Champagne

Champagne : Lorraine & Alsace

Car Hire (main collection points only) : Strasbourg Airport : Strasbourg Railway Station

Hardly any corner of France lacks vines, but the vineyards run riot across the eastern province of Champagne.

This is the most northerly wine producing area of France; which in fact used to be known for its red wine, before the delicious fizz came in to existence in the 17th century, supposedly discovered by monk Dom Pergnon.

Epernay is the heart of the grape district and home of the famed Moet at Chandon establishment, who give guided tours of its cellars.

Under Epernay alone the cellars of bottles cover 60 miles (100kms). Each having its own distinctive feature and worth a visit in its own right; Gallo-Roman quarries at Lanson, statues sculpted in to the walls at Pommery and Greno and a tour on a small train at Piper-Heidsieck.

Nearby is Hautvillers, Dom Perignon's homeland, which offers a view of the valley and the rare example of and old town transformed both by military destruction and the reconstruction of prosperous wine growers and merchants.

Surrounded by large fields of wheat and sugarbeet whose uniform colours blanket the countryside is the city of Reims. The Kings of France were crowned in this city's magnificent Cathedrale which dates back to 401.

The town of Troyes, at the south of the region, is a particularly brilliant souvenir of the Renaissance period.

The old town has its specific architecture of wood-sided houses whose upper levels jut over the narrow streets. No fewer than nine churches contain marvels of stained-glass, statuary and religious treasures, including the manuscript saved from the Clairvaux abbey.

In this area you can obtain your hire car from Reims Railway Station.