Make a holiday rental apartment or villa in the Champagne-Ardenne region, France your home away from home

The Champagne-Ardenne region of France is located in the north-east, famous for, of course, Champagne. There is far more to see and do in the Champagne-Ardenne region than simply drinking fine wine, although no holiday in the area would be complete without a little indulgence! The countryside of the Champagne-