BY

CHRISTINE FAGG

Most people visit this lovely region to drink champagne and drive along the splendid "Route Touristique du Champagne" which is at its most impressive in the south eastern area between Bar sur Seine and Bar sur Aube. All along this route visitors gaze mesmerised at the serried rows of vines that march like armies across the hills and slopes. Local tourist offices supply lists of wine growers and also champagne "cellars" that are also open to the public. Their owners organise tours explaining to ignorant people like me exactly how this fabulous "fizz" is made.

What is it that makes champagne produced in this region so special? In the first place, only wine produced from grapes grown within strictly defined regions of the Champagne Ardenne have been granted the "champagne appellation" and Aube en Champagne, of course, is one of them. The climate and conditions are perfect for growing the specific grape varieties allowed by law to be used - Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. One bottle of champagne requires roughly the amount of grapes obtained from one vine and, what¹s more, by tradition the grapes used here are all picked by hand - an expensive operation.

I was taken round the splendid Champagne Caves at Urville, owned by enthusiastic Michael Drappier whose family has been tending this 12th century Cellar since 1808. Here, I saw the entire process that takes place before a bottle of champagne is completed - the pressing, fermentation, blending, bottling, removal of sediment, testing and labelling. I shall never forget this experience, in particular standing on a stool to see the gigantic stack of bottles laid side by side in scores of neat rows to mature for three years or so. After the tour, visitors sample the produce and buy as many bottles as they can afford at prices starting from a mere £8.

There are many hotels and logis throughout the area. I decided to make my base in Troyes at the delightful Hotel Le Relais St Jean in the pedestrianised Old Quarter. This capital town lies conveniently in the heart of Aube en Champagne, so visiting other attractions in the region is easy. It¹s a delightful town with numerous museums and is also a paradise for shopaholics with 130 factory shops offering whacking discounts! Troyes has always been an important fashion centre and is currently France¹s leading knitwear producer.

In the old quarter of enchanting Troyes, tall closely packed 16th century half-timbered wood and stone mansions have overhanging eaves and upper stories, wooden galleries, ironwork balconies and heavy studded oak doors. They surround the dark, romantic courtyards and line the narrow streets and alleys as well as the flower-bedecked main square with its graceful fountains. Here, everybody gathers throughout the day to drink coffee in pavement cafes, returning each evening to dine in irresistible restaurants housed in converted cellars and old mansions or in the excellent dining rooms of posh hotels.

Aube en Champagne is full of surprises not least the famous village of Essoyes where Renoir lived and worked. He was brought up in Paris in the mid-1800¹s and met and married Aline Charigot in the 1880¹s. She introduced him to her native village, Essoyes, where Renoir was instantly charmed by the dreamlike quality of the tranquil countryside with its ethereal light. He was so enraptured that, in due course, he bought a house there and painted many of his famous canvasses.

His workshop "The Atelier" built at the bottom of his garden is open to the public. Although none of Renoir¹s original paintings are displayed there you can see numerous prints of his popular works. Also exhibited are items of memorabilia including documents relating to his life, an exhibition of drawings of his favourite model, the plump, "bosomy" Gabrielle and his basket-ware invalid chair on wheels and . Afterwards (with the aid of a leaflet available at the workshop) one can walk along trails and pick out some of the glorious scenes he painted. Also, in the village graveyard, you can see the family grave where he is buried with his wife, three sons and one grandchild.

Another excursion especially popular with local people, is to the area of "Les Grandes Lacs" which lies to the east of Troyes. This is a vast nature park containing the Forest of Orient and three huge lakes offering every imaginable water sport in their pristine waters - swimming, sailing, canoeing, wind surfing, fishing and even boat excursions. Nature lovers can also hike, bike and horse ride in the Forest while others drive to some of the beautiful old villages, also in this region. Several of these villages have medieval covered market buildings and unique half-timbered churches dating from the 14th century. Inside, beams are often decorated with monster faces reminding worshippers that the devil is always present, ready to swallow sinners!

Aube en Champagne, as you would expect, is famous for its local dishes not least for the region¹s speciality "Andouillette de Troyes" -sausages made of tripe! If you don¹t like the sound of this try Fillet Steak with local truffles, Fish with Champagne, Pan-fried Red Mullets with local gin or Chicken Escalope with melted Chaource (a special, local soft cow¹s milk cheese). As you drive along the country roads, watch out for roadside signs bearing the words "Logis de France" - where you can eat regional specialities. I can warmly recommend the Hostellerie de la Chaumière on the Route Nationale in rural Arsonval where overnight accommodation is also available. And gourmets looking for yet more affordable perfection should head for La Toque Baralbine, a small restaurant in Bar en Aube¹s main street which also serves divine food.

If you¹re interested in the creation of beautiful crystal glassware, do visit the little village of Bayel and take the guided tour of the Cristalleries Royales de Champagne. This famous factory has been a glass making centre since the 1300¹s and visitors can watch master craftsmen glass blowing, hand cutting and engraving, sand and acid engraving, satin finishing, gold plating, platinum deposit enamelling and many other painstaking, time consuming processes. One that particularly intrigued me was watching each finished item being washed by hand and lovingly dried on a tea towel!

After the tour you can pop next door into the factory shop. Here the obvious purchase is a set of those gorgeous crystal "flutes" especially created to enhance the taste of champagne. Imagine the joy of "popping" your bottles and pouring that incomparable "bubbly" into super-stylish glasses designed exclusively for the purpose.