Discover Marne: Champagne culture and nature

Marne lies at the heart of Champagne. The Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars reflect time-honoured expertise, while protected natural areas, hiking trails and cycle routes shape the experience. Historic sites add another dimension. You can plan your trip around the landscape, outdoor activities or history.

Champagne culture and landscapes

The Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars showcase traditional expertise. Pressoria is a museum devoted to Champagne.

The tourist route through the Vallée de la Champagne also offers views of the landscape. It starts in Épernay and heads west beyond Château-Thierry, with viewpoints overlooking the valley. The route extends beyond the Marne department, making it a regional scenic route that does not end at the departmental boundary.

Hiking and cycling

Marne offers opportunities for hiking in the regional natural park and along canals. For cycling, the Véloroute de la Vallée de la Marne runs through the department from west to east: first following the river, then the Marne Canal. A departmental infrastructure plan also envisages an 820-kilometre cycle network, which is still under development.

The specific routes vary in length and difficulty. Departmental cycle route No. 5101 connects Reims and Épernay over 38.5 kilometres. This route is rated difficult and is intended for experienced cyclists because of the challenging terrain and shared traffic. It passes through forests, vineyard-covered hillsides and typical villages in the Montagne de Reims natural park.

By contrast, the 45-kilometre Dormans–Condé-sur-Marne section of the Véloroute de la Vallée de la Marne is rated easy and accessible to everyone. Along the way, there are views of the Champagne hillsides, the Montagne de Reims Regional Natural Park and First World War remains. For planning your rides, the comparison is useful: the longer of these two sections is rated easy, while the shorter route between Reims and Épernay is rated difficult. Distance alone therefore does not indicate which level of difficulty will suit you.

The Faux de Verzy and its trails

The Faux de Verzy are protected within a Réserve Biologique Dirigée, with active conservation work underway. The discovery trail near the Faux de Verzy is three kilometres long, easy, and accessible to families with pushchairs and people with reduced mobility. The ONF trail through the biological reserve is also described as easy, with no steep climbs.

For directions, Parking des Faux is on the RD34 between Verzy and Louvois. The ONF Découvertes app offers archive material, old postcards and interviews about the remarkable trees and the management of the site. This makes it possible to combine your visit with information about the area's history and protected status.

History and other nature experiences

The Mémorial de Dormans is one of Marne's emblematic historic sites. It commemorates the First and Second Battles of the Marne in 1914 and 1918. By decree of 3 June 2019, the Mémorial was classified in its entirety as a French historic monument.

The Lac du Der offers a different kind of experience: a destination in Marne for nature and outdoor activities. Together with the hiking trails, cycle routes and protected Faux de Verzy, it provides another reason to plan your trip around your interests. If cycling is your main focus, you can compare the stated route lengths and difficulty ratings; if you are interested in history, the Mémorial de Dormans offers a specific historic point of interest.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Passavant-en-Argonne, Mardeuil, Les Petites-Loges, Saint-Just-Sauvage, Vert-Toulon, Saint-Imoges, Arcis-le-Ponsart, Prunay, Nogent-l'Abbesse, Champaubert, Bassuet, Villers-Marmery, Loivre, Lachy, La Noue, Mutigny, Nuisement-sur-Coole, Bergères-Lès-Vertus, Saint-Remy-En-Bouzemont-Saint-Genest-Et-Isson, Sainte-Menehould, Rieux, Reuil, Chenay, Hauteville, Dontrien, Val-de-Vesle, Potangis, Orconte, Courcelles-Sapicourt, Vandières, Vauclerc, Suippes, Cuis, Oger, Coupéville, Blaise-sous-Arzillières, Saint-Mard-lès-Rouffy, Bignicourt-sur-Saulx, Fontaine-Sur-Ay, Florent-En-Argonne, Clamanges, Villiers-Aux-Corneilles, Saint-Brice-Courcelles, Villeneuve-la-Lionne, Esternay, Baslieux-Châtillon, Witry-Lès-Reims, Warmeriville, Vitry-Le-François, Vienne-Le-Château, Tinqueux, Taissy, Saint-Martin-Sur-Le-Pré, Reims, Montgenost, Mareuil-Le-Port, Ambonnay, Rosnay, Bouzy, Hermonville, Châtillon-Sur-Marne, Bethon, Ay, Chantemerle, Rilly-La-Montagne, Pierry, Villers-Sous-Châtillon, Trépail, Saint-Martin-D'ablois, Binson-Et-Orquigny, Mondement-Montgivroux, Dormans, Le Breuil, Baye, Saint-Chéron, Verzy, Chouilly, Lisse-En-Champagne, Outines, Villers-En-Argonne, Cuchery, Athis, Isles-Sur-Suippe, Jonquery, Grauves, Ludes, Chamery, Sézanne, Drosnay, Champillon, Lavannes, Tours-Sur-Marne, Marson, Crugny, Braux-Saint-Remy, Jâlons, Linthes, Morsains, Bussy-Le-Château, Mourmelon-Le-Petit, Cuisles, Avize, Brouillet, Écueil, Verzenay, Boursault, Damery, Mailly-Champagne, Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger, Cumières, Merfy, Prouilly, Venteuil, Congy, Janvry, Mancy, Les Mesneux, Œuilly, Beaumont-Sur-Vesle, Sillery, Broyes, Le Gault-Soigny, Fontaine-En-Dormois, Montmirail, Compertrix, Festigny, Dommartin-Varimont, Thiéblemont-Farémont, Courtisols, Auménancourt, Isle-Sur-Marne, Gueux, Giffaumont-Champaubert, Bignicourt-sur-Marne, Troissy, Monthelon, Chigny-Les-Roses, La Neuville-Aux-Larris, Leuvrigny, Louvois, Caurel, Autigny-Le-Grand, Sarry, Romery, Saint-Gilles, Eclaires, Vinay, Moussy, Lʼépine, Sept-Saulx, Arrigny, Saint-Thierry, Saint-Germain-La-Ville, Mareuil-Sur-Ay, Moiremont, Maffrécourt, La Chaussée-Sur-Marne, Gravelines, Villers-Allerand, Connantre, Noirlieu, Chavot-Courcourt, Écollemont, Hautvillers, Cramant, Fagnières, Étoges, Épernay, Dizy, Cormontreuil, Chalons En Champagne, Bourg-Sainte-Marie, Vertus, Matougues, Brugny-Vaudancourt, Berru.

For the broader travel overview: Champagne-Ardenne.