I have already been on several trips to the Aube department. I’ve discovered the charming city of Troyes, found some great deals at its factory outlets, and tasted champagnes in the Côte-des-Bar. In 2016, I went specifically to the southern part of Champagne-Ardennes to learn a little more about Champagne and to follow the wine tourism route for a day.
This part of the Aube is rich in vineyards (7,500 hectares) and is a major producer of the Champagne appellation (it accounts for about 22% of this appellation, after all!). As wine tourism continues to develop, you can head to the heart of the villages, knock on the doors of winemakers who are happy to welcome you, and explore their world. In 2024, I returned with my favorite photographer to experience a day at the heart of the Route du Champagne en Fête event, which I’ll tell you more about below.
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Route du Champagne en fête 2024 Edition
The Route du Champagne en Fête is an unmissable annual event in Champagne for fans of fine bubbles and conviviality, organized by the CAP’C association. Every summer, Champagne villages open their doors and cellars to offer tastings, vineyard tours, and meetings with passionate winemakers.
On the program for this festive weekend: parades, concerts, nature walks, masterclasses, and various activities immersed in the landscapes of the Côte des Bar. During this 2024 edition, four villages located in the Seine Valley and 15 estates hosted this event, which we were lucky enough to attend for a day: Courteron, Gyé-sur-Seine, Neuville-sur-Seine, and Buxeuil. And next year, the 2025 edition of the Route du Champagne en Fête will take place in Les Riceys, held on July 26th and 27th, 2025.
Practical Information:
- You can take a shuttle from Troyes to travel to and from the event by bus, so you don’t have to drive, making for a more responsible celebration (shuttle departure at 10 a.m. and return at 9 p.m. – bus at the Boulevard Delestraint parking lot – paid shuttle).
- On-site, free shuttles run between the different villages.
- The Route du Champagne passport, along with the tasting kit, allows for a free tasting at each participating estate via coupons to be cut from the passport. Note, however, that tastings in the cellars using coupons end at 6 p.m. (I’m telling you this because we didn’t notice and got caught out a little at the end). The kit contains: a flute engraved with Route du Champagne en Fête 2024; a flute holder (a very practical accessory!); a breathalyzer; and a route guide featuring participating cellars and activities organized throughout the weekend.
Route du Champagne en fête
July 20 & 21, 2024
Price of the passport flute with the official “Route du Champagne” kit: €40
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Domaine Fleury in Courteron
Domaine Fleury in Courteron is a pioneer of biodynamics in Champagne, having made the choice over 30 years ago to conduct its viticulture with respect for the biotope. In fact, 93% of the winemakers who hosted the event in this “Green Valley” are committed to environmental practices. During the event, the estate organized nature walks in collaboration with Yohann Brouillard, a passionate naturalist guide, and the Aster Alba association, which fights for the preservation, enhancement, and promotion of biodiversity in the Côte des Bar. This association of winemakers is chaired by Mr. Pierre de Taisne, from the Champagne Taisne Riocour estate. The walk (unfortunately interrupted by somewhat temperamental weather) was truly fascinating and allowed us to discover a small sample of the fauna and flora of the Côte des Bar.
Domaine Fleury
43 Grande Rue 10250 Courteron
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Domaine Cottet-Dubreuil in Courteron
This family estate, with vineyards nestled on the slopes of the Seine Valley, had a very festive atmosphere when we stopped by with my favorite photographer. During the event, the estate offered tours of its ancestral cellars, as well as a bucolic setting to taste their traditional cuvée, a non-vintage brut blended from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Domaine Cottet-Dubreuil
49 Grande Rue 10250 Courteron
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Domaine Baudry in Neuville-sur-Seine
It was at this family estate that we took our lunch break during this beautiful day. This wine-growing owner is a descendant of a family of winemakers dating back to 1660! We even ate lunch on a temporary terrace set up in front of the winemaker’s house. The event caterer Maison Branche was in charge of providing stands to satisfy the participants over the two days. We particularly enjoyed the dishes prepared on the brasero (sausages, snails in garlic butter, prawn skewers…). During this lunch, we took the opportunity to taste the house’s Brut Privilège cuvée, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Domaine Baudry
72 Grand rue 10250 Neuville-sur-Seine
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Domaine Vincent Couche in Bruxeuil
We ended our day at this estate, which had the great idea of hosting its tasting at the foot of the vines, in a magnificent setting. Here, the vines have been farmed using organic and biodynamic methods since 2008, so it was very appropriate to highlight them. We tasted their Cuvée Élégance, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which was a wonderful discovery.
