The best city hikes and walks around Épernay

The Avenue de Champagne in Épernay is a prestigious 1.6-kilometer-long avenue known as the "richest avenue in the world" for its millions of bottles of champagne in underground cellars. Along the avenue are famous champagne houses, historic villas, gardens, and two listed monuments: the City Hall and Château Perrier. The avenue is the city's main tourist attraction and the scene of events such as the "Soirée Blanche" and "Habits de Lumière." Since 2015, the avenue has been part of the Champagne UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Lycée Stéphane-Hessel Building in Épernay Located on the prestigious Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, the Lycée Stéphane-Hessel houses part of its educational activities in a historic building with a rich architectural and cultural heritage. This impressive building was originally part of the former Lycée Léon-Bourgeois, which was officially inaugurated on July 1, 1923. History of the Construction As early as the 1910s, it was determined that the old boys' college on Rue du Docteur Verron was becoming too small for the growing number of students. A new building plan was proposed in 1911, but the project didn't actually get off the ground until several years later. The city of Épernay acquired a plot of land donated by Mrs. Victor Auban-Moët, on which the new school was built. Work began around 1914 under the direction of renowned architect Henri Piquart, but was soon halted by the outbreak of World War I. Construction resumed in 1922, and the building was completed in 1924. Architectural Features The building is designed according to a symmetrical plan, with tall main buildings under gable roofs, connected by lower wings with long tiled roofs. The facades are made of brick and embellished with natural stone elements, colorful mosaics, and ornate brick friezes. The main entrance is particularly richly decorated with, among other things, cartouches of the French Republic ("RF") and the Épernay coat of arms, framed by columns and crowned with a ceramic facade ornament and a small bell tower. Interiors are covered galleries on two levels with arcades on columns, porticos, and wide staircases that accommodate the height difference of the surrounding gardens. These architectural elements give the building a monumental and classical character that it retains to this day. Renovations and Adaptations Over the decades, the building has been adapted several times to meet the needs of the times: In 1977, the old dormitories of the boarding school were converted into classrooms. In 1981, an additional workshop was added to the east wing. In 1995, the building was made accessible to people with reduced mobility with the addition of an external elevator and the redesign of the courtyard into, among other things, an amphitheater. Cultural Value The building is praised by (former) staff and students for its appearance and character. One former teacher even described it as a "sanctuary of knowledge"—emphasizing the building's special atmosphere and educational value. Present Since the merger of the Godart-Roger and Léon-Bourgeois lycées in 2013, the building has formed an integral part of the current Lycée Stéphane-Hessel. It will continue to serve as a teaching location within a modern, multilingual and versatile educational institution that can accommodate more than 2,000 pupils and students.

Perrier-Jouët is a champagne house founded in 1811 by Pierre-Nicholas-Marie Perrier. The company is located in Épernay and has a house style characteristic of the city. Épernay is located near the Côte des Blancs, a region primarily planted with Chardonnay, and therefore uses a lot of Chardonnay in its champagnes. Source: Wikipedia

Some of the buildings are monumental and an expression of capital - but even the small winemakers have very good champagnes to offer that are in no way inferior to the big houses!

The beginning of the most famous street in the entire Champagne region, with a selection of renowned champagne houses on either side of the avenue, each more chic - or more pompous - than the last.

The champagne house owns several beautiful Art Nouveau buildings on Avenue de Champagne. The building with the characteristic 66-meter-high tower, which is a symbol of Epernay, is also part of the Castellane champagne house. The main building also houses a champagne museum. (c) https://www.champagneshop.nl/champagnehuis-castellane#:~:text=Het%20champagnehuis%20bezit%20een%20aantal,is%20ook%20een%20champagnemuseum%20gevestigd.

Champagnes Mercier Blanc de Noir is described as the house's iconic champagne. It contains only Pinot Noir (80%) and Pinot Menunier (20%), hence the name. Mercier Brut contains 20% Chardonnay and a relatively high proportion of Pinot Meunier, which prevents the champagne from aging optimally. This champagne is sold young and should be consumed quickly. Mercier Brut Millésimé contains 50% Chardonnay, primarily from the Montagne de Reims. The grapes used are from a single vintage. Mercier Brut Rosé, a rosé champagne, is made of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier. Mercier Cuvée Boulle d'Or is the prestige cuvée. Formerly sold under the name Réserve de l'Émpereur, this champagne, which is only produced in small quantities, contains 60% Chardonnay. The bottle bears no vintage. Pinot Meunier produces a lively, fresh, and floral champagne. The vine is winter-hardy, and the grape ripens early in the autumn, increasing the chances of a good harvest in the northern Champagne region. The fact that the wine from this grape doesn't age as well isn't a problem for a house like Mercier; they prefer an accessible, fresh, and affordable champagne.[2] Source: Wikipedia

Mercier owns 225 hectares of vineyards in 20 crus, but also buys harvests from contract growers to supplement its own grape harvest. Some of the grapes come from the less-regarded departments of Aisne and Aube, located a considerable distance from Épernay. This allows the wine to be produced more cheaply than that of other Champagne houses. Mercier champagnes cost half or less than those of Champagne houses like Taittinger and Moët & Chandon. Mercier sells approximately 7 million bottles of champagne annually. The Mercier Champagne House is part of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH). This holding company owns several Champagne houses, namely Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Canard-Duchêne, Ruinart, and Henriot.