Epernay

Brief History

Epernay boasts a rich history dating back to Roman times, although little evidence remains of the city’s origins, and its early years are shrouded in mystery. We know that the ancient Gallic tribe of the Remi controlled this part of France until Julius Caesar conquered Gaul in 52 BC. The region remained under Roman control for several centuries, during which it became an important outpost for the Roman Empire.

However, by 406 AD, Roman control was waning as the Western Roman Empire collapsed under the strain of attacks from northern tribes such as the Vandals and Visigoths. After that, the Frankish Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties ruled France from the 5th to the 10th centuries. The first historical reference to Epernay occurs in 545, when the Bishop of Reims, Saint Remi, mentions the settlement in his testament. He was famous for baptizing Clovis I, King of the Franks in 496, and founded a beautiful Abbey in Reims in the 6th century.

Epernay remained the property of the archbishops of Reims until the eleventh century. It prospered during this period and became a significant strategic settlement, equipped with thick walls and surrounded by deep ditches. Indeed, the Counts of Champagne were generous rulers and endowed the city with churches, a monastery, its first hospital, and a leprosarium – a hospice for people suffering from leprosy. Sadly this prosperity would be shattered during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), and Epernay was severely scarred by the conflict between the English and French for control of France.

In the 15th century, Epernay came under the Dukes of Orleans’s control, who made several improvements to the city, restoring some of its former glory. However, it wasn’t until power was transferred to the Duke of Bouillon in 1651 that Epernay would know lasting peace and prosperity.

During the seventeenth century, the first sparkling wines started to make their appearance in Champagne, although the district had been making still wine since early Roman times. Indeed, by the early sixteenth century, the wine of Ay had become so highly prized that it was said to be “the ordinary drink of kings and princes.” Yet, it was not until the early 19th century that Champagne came to be synonymous with fizz.

The 18th century, however, would be marked by social and political upheaval – the outbreak of the French Revolution cost many lives, not least King Louis XVI and his wife Marie-Antoinette, who was guillotined in Paris’ Place de la Concorde. Epernay lost several religious buildings during the conflict; the Reign of Terror between 1793 and 1794 saw many churches closed, Cathedrals turned into ‘Temples of Reason,’ and thousands more beheaded. Honestly, these were dark times for Epernay and indeed France.

Gastronomy & Wine

There are many reasons to visit France, but our favorite is the country’s rich and influential gastronomic heritage, which is today increasingly being challenged and redefined by a younger firmament of chefs who have worked abroad. Moreover, France’s considerable population of immigrants have added a welcome dash of verve and diversity to French cuisine, ensuring that a night out in France is rarely anything less than memorable.

Of course, Epernay can’t compete with the likes of Paris and other big cities. However, this small city boasts several excellent restaurants. Rue Gambetta has several informal options, but La Cava is hard to beat for an intimate vibe, gutsy, nourishing cooking, and friendly service. Locals well regard it for its Champenois cuisine – game features heavily – including potee a la Champenois (poultry and pork oven-baked with cabbage). Meanwhile, La Table Kobus on Rue du Docteur offers innovative and traditional French cuisine; all served amid fin-de-siecle décor. Their wine list is one of the finest around, with rare vintages of such iconic brands as Dom Perignon and Krug.

Speaking of Champagne, you obviously cannot leave Epernay without sampling the famous bubbly. It has been France’s best-known wine since the 17th century when the innovative monk Dom Pierre Perignon perfected a technique for blending different base wines to forge something more significant than the sum of their parts. A blend typically of three varieties – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier – making Champagne is a long, complicated process involving a secondary fermentation in the bottle, which releases CO2 into the wine. These bottles of liquid gold are then aged for many months, sometimes years, in the case of prestige cuvees, the top drawer of Champagne. World-class names include Krug, Pol Roger, and Taittinger, although many grower Champagnes, made by close-knit families, are excellent too. Our top choice – Selosse Initial Brut. A majestic Champagne in every sense of the word.