In the 18^th century, a Champagne vintner built a family dwelling on the famous Avenue de Champagne in Epernay formerly called “Faubourg de la Folie” (“Suburb of Madness”). The house has today been completely renovated in the spirit of Maison Leclerc Briant which can be felt inside the house where there are five bedrooms, a terrace, lounges and an outdoor park.  

You will find a large room devoted to gastronomy on the ground floor, where the walls have been covered with Eldorado; a wallpaper made by the Zuber factory…a little wink to travel buffs. The wooden printing boards, made in 1848, are classified as “Historical Monuments” today.

This project contributes to the rebirth of the original history of this Champagne house as well as the passion of its first occupant for the discovery of the world.

An ambition stronger than ever…

You will also have the opportunity to discover the second annex of the Maison Leclerc Briant with a cottage, once the renovation of the Maison du Clos des Trois Clochers is completed.  This last dwelling is an expression of the rebuilding of the city of Reims after the First World War. You will then be able to enjoy a discreet and private place in the middle of the vines at Villers-Allerand.

Welcome to the village Chavignol, where the Bourgeois family invites you to share their passion at their domain that’s been nestled at the foot of the Monts Damnés hills for ten generations.

Thanks to the tastings offered in the cellar, the Sancerre terroirs will have no more secrets for you! You will also have the opportunity to participate in a guided tour of the wine storehouse.  

For the gourmets, the Bourgeois family also suggests a walk in the vineyards, along with a wine maker’s picnic. Armed with your locally sourced foodie supplies you will discover the famous Monts Damnés hills.

The Côtes Monts Damnés hotel could be a great idea to prolong your weekends to go off exploring the charms of the region, with its spacious, comfortable and elegantly decorated rooms.

To go further in the revelation of the terroirs...

From May 2018, you will have the opportunity to experience a new way of discovering the secrets of local geology and paleontology, by participating in a unique wine tourism itinerary, only two hours away from Paris!

«  Through this new concept, our aim is to satisfy the curiosity of those who are interested by this new aspect of the job. Explore the field, assimilate the forming of the landscape, get to know traces of the past, the rocks, then taste the “fossil juice”. »

Arnaud BOURGEOIS

This two hours and a half itinerary will take place in four stages, each one lasting approximately 40 minutes.

To start off, a visit to the permanent exhibit about “the Sancerre and Pays-Fort geology” will be suggested, explaining to the visitors the forming of the local landscape. A field visit will then follow, at the Garennes quarry in the municipality of Vinon, located at the foot of a vineyard. A fossil excavation session will take place afterwards, and you will be able to bring back a unique souvenir. The third stage will consist in discovering the Kimmeridgian terroirs and its “white soils”, as well as searching for other fossils of a new geological era…and finally, the visits come to an end with a wine tasting at the property, where you will get a chance to taste the famous goat cheese named “le crottin de Chavignol”.

In order to make the experience unforgettable, you will be accompanied by a “geo-guide”, and a booklet presenting the itinerary, the area and the fossils, will be given to you as well.

Vincent Léglantier, a passionate wine-grower, shares his love for his native land: the Coteaux du Sézannais and the Coteaux du Petit Morin – areas of the Champagne wine region with a great deal to offer!

Vincent Léglantier fell for the vine from an early age. The son and grandson of vine growers and winemakers, he is a native of Saudoy, in southwestern Marne and in the heart of the Champagne wine region. The Léglantier family has lived in Saudoy since 1632.

President of the local division of the Champagne Syndicat Général des Vignerons (Winegrowers Union) and the Association de Promotion des deux Coteaux (Two Coteaux Promotion Association), he is keen to point out that the latter is more than just an association of champagne producers. Its primary purpose is to promote the Coteaux du Sézannais and the Coteaux du Petit Morin, which straddle the departments of the Aube and the Marne. Here, residents, elected representatives, businesses and other partners work hand in hand to provide visitors with a wine experience of the highest quality.

One hour from Paris, the Coteaux du Petit Morin and the Coteaux du Sézannais are getaway destinations with plenty to offer...

Wine lovers will enjoy following a route designed to uncover the expertise and passion of producers from this corner of the Champagne appellation. The area’s 29 villages are also packed with a wealth of historical, architectural and natural heritage that can be explored through a variety of different walking trails.

Vincent Léglantier’s must-visit sights and destinations include:​

. the medieval city of Sézanne, classified as a Small City of Character

. the châteaux of Montmirail, Etoges and Congy

. the Mondement-Montgivroux victory monument, commemorating the battle of the Marne taxis

. the forest of Traconne

. The Marshes of Saint-Gond

A cocktail bar dedicated exclusively to cognac: this is the original and striking concept developed by two cocktail maestros, Tony Conigliaro and Guillaume Le Dorner.

