Places to visit

There is so much to do around the Champagne region, and we have captured some of these here to help you to plan your trip, from visiting Renoir’s country house, to whizzing around a forest on a rollercoaster, we are sure you’ll find much to enrich your visit.

Essoyes – renoir experience

Essoyes is a quiet little Champagne village located just 5½ miles from la Maison en Champagne. The beautiful river Ource runs serenely through her centre. Admired for her beautiful surroundings, Essoyes is also famous as the country retreat of the impressionist artist Pierre Auguste Renoir, who chose this rustic location for his home in the country. He also chose the young women of the village as his muses for some of his most celebrated paintings. Today there is a museum to his memory and work, from where you can take a directed village walk that leads you to his house and studio.

The walk through the village also takes you past Renoir’s final resting place, marked by a bronze statue atop a grand stone plinth, that stands in a cemetery graced with some amazing shrines. Many of the graves here belong to those who fell in the great wars.

Nigloland – amusement park

Less than 30 minutes from la Maison en Champagne, Nigloland is the perfect family day out. Split into 4 differently themed worlds with 43 rides and 8 shows for young and old, it has something for everyone.

There are 9 themed restaurants, but they also allow visitors to bring their own picnic, with a beautiful picnic area under the shade of the trees.

Located in the heart of the protected Orient Forest, Nigloland has a 10 person team working daily on the ecological management of its green spaces, helping to preserve its outstanding natural environment. The parks buildings are part of the preservation too, with Nigloland dismantling and re-erecting historic buildings from neighbouring villages that would otherwise disappear.

Museum of CHARLES DE GAULLE

Just over 45 minutes drive from la Maison en Champagne is the village of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises where you can find the Mémorial Charles de Gaulle. This memorial and museum is a journey through the history of one of France’s most famous Presidents. It is both enormously well researched and also visually stunning. From the bullet hole ridden Citroën DS in the main lobby, to the massive cross of the Resistance in the grounds, this museum serves up spectacle and surprise in equal measure.

The museum and exhibition covers the period from his early military career, to his celebrated liberation of France, and through his presidency and beyond. It is an in-depth biography of this legendary man and tells how he threaded a difficult path through the politics of the Second World War to emerge the saviour of his country, all set in the most dramatic visual surroundings.

And if you still have time you can visit his house. Kept in the same state that it was when de Gaulle retired there after leaving public life.

Troyes – historical city

There is evidence of a settlement at Troyes going back to the Celts in 600 BC. It thrived during Roman and medieval times, but suffered greatly during the great fire of 1524. Many of the oldest buildings in Troyes then are beautifully coloured, half-timbered houses from the 16th century. And although there are many in the main area, wandering around the banks of the Seine and its side streets rewards with many more beautiful buildings.

Across the Seine from the centre of Troyes is Troyes cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Troyes). It was commissioned in the 1200’s to be built on the site of the old Romanesque cathedral that once housed the council of Troyes, where the Order of the Knights Templar was confirmed and established. They continued working on the cathedral until the 17th century. 

Not far from the cathedral is the Musée d'Art Moderne. A surprising find housing many lesser known works by great artists such as Picasso, Rodin, Degas, Matisse, Seurat and Gaugin

Champagne producers

The Côte des Bar in the south of Champagne is the secret, unspoilt gem of this famous region. Bristling with artisan producers, there are over 400 growers in 63 villages. Here in Viviers-sur-Artaut we have Champagne Robert-Grandpierre, whose family have cultivated vines here since 1705. Today they are housed in the beautifully renovated priory next to the church. Prieuré de Viverie is their exciting new oenotourism venture.

Champagne Drappier is celebrated for its fine Champagnes, and was the preference of Charles de Gaulle for his private receptions. Drappier are a short 22 minute drive from la Maison en Champagne, but it’s important to make a reservation for cellar visits.

Champagne Devaux are a co-operative, a united group of wine growing families referred to as the Groupe Vinicole Champagne Devaux. A visit to their chateau and grounds is a pleasure, and the accompanying tastings can be designed to suit you. Even better is that Devaux are just a 14 minute drive from la Maison en Champagne. In fact there are hundreds of smaller, artisan producers, who will welcome you to their cellars and for tastings all within 50 minutes drive. With Épernay only an hour and a half away, la Maison en Champagne is perfectly situated to let you enjoy the best Champagne has to offer.

Lac d’Orient

Le Parc naturel régional de la Forét d’Orient, as it is properly known, is 170,000 acres of parkland encompassing the forest and three man-made lakes, the Lac d’Orient, Lac du Temple and the Lac Amance. The Lac d’Orient offers leisure activities galore. From its three fine sand beaches you can kayak, wind surf or sail in total peace.

Lac Amance is for those that love power-boating, with motor boats, water skiing and jet skiing the order of the day, on what is the largest lake in Europe reserved solely for motor boating.

For those that prefer the simple beauty of nature, the Lac du Temple is a tranquil preserve, visited by thousands of cranes that migrate, and feed here from October till March.

With the Lac d’Orient just a 30 minute drive from la Maison en Champagne a trip to the lakes is a wonderful day out for our visitors. Take a look at the lakes website on the link below and see the vast range of activities that are on offer.