Welcome to the Champagne Heaven! Champagne-Ardenne is a wonderful countryside of France, you can experience a peaceful, chic lifestyle here. Already in the medieval times vineyards were planted in North-East France, later on champagne was served for the French king's coronation events as well, it quickly became the drink of the royalty. I'll take you to the region which is famous for its sparkling wine and show you what to visit here. You can call champagne only those products, that come from this region and produced under its rules. Usually three types of grapes are used for the production: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Learn more about this special drinks, champagne houses and French lifestyle, have fun!

The best way to buy flight tickets to Paris, then rent a car and you can reach the region easily by car, it's a 2 hour drive. As you leave Paris, you will cross some nice, little villages.

The center of the region is Reims, the famous champagne houses are located in Epernay on the Avenue de Champagne. We visited the region with our friends and we chose to stay in a stylish Chateau d'Etoges (www.etoges.com). The castle is an ideal spot for visiting the most important parts of the region. You can feel the real history here, the castle was built around the 12th, 13th century, it had many owners during the past and finally the whole building was renovated by the family Fillette- Neuwille in 1991, it started to operate as hotel in 1992. The breakfast includes salmon, eggs, a wide variety of pastry, ham, cheese and even champagne. What I liked the most is the style of the rooms and the atmosphere of the place.

A great plus is the amazing, huge garden where you can just sit on a bench, grab a good bottle of champagne and have some bites of cheese, the best way to relax and enjoy your time.

The town of Epernay is surrounded by wineries, stroll the Avenue de Champagne, where all the most prestigious champagne houses are located. The architecture is stunning here, the residencies of the companies are chateaux-style buildings with decorative facade. The whole street has an elegant, chic atmosphere. Most of the champagne houses offer tasting and cellar visit. We booked appointment online in advance, but there are tours usually every hour, check the homepage of the house you plan to visit.

Moët & Chandon

Visiting Moet&Chandon cellar and tasting their champagne is a must-do in Epernay. We had a great one hour English tour, very informative, than we had the chance to taste Rose and Vintage champagne in the frame of the "Grand Vintage" tour. Vintage champagne usually come in full bottles, so it's great to taste two different types by glass. The chateau is itself very elegant, nicely decorated, they produce top-quality champagne. It was magical to see the bottles of the Dom Perignon maturing.

It's another impressive place to visit in Reims, the tour guide was professional, he spoke an excellent English. I was quite impressed by the place. Did you know that they produced rose champagne first in history? Madame Clicquot was such an inspiring, strong person, she lost her husband at an early age, still she didn't give up and she took over his business. She introduced many innovations, she created a more elegant bottle and she was the first who produced vintage champagne (1810). This young, 27-year-old widow (from here comes the name "Veuve") became a leader in the industry, she is known as "Le Grande Dame de la Champagne".

If you are eager to try local producers' products as well, I highly recommend you visiting Hautvillers.

This is a little village, where everything started, Monk Dom Perignon worked at the Abbey. He discovered the sparkling wine accidentally,  later on he introduced new methods of producing the real champagne, he was able to harness the fermentation process first in history. His tomb can be found today in the chancel of the Saint-Sindulphe abbey church.

The place itself is worth a visit, not to mention the Restaurant called Au36, where you can book a table in advance and taste 6 types of local champagne, plus regional specialties like macaron, cheese, duck variations. We found this place on tripadvisor and I must say that we can highly recommend it to everybody: cozy, stylish patio, quality food and local champagne served. Everything was professional.

How to dress for a champagne tour?

The temperature is often chilly inside the cellars around 12-13 Celzius (aprox.53 Fahrenheit), so dress warm, grab a coat or thick jumper, wear comfortable, warm shoes. These houses are so impressive and elegant, add a chic scarf or a nice bag to your outfit and enjoy this royal place!

French cuisine

In the middle ages French cuisine was influenced by Italian cuisine, than only in the 17th century it started to develop its own ways, what we know today as French cuisine. Some combinations of cheese and wine always appears in most of the region, the kitchen relies on fruit, vegetables and meat, the spices and sepcialities may vary in all regions. The Champagne Ardenne region features fine, gourmet food. The andouillette de Troyes is a traditional pork product (sausage with special seasoning). The Joute is a traditional dish, it's a kind of vegetable stew. End your meal with a creamy Brie cheese from Meaux (Champagne region).