Domaine Vincent Couche
29 Grand rue 10110 Bruxeuil
Some Champagne Estates in the Côte-des-Bar to Discover
Visit with an organic winemaker: Champagne L&S Cheurlin
Exploring the Côte-des-Bar also means touring champagne cellars, discovering the presses, guided tours, and of course, tastings! During this day dedicated to Champagne, we were lucky enough to meet Lucie Cheurlin, a young biodynamic winemaker. She is the heir to two generations of winemakers rooted in the terroir of Celles-sur-Ource. Following in their father’s footsteps, Lucie and Sébastien have launched their own champagne brand, named after the initials of their respective first names, L & S. Soothed by the memories and advice of their winemaker grandfather, the Cheurlin family is now experimenting with essential oil treatments and organic viticulture on part of their vineyard.
Tested in 2016
Champagne L&S Cheurlin
16 rue des Huguenots 10110 Celles-sur-Ource
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The Champagnes of Renoir in Essoyes
The small town of Essoyes is home to a cultural center that evokes the life of the Renoir family in the village and offers a discovery trail between the painter’s studio, the cemetery where he is buried, and the garden walk where he loved to paint. The “Du côté des Renoir” cultural center also had the idea of creating a partnership between 10 Champagne blends and paintings by Renoir. This sparkling nod to the painter’s works offers an original and exciting tasting experience for lovers of bubbles and painting.
The champagnes are identified by a label bearing the “Les Champagnes de Renoir” label, and a booklet titled “Accord Parfait– 10 works of art for 10 exceptional champagnes” is published to present the concept, the specificities of each cuvée, and its association with the painting. You can buy these Renoir champagnes, including Charles Collin champagnes (produced in Fontette) with the “La Belle Gabrielle” cuvée, partially aged in oak barrels, at the La Belle Gabrielle boutique (7 place de la Mairie, 10360 Essoyes: Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
Tested in 2016
Du Côté des Renoir
9 place de la Mairie 10360 Essoyes
Price for visiting the Renoir cultural center: €8
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Champagne Chassenay d’Arce
This winemaker’s house, which is also a Champagne cooperative, showcases the work of the Côte des Bar terroir, and more specifically the Arce Valley, where the main grape variety is Pinot Noir. The cooperative was created in 1956 in Ville-sur-Arce and today includes 130 wine-growing families. It perpetuates the Champagne tradition, and 300,000 bottles are marketed each year under the Chassenay d’Arce brand. You can also stop by this winemaker’s house all year round to enjoy art exhibitions, wine-tasting meetings, or to discover the oenological space with a tourism professional, which offers a fun walk from the grape harvest to the wine, including work in the cellar.
I recommend:
- The Cuvée Confidences Rosé brut 2009, a prestige cuvée
- The Cuvée Apolline demi-sec, ideal for accompanying desserts or tea-time
- The Cuvée Première brut, the house’s iconic champagne.
Champagne Chassenay d’Arce
11, rue du Pressoir 10110 Ville-sur-Arce
Open Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. / Saturday (between mid-March and late December) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Price (2016): between €22.90 and €79 per bottle
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I hope that with all this I have made you want to discover the Côte-des-Bar, and if you also have your own favorite addresses and tips in the area, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on the Grand-Est region below:
⇒ All my articles on the Grand-Est region
MY ARTICLES ON THE GRAND EST
⇒ The Aube
⇒ The Meuse
⇒ The Marne
⇒ The Haute-Marne
⇒ The Moselle
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez & Mademoiselle Bon Plan
Photos not royalty-free, photographer authorization required before any use
