The king of wines and wine of kings
The region is home to 1.35 million people who are proud of their heritage and have always striven to live life to the fullest despite the hardship of wars and economic ups and downs.
Clearly the most important aspect of Champagne is the production of the sparkling wine whose name is the same in all languages; it represents 20% of the region’s exports. Other agricultural resources include dairy products (25% of France’s ice cream production) and beets for both sugar production and non-food applications, such as ethanol. A thriving industry has grown up to supply the packaging needs of the champagne wineries and food-producers; dubbed "Packaging Valley", this concentration of businesses accounts for a robust local trade association that is 250 members strong.
The southern part of the region has a long tradition of textile production: the city of Troyes was for years the French hosiery capital and the home of the first “Lacoste†shirt. Appropriately, a spectacular hotel has been built in a converted textile plant, incorporating the textile theme into its decor. The city’s other “tourist†attraction is its numerous factory stores gathered in centers such as “McArthurGlen†and “Marques Avenueâ€.
Thanks to the determination of its people, Ardenne has recovered from the ravages of WWII and the decline of heavy industry. Today, metal fabrication plants are a leading source of jobs and supply components to international automakers such as GMC, Ford and BMW. High tech companies are also turning to the region's firms for safety equipment and machine tools.
Champagne-Ardenne has four departements:
- Ardennes (08)
- Aube (10)
- Haute-Marne (52)
- Marne (51)
Main cities are full of sights both ancient and modern:
- Reims. Do not miss the famous 12th-century cathedral with its “Smiling Angel†sculpture above the main portal, the Basilica and Abbey St. Rémi, the Palais du Tau, Chapelle Foujita (dedicated to the Japanese artists) and for car-lovers, the Musée Automobile de Reims-Champagne.
- Troyes. Picturesque medieval city with timber-framed houses and the Sainte-Madeleine church, where the town’s oldest religious architecture can be seen.
- Châlons-en-Champagne. The region’s capital used to be called Châlons-sur-Marne. It is built on the site of the battle between the Romans and Attila’s Huns.
- Charleville-Mézières. This capital of puppetry is graced by a main square, which echoes Paris’ lovely Place des Vosges.
- Chaumont has retained some of its medieval character in the feudal castle keep and the 13th-century tower located there.
- Epernay. This city is, with Reims, home to some of the great champagne houses where visitors can tours the cellars.
- Sedan. A medieval city, Sedan used to be a cloth-manufacturing center.