The villages in the appealing vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne which surround Epernay promote a range of curiosities: the world's largest champagne bottle and cork in Mardeuil; the world's largest champagne glass and an artisan chocolate producer in Pierry; a snail farm in Olizy-Violaine; a museum of marriage in Oger; and a traditional vigneron's house and early twentieth-century school room at Oeuilly. Many of the villages have conserved their sleepy old stone charm: VERTUS, 16km south of Epernay, is particularly pretty, and so too is HAUTVILLERS, 6km north of town, where you can see the abbey of Dom Pérignon fame. But the best reason for taking yourself out into the countryside is simply to view the vines and taste less known but often delicious champagnes, such as those made by Charlier & Fils, 4 rue des Pervenches, MONTIGNY-SOUS-CHATILLON, 15km west of Epernay (tel 03.26.58.35.18, [email protected]). Full details of things to do around Epernay are available from the tourist office, along with lists of all the champagne producers, plus contacts for Tours by horse-drawn carriage or hot-air balloon. Although there are regular local buses from Epernay's gare routière, various champagne excursions by minibus are touted at the tourist office and are a far more convenient way of seeing the area. The best of these (in French and English), lasting three hours and costing €20, is run by a local wine-grower (tel 03.26.59.45.85 or 06.30.35.51.07, [email protected]).
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