LOCATION TEMPTATION / CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE

We are featuring Champagne, France as our location temptation this week! We are looking forward to our second annual New Years retreat this January. A few highlights of the region include the village of Epernay, the capital city of Reims and of course the vineyards and various producers of Champagne both small and large. We also spend the day in Paris soaking up the culture and cruising down the Seine.

While on retreat, we are able to experience this area up close and personal with a day in the famous Champagne village of Epernay; we’ll enjoy a visit to one of the exclusive and special boutique Champagne houses for an experience touring through their cellars that is unlike any other. We also enjoy a tasting before exploring the village. Lets dig a little deeper and find out what this French village is all about…

Epernay is a city in the Champagne region in France, located at 25 kilometers from Reims, on the south edge of Reims Natural Regional Park, in the heart of the Champagne vineyard. It is the ideal place to go on a Champagne tour to visit Champagne cellars, taste Champagne and try food and Champagne pairing. You will find there all types of wineries : famous Champagne Houses, cooperative wineries, or smaller Champagne producers. The Avenue De Champange is 1 kilometer long, it has a total of 100 kilometers of cellars, housing millions of bottles! It is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious avenues in the world.

Next up, when we are on retreat, we visit the capital city of the Champagne region, Reims, famous for its impressive and very historical cathedral, which rivals Notre Dame. The city of Reims, was founded by the Romans and took its name from the local Gaulish Tribe, the Remi. The gothic masterpiece of Notre Dame de Reims is now widely perceived as the jewel in the crown of Reims, France. Dating from the 13th century, the cathedral we see today represents the height of Medieval gothic architecture and is considered to be one of the finest examples of its type in France. The significance of the cathedral can be highlighted by the fact that no less than 33 French kings were crowned there! Even today, Reims is still regarded as France’s City of Coronation. As impressive as the exterior is, it is worth spending some time inside, where you can gaze on at the light gently diffusing through the stained-glass windows and illuminating the faces depicted in them.  Don’t miss the east window which was designed by famous modernist artist, Marc Chagall.

We also spend a day in Paris, which needs no introduction…Paris, France's capital, is a major European city and a global center for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture. A city with stunning views everywhere you turn! We enjoy a wine tasting to continue our theme, a walking tour, a visit to one of the city’s famed museums, and end with a scenic boat ride down the Seine for a picturesque dinner setting.

We would love for you to join us this NEW YEARS to celebrate and create the year of your dreams!