.

Video mapping illuminating a historic building in Troyes with a dancer.

Large decorated and lit Christmas tree and carousel at night in Troyes.

Choir singers in orange dresses singing in front of the Troyes banner.

Decorated Christmas tree in a red pot floating on a canal in Troyes.

Decorated Christmas tree on a pedestrian street in Troyes with old buildings.

Full program on the website of the Troyes La Champagne Tourism office

A short trip in the Côte-des-Bar

This part of the Aube is rich in vineyards and is a major producer of the Champagne appellation (it represents about 22% of this appellation after all!). As wine tourism is developing more and more, you can now head into the heart of the villages, knock on the doors of winemakers who are open to it, and discover their world.

Tasting of rosé champagne in flutes in Aube Champagne.

Ancient stone building from the Aube with red-berried vegetation near Troyes.

The Cité du Cristal in Bayel

This Champagne village has been home to traveling glassmakers since the beginning of the 14th century. Today, Bayel still perpetuates this tradition with the presence on-site of the Royal Champagne Manufacture. This crystal factory, which has existed for 300 years, patiently and meticulously reproduces the ancestral gestures of master glassmakers. On-site, you can discover the Crystal Museum, which traces the history of glass and crystal from antiquity to the present day, a shop to buy the manufacture’s products, and above all, you can take a fascinating guided tour behind the scenes of the crystal factory to see the artisans at work.

Bayel Champagnes factory outlets with a water tower and clients.

Lalique glass vases decorated with horses, displayed in front of a brick facade.

Glassmaker shaping hot, glowing glass over a flame.

Entrance to Bayel Champagne Crystal Factories with staircase and clock.

Artisanal glassware and carafe being made at the studio near Troyes.

Glassblower shaping a glowing glass piece on a glassmaker's cane.

Artisan polishing glass or crystal with an FFP2 mask, Troyes.

Crystal Museum

2, rue Belle Verrière 10310 Bayel
from mid-September to April from Monday to Saturday and from May to mid-September every day

Rates: €5 guided tour / €4 self-guided tour

Guided tour of the crystal factory from Monday to Friday at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM (by reservation with the museum at 03 25 92 42 68 or museeducristal-bayel@barsuraube.org)

Update from 11/11/2016: sad news, the Bayel crystal factory has closed permanently...

Champagne Cristian Senez in Fontette

I highly recommend you knock on the door of this family-run estate, both for the kindness of the hosts and the quality of their products. You will even be treated to a warm tasting by the fireplace, at a long solid wood table.

To bring back: the Ratafia de Champagne, the Brut vintage rosé 2008 (€23), which is made by maceration and not by blending (which is noteworthy, since 95% of rosé champagnes today are obtained by blending); this is called a rosé de saignée.

Champagne Senez shop facade in Troyes with a sign and brick storefront.

Ancient wooden wine press dating from 1880, vineyard in the background.

Cristian Senez Brut Champagne bottle and flute in front of a fireplace.

Champagne bottles and excellence diploma in an Aube cellar.

Champagne Cristian Senez

6, grande rue 10360 Fontette

Monday to Saturday – free guided tasting by appointment

Le Rosé des Riceys

This production from Les Riceys, which has existed since the 12th century and of which Louis XIV was apparently fond, is a rarity because it meets a draconian production charter that has discouraged many… It has been called rosé des Riceys since the appearance of the appellations about a century ago. This very small local production (3 to 5% of the total production of Les Riceys) based on Pinot Noir and via a rosé de saignée technique is perpetuated today by 28 winemakers.

Pairing ideas: with a Périgord salad, with an andouillette and Chaource gratin, with game meat, with local cheeses, with Crottin de Chavignol, Beaufort, Chaource, or Comté.
Consumption temperature between 8 and 10 degrees.

Good address: Champagne Jacques Defrance, which produces Rosé des Riceys.

Tasting of four flutes of rosé champagne in Aube en Champagne.

Statue of Saint-Vincent in a Champagne wine cellar with bottles being riddled.

Champagne Jacques Defrance

28 rue de la Plante 10340 Les Riceys
open from Monday to Friday (closed on Wednesday) and on Saturday by appointment

guided tasting: €4.5

Overhead Christmas decorations in a street of half-timbered houses in Troyes, Aube.

I hope that with all this, I will have made you want to discover the Aube region, and if you also have your own favorite spots and tips in the area, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!

Typical colorful half-timbered houses of the historic center of Troyes.

Find below all my articles on the Grand-Est region:
⇒ All my articles on the Grand-Est

MY ARTICLES ON THE GRAND-EST
⇒ Aube
⇒ Meuse
⇒ Marne
⇒ Haute-Marne
⇒ Moselle

Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan
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