The Marne Valley

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The most attractive part of the Marne river, which is 525kms long, is without a doubt the point at which it flows through the Champagne vineyards. The town of Château-Thierry (home of ]ean de la Fontaine who has inspired a museum and an annual festival) is surrounded by welcoming villages: Crouttes, Charly, Nogent-l’Artaud, Romeny-sur-Marne (visited by countless impressionist painters), Condé-en-Brie (castle of the princes of Condé), Mézy-Moulins (fine church) and many more.

Leaving Dormans (13th century church,
Louis XIII castle and chapel commemorating the battles of the Marne) going towards Epernay, there are two routes that wind their way through the hillside vineyards.

The one on the left bank goes through Troissy, Mareuil-le-Port and Oeuilly (interesting churches), Boursault (19th century Renaissance style church) and Vauciennes (fine church).

The road on the right bank takes you to Châtillon-sur-Marne (view and impressive statue of Pope Urbain II who was born in Champagne and summoned the faithful to the first crusade in 1095), Damery (birthplace of the early 18th century actress Adrienne Lecouvreur who played the heroines in Racine’s tragedies) and Hautvillers (splendid view and abbey church where Dom Pérignon is buried).

To the south, the Marne flows through Orbais-l’Abbaye (magnificent 13th century abbey church), Etoges (17th century castle), Villevenard and Coizard-Joches (menhirs, dolmens, caves and Neolithic tombs), the marshes of Saint-Gond (prehistoric site and 1914 battleground) and eventually reaches the busy town of Sézanne (impressive 15th and 16th century churches).

Nearby is the forest of La Traconne that extends to the south and west amidst tranquil countryside that was so dear to Marcel Proust. The region of Vitry-le-François is equally attractive, especially for its wooded countryside that is typical of northern France, its churches and wood-frame houses and the Lake of Der-Chantecoq. On the way, stop at Châlons-en-Champagne to visit its many churches, the museum of the cloister of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux, several 17th and 18th century mansions and, outside the town itself, the Basilica of L’Epine (dating from the 15th and 16th centuries).
 

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