A toast to Champagne

As a returning tourist to France, I had travelled to the cities and seen the sights — but what I longed for most, was to drive down the countryside. So, I chose to visit the Champagne region which has a little bit of every aspect of France — the cuisine, the wine, historic monuments, culture, beautiful landscapes, quaint stores and much more.

The routes meander through cobble-stoned villages, expansive vineyards, stunning landscapes, mustard and lavender fields, rolling hills and some majestic chateaus dot the horizon. I headed off to a lovely little village called Etoge, which is nestled amongst champagne vineyards and chose to stay in the charming and historical Chateau d’Etoges — situated on 50 acres of park and surrounded by a moat on all four sides with lovely fountains. It had a restaurant that served regional cuisine and the most delicious breakfast — warm flaky butter croissants, jam, fresh local cheese, coffee and freshly squeezed oranges. The place is ideal for a relaxed holiday. When in Champagne, make sure you get the following on your must-do list:

Visit the vineyards and champagne cellars. There are a great many vineyards and wineries here, each one more impressive than the other. We chose to just drive by the route and stop by various ones that took our fancy. Some vineyards have lovely stores where you can stop and taste the wine and pick up souvenirs to take home. My favourite was the Moet et Chandon pink champagne — it is very light, a bit fruity but not sweet.

Driving around, I spent one entire day along the countryside, stopping at small villages for coffee or a glass of wine. We also did a lovely picnic beside the mustard fields. We had picked up some champagne from one of the houses and enjoyed it with some crusty French bread, cheese, pate and fresh fruits from the local market in Etoges.

Visit Epernay: It is a charming little town, just an hour’s drive through the countryside from Chateau d’Etoges. It is known for the largest number of champagne houses. A stroll down the famous Avenue de Champagne is a must. Here you will find houses such as Veuve Clicquot, Moet et Chandon and Mercier and Perrier Jouet among others. Walk into one of them for a guided tour of the cellars — it is quite the experience. To be on the safe side, book these visits well ahead.

Try the regional cuisine: Don’t forget local cheeses such as French brie. Almost all restaurants here cook with fresh local produce and champagne. For maximum experience, do ask the restaurant to suggest their specialties. French desserts are known the world over and often I would forsake my lunch for a couple of pastries and their decadent hot chocolate! I found the people in small towns very friendly too.

Souvenirs: Try to shop for the local stuff. You won’t find large designer brands in most of these areas (except Reims) but the locally and regionally-produced items are just lovely. Small exclusive boutiques in all the towns and villages have lovely curios and items to take home — at very reasonable prices too.
Being a food enthusiast I always pick up special ingredients for cooking, and exclusive kitchen and homeware. Art enthusiasts too will always find a local gallery selling works by regional artists and I managed to pick up some lovely posters at a real bargain.

Jasmine is a food/travel blogger who chronicles her culinary escapades on the blog, The Hungry Gastronomer