"I treat my vines with hardly any chemicals. Ladybirds are the best insecticide I know." It only takes Jean-Luc Matha a few minutes to bowl people over.

To understand the man he is, you should know that Jean-Luc has worked at Bruejouls, on the self-same 16 hectares of vineyards in Aveyron, for 35 years. So, he knows his land at least as much as he knows his profession — you could even say that Jean-Luc is the embodiment of the Marcillac valley. His moustache, his gift of the gab and his overall character are highly endearing. This simplicity, this love of the winemaker’s craft and the art of good humour are reflected directly in Jean-Luc’s wines. His Laïris and Pèirafi cuvées have even become emblematic of the appellation. And he also produces whites, rosés and a wine that you drink, as he himself says, when the main aim is to quench your thirst. Give him a call before dropping in on the estate. There’s no doubt that the smaller appellations always give us a pleasant surprise.

"I treat my vines with hardly any chemicals. Ladybirds are the best insecticide I know."

Tips nearby: 

L’Auberge de l’Ady: In Valady, 20 minutes northwest of Rodez, this is a lovely restaurant in a red-sandstone village. The cuisine is prepared with a passion, and is a modern vision of the traditional Aveyron terroir. The produce comes from local markets and farmers, such as foie gras with saffron, pork shank confit with green tea and verbena, and wild Skrei cod. There is an excellent wine list, especially for AOC Marcillacs.

Les Chambres de l’Ady: This auberge is in Valady with four comfortable and contemporary rooms in a vineyard setting in the heart of the AOC Marcillac. The inn is committed to an ecological approach, with — for example — bathroom products made from grape extract and organic vine water.

As a gourmet connoisseur, you should make your way without delay to the spot where the Pyrenees and Mediterranean meet. Twenty-six kilometres before the Spanish border, you will find one of the most beautiful small fishing harbours in all France, and one of the finest AOC Roussillons. This is Collioure...

Collioure is a picturesque, photogenic village that looks out over a translucent sea, a village proud of its château that once hosted the court of the kings of Majorca. Here the vines also enjoy views of the Mediterranean: overlooking Collioure, the local grape varieties — Grenache noir, gris, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Syrah — are grown in a spectacular terraced amphitheatre, divided into square plots by kilometres of dry stone walls. Although 70% of the wine made here is red, the Collioure white is just one of the very pleasant surprises produced by the terroir in recent years. This is also a region of artists, inspired by the colours and perspectives. In short, Collioure is an El Dorado for gourmet connoisseurs.

Tips nearby: 

Restaurant Le Cèdre: In Port-Vendres, 3 km from Collioure, the hotel restaurant looks out over the sea. The cooking is typically Catalan and no-nonsense, with traditional dishes given a modern twist. There is an excellent wine list, mostly from Roussillon, and a superb terrace overlooking the entrance to the small fishing port, shaded by a one-hundred-year-old cedar.

Le Clos Saint André: In Banyuls-sur-Mer, with one bedroom and two comfortable guest suites in a large family house adjoining the Domaine Vial Magnères cellar. Enjoy a free tour of the estate and a vertical tasting of old Banyuls vintages on request.

Six sessions a year, and not a session more! It’s because they’re so few and far between that the tastings led by Jean-Pierre Rudelle are so popular, even among the region’s winemakers.

Jean-Pierre is the gold standard when it comes to dégustations, a walking encyclopaedia on wine, equally knowledgeable about technique as he is about history or biology. In fact, it’s this multi-disciplinary approach that has helped make Jean-Pierre’s courses so successful. His other tour de force is, of course, his ability to popularise wine without over-simplifying it, making ampelography (the science of grape varieties) or phenolic maturity accessible to one and all. For the tastings, the lessons about the different techniques — visual, olfactory and gustatory — centre mainly on cross-tastings between young and old wines. "I give the keys to my clients so they can back up why they like or don’t like a particular wine." Jean-Pierre may be contacted via the website for his cellar, Le Comptoir des Crus.

Tips nearby: 

Le Clos des Lys: Situated in Perpignan, this restaurant occupies a typically Mediterranean mansion, serving cuisine from the south of France, with meats grilled over a wood fire and dishes cooked à la plancha, together with homemade desserts that can be chosen at will. Only high-quality local products are used, with preference given to the shortest possible supply chain. The chef, Franck Séguret, is a toque blanche from Roussillon.

Château Nadal Hainaut: In Le Soler, 10 km east of Perpignan, the gîte — which has a four épis rating from Gîtes de France — is housed in a beautiful building in the heart of the vineyard. There are five comfortable double rooms and two suites on the ground floor. The amenities are very good: a large living room, dining room, terrace, equipped kitchen, Jacuzzi, exercise bike and basket service for breakfast.