Compared to America for instance, portions are a lot smaller in France, however they serve several courses, rather than having one big meal.

We were staying in Chateau d'Etoges, so we didn't want to miss a chance to try their Michelin-rated, gourmet restaurant. They have an outstanding wine list and professional sommeliers. They serve authentic, French food. We loved the cheese trolley, you can choose from a wide range of local cheese types.

Short visit in Châlons-en-Champagne

We were walking around in the old town of the city. It's very French and peaceful. We planned to take a boat trip on the canal, but the boat service was closed for that day. Still it's a nice idea to drop by and have a coffee if you are close to the city.

Notre-Dame de Reims (Our Lady of Reims) is the place where the kings of France were crowned. Marc Chagall designed the stained glass. The cathedral receives about one million visitors annually. Since we were close to the city, we dropped by and visited the Gothic cathedral and the main square only. It's on UNESCO World Heritage List.

I hope you enjoyed my "tour" of the region and you will have a chance to spend here a few days and visit these fabulous sights.

For me, January is all about outdoor activities and spa in the mountains: skiing, hiking, Nordic walking, cross-country skiing and wellness. The crispy, cold mountain air and the high peeks make me admire the nature. If you also enjoy the Alpine lifestyle, follow me, I will take you to the French Alps and show you three different places, where you can truly enjoy winter, snow and quality services.

It was my dream to see the Mont Blanc, the „White Mountain” , that rises 4,808.73 meters above sea level, it’s the highest mountain in the Alps. Being able to ski in the valley at the foot of the Mont Blanc, it’s something you should try once in a life. I will share my photos and experiences with you about this first class ski region. We were staying in a little, cute town called Saint Gervais-les-bains, the place feels so French. There are three towns that surround the mountain: Courmayeur in Italy, Chamonix and Saint Gervais in France. It’s a popular holiday destination from the 1900s. It offers 450 kilometers of ski slopes and a relaxed environment. The place got its name from the thermal springs.

We chose Le Grand Panorama. It’s a basic, budget accommodation close to the cable car. The town center is a good 10 minutes walk. It’s equipped with everything you need for a one week holiday, all rooms have balcony. Pay attention to the fact that every extra things come at a cost, like bed linen, cleaning fee,sauna, local tax. All in all it’s a friendly place with a great location.

 
During our stay we visited an authentic, lovely place called Megève. It's close to Saint Gervais. If you are ready to discover the French lifestyle, go to the main square and enjoy the charm of the place. The city is the most glamorous one in the Alps. You can rent a luxury chalet or enjoy your stay in an elegant five star hotel. There is wide range of high-class shops and restaurants.

This place is located at 1650 meters high in the Southern Alps. It has 88 km of marked ski runs, 40 km of cross-country ski trails. Even if you are a beginner, you will find the slopes that are perfect for you, plus it has an excellent snow coverage all season. It’s a family focused place, also the facilities are suitable for all ages. If you are not into skiing, you can try horse-riding, ice-skating, snowmobile, or just go for a walk, enjoy the sun and the spa facilities.

We were staying at the Résidence Les Balcons des Airelles. The self-catered apartments are located close to the main ski lift, so it offers you an easy access to the slopes. There is a stunning view that you can enjoy from almost all of the rooms and after some outdoor activities it feels great to jump in the heated pool. It’s a nice place with simple furniture and design at a reasonable price.

Trois Vallées

The „Three Valleys” is an exceptional ski region, since it’s the largest ski area of the world, it has 600 km of ski slopes. Most sites are operated by locals, and their warm welcome makes it a lovely place! It offers a good snow coverage.

Accomodation
You can find here all kind of accommodation from budget apartments to 4-star hotels. If you are looking for relaxation, you are at the right place, Les Menuires offers a more than 4500sm covered leisure area, where you can combine spa services with sport and children programs. We were staying in Les Menuires, this apartment is functional, clean and located right at the slopes, perfect for a winter vacation. If you are looking for a budget rentals, check out www.airbnb.com

I can highly recommend the cheese fondue and raclette. The cheese fondue is originally known as the poors’ dish. The receipt combines white wine with processed cheese and garlic seasoning.

Raclette is a Savoy specialty, it’s also based on processed cheese, potatoes and it can accompanied with onion, meat or any kind of vegetables. It received its name from a tasty, Swiss cheese. Try it at home with your friends on a long, winter evening! Choose some good French white wine for these local specialties! Cheers!