Épernay

Épernay sits in the valley of the Marne, surrounded by vineyards, and serves as a sub-prefecture of the Marne department. The rapid growth of the wine trade shaped the town's layout, and after being destroyed, pillaged and rebuilt many times, Épernay became famous in the 18th century because of Champagne. The Avenue de Champagne, whose architecture and underground heritage extend the vineyard landscape around the town, is a regular venue for Champagne showcase events, including the 14 July Soirée Blanche and the Habits de Lumière festival in December. Épernay's tourist office calls the town the Champagne capital.

The first Champagne merchants set up shop in Reims, Épernay and Aÿ. In the late 18th century, when producers perfected the art of Champagne production and paved the way for global distribution, and throughout the 19th century, the most important Champagne Houses established themselves on the avenue. Bombing hit the Avenue de Champagne particularly hard on the night of 19-20 July 1918, and the Moët & Chandon buildings did not escape the destruction. Their ruins were demolished to make way for a new industrial complex, built between 1923 and 1932 with reinforced concrete and metal frames behind an art deco-inspired facade.

On 4 July 2015, the Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list under the "organically evolved living cultural landscapes" category, after the 21 representatives of the States Parties at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Bonn, Germany, unanimously recognised their Outstanding Universal Value. Three distinct ensembles support the listing: the historic hillside vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims and the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, joined by the 319 villages of the Champagne AOC production zone. The long, straight avenue extends for about 1.5 kilometres to Place de la République in the town centre, with several levels of chalk cellars and galleries spanning more than 100 kilometres beneath it; across the wider town, the chalk subsoil allowed some 110 kilometres of cellars to be dug, a hidden town beneath the town. Other landmarks include the De Castellane advertising tower, the town hall, the Portail Saint-Martin gate, the Gabrielle-Dorziat theatre and the Museum of Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology. During Les Habits de Lumière in December, each House along the avenue shows off its courtyard and light shows are projected onto the building fronts.

Several Champagne Houses have their historic premises on or near the Avenue de Champagne. Claude Moët founded Moët & Chandon in 1743; its headquarters stands at 20 avenue de Champagne, where the current complex was built between 1923 and 1932 after the 1918 bombing, and its cellars run to 28 kilometres, descending 10 to 30 metres underground. Perrier-Jouët's property at 28 avenue de Champagne appears to be the oldest preserved building on the avenue, with a west wing that predates 1778; its owners included Pierre Lochet-Duchainet, Jean-Louis Chanoine, Henri-Guillaume Piper and Marie Salmon before Perrier-Jouët acquired it in 1927. Mercier occupies 68 avenue de Champagne, at the top end of the street; Eugène Mercier founded the House in 1858 and had 18 kilometres of cellars dug 30 metres below ground between 1871 and 1877, opening them to the public in 1885. De Castellane, founded in 1880 as the Union champenoise and renamed in 1909, is based at 57 rue de Verdun in Épernay, with a 63-metre tower built in 1903-1904 and a 9-kilometre cellar network. Boizel, de Venoge, Vranken, Pol Roger and G.H. Martel also count among the avenue's famous residents.

Champagne AOC rules allow the appellation name to be completed with the mention "grand cru" for wine from grapes harvested in seventeen named communes of the Marne department: Ambonnay, Avize, Ay, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay and Verzy. A separate, longer list of communes may add the mention "premier cru." Épernay appears on neither list.

Comite Champagne (champagne.fr): Champagne, a UNESCO World Heritage site (https://www.champagne.fr/en/visit-champagne/life-in-champagne/champagne-world-heritage); The Champagne region (https://www.champagne.fr/en/about-champagne/a-great-blended-wine/the-champagne-region); Champagne and its history (https://www.champagne.fr/en/about-champagne/champagne-and-its-history); Tourism in Champagne (https://www.champagne.fr/en/visit-champagne/life-in-champagne/tourism-in-champagne). Union des Maisons de Champagne (maisons-champagne.com): Avenue de Champagne - Epernay (https://maisons-champagne.com/en/houses/heritage/epernay-and-surrounding-area/article/avenue-de-champagne-epernay). Mission Coteaux, Maisons et Caves de Champagne (champagne-patrimoinemondial.org): Rooted in the region's history - Moet & Chandon (https://www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org/en/decouvrir/rooted-regions-history); Epernay - the town built around the Avenue de Champagne (https://www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org/en/decouvrir/epernay-town-built-around-avenue-de-champagne); Avenue de Champagne in Epernay (https://www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org/en/decouvrir/avenue-de-champagne-epernay); A private residence, production and sales premises... plus an advertising tower - De Castellane (https://www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org/en/decouvrir/private-residence-production-and-sales-premises-plus-advertising-tower); The oldest Champagne House on Avenue de Champagne - Perrier-Jouet (https://www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org/en/decouvrir/oldest-champagne-house-avenue-de-champagne); The work of a visionary - Mercier (https://www.champagne-patrimoinemondial.org/en/decouvrir/work-visionary). INAO: Cahier des charges de l'AOC Champagne (https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/3-CDC-Champagne-PNO.pdf). Epernay Tourist Office (epernay-tourisme.com): Discover the famous avenue de Champagne (https://www.epernay-tourisme.com/en/discover/avenue-de-champagne/). Last verified 2026-10-05.