World Heritage Photos

Champagne Hillsides

The Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The UNESCO World Heritage comprises the historic vineyards of Hautvillers, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims, the Fort Chabroi and the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. The Champagne wine region is located in the northeast of France. Reims is the official capital city of the Champagne region, but Epernay is internationally known as the 'Champagne Capital'. Epernay is surrounded by vineyards. The most prestigious and famous Champagne Houses can be found along the stately Avenue de Champagne in Epenay. Beneath the town of Epernay stretches a network of more than 120 km of tunnels, caves and cellars, used for the storage of the champagne bottles. Reims is probably best known for its Cathedral of Notre-Dame, but the city is also home to some of the most prestigious Champagne Houses. Over 250 km underground tunnels and cellars lie beneath the city, used to store over 200 million bottles of champagne. During the First World War, Reims was bombed for nearly four years by the German army, over 80 % of the city was destroyed. The inhabitants of Reims found shelter in the tunnels. It was an underground city, with a school, a hospital, a church and even a theatre. The Champagne hillsides with vineyards, production sites with the underground cellars, the sales and distribution centres demonstrate the entire process of the production of the champagne wine, the region is situated about 145 km east of Paris. The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2015.

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Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ viewed from the Mont du Gruguet, the Gruguet Mount, the 180...

Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ viewed from the Mont du Gruguet, the Gruguet Mount, the 180 metres high hill is the highest point in the village. The small village is surrounded by the vineyards of the Champagne wine region. The vineyards of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ are classified as a Premier Cru in the Champagne Vineyard Classification. The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars were declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2015.

  1. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ viewed from the Mont du Gruguet, the Gruguet Mount, the 180...

    Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ viewed from the Mont du Gruguet, the Gruguet Mount, the 180 metres high hill is the highest point in the village. The small village is surrounded by the vineyards of the Champagne wine region. The vineyards of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ are classified as a Premier Cru in the Champagne Vineyard Classification. The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars were declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2015.

  2. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The statue of the Madonna and Child on Mont du Gruguet, the Gruguet Mount, in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ,...

    Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The statue of the Madonna and Child on Mont du Gruguet, the Gruguet Mount, in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, surrounded by the historic vineyards of the small medieval village in the Champagne region. The statue was erected to commemorate, that Mareuil-sur-Aÿ was spared from the bombings in 1944, during Second World War. Since then, every year a torchlight procession is held.

  3. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: Champagne is the name of the most celebrated sparkling wine in the world, Champagne is...

    Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: Champagne is the name of the most celebrated sparkling wine in the world, Champagne is also the name of the region where this famous wine is produced. Only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region can be called Champagne. The vineyards are situated on deep chalk soils, a former ancient seabed. The greatest vineyards are situated in the département of the Marne.

  4. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: The Bollinger Champagne House in Aÿ. Aÿ is a small wine village with an excellent...

    Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: The Bollinger Champagne House in Aÿ. Aÿ is a small wine village with an excellent reputation, the vineyards of Aÿ are classified as a Grand Cru. The village of Aÿ is renowned for the production of Champagne, many famous Champagne Houses own vineyards in the vicinity of Aÿ. One of them is Bollinger, made famous by the fictional agent 007, James Bond.

  5. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: A stone marker in one of the vineyards close to the village of Hautvillers. Along...

    Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: A stone marker in one of the vineyards close to the village of Hautvillers. Along the roads in the Champagne region, the stone markers show which Champagne House is the owner of that particular vineyard. It is laid down in law that the name 'Champagne' is exclusively reserved for sparkling wines grown and produced in the Champagne wine region in France. 

  6. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: The Abbey Church of Hautvillers is surrounded by rolling vineyards. The village of Hautvillers...

    Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: The Abbey Church of Hautvillers is surrounded by rolling vineyards. The village of Hautvillers is called the 'Cradle of Champagne', it is here in the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers that the monk Dom Pérignon discovered the Champagne wine making process around 1670. The three principal grape varieties to produce Champagne wines are pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay.

  7. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The Abbey of Hautvillers was founded in 650. The monk Dom Pérignon is buried in the...

    Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The Abbey of Hautvillers was founded in 650. The monk Dom Pérignon is buried in the Abbey Church of Hautvillers. At the foot of the altar a slab of black marble is covering his grave, the marble slab bears the inscription of his name. The abbey remained active until the French Revolution in 1789. In 1983, the abbey was classified as a Monument Historique, the institution's logo is based on the Labyrinth of the Reims Cathedral.

  8. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: One of the Champagne Houses in Hautvillers, one of the small villages in the Champagne...

    Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: One of the Champagne Houses in Hautvillers, one of the small villages in the Champagne region. Hautvillers is surrounded by the vineyards of the most famous Champagne Houses. Over the centuries, the medieval villages of the Champagne region remained almost undisturbed. The heart of the Champagne wine region is situated 145 km northeast of Paris.

  9. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: The Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. The town is internationally known as the 'Champagne...

    Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: The Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. The town is internationally known as the 'Champagne Capital'. The most prestigious and iconic Champagne Houses can be found along Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. Most of the Champagne Houses and the underground wine cellars can be visited. After the guided tour, it is possible to taste and buy the sparkling Champagne wine.

  10. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: Beneath the town of Epernay stretches a huge maze of about 120 km of tunnels, caves and cellars. The...

    Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars: Beneath the town of Epernay stretches a huge maze of about 120 km of tunnels, caves and cellars. The network of tunnels and cellars is man-made. The chalk tunnels and cellars keep a constant temperature of 11-12° Celsius. The centuries-old tunnels and wine cellars are well preserved and used for the storage of bottles of Champagne. Each year, about 300 million bottles of Champagne are produced in the Champagne region.

  11. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: Reims is home to some of the most prestigious Champagne Houses. Over 250 km underground tunnels...

    Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: Reims is home to some of the most prestigious Champagne Houses. Over 250 km underground tunnels and cellars lie beneath the city, used to store more than 200 million bottles of champagne. During the bombing raids in the First World War, the inhabitants of Reims found shelter in the tunnels. Reims is the official capital city of the Champagne region, but Epernay is internationally known as the 'Champagne Capital'.

  12. Champagne Hillsides - Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The characteristic tower of De Castellane, one of the Champagne Houses in the town of...

    Champagne Hillsides, Wine Houses and Cellars: The characteristic tower of De Castellane, one of the Champagne Houses in the town of Epernay. The tower is a symbol of the town. After the guided tour in the cellars of De Castellane and tasting the sparkling wine, it is possible to climbe the tower. Epernay is situated on the banks of the Marne, a famous river that runs through the Champagne wine region. The Champagne region is situated in the northeast of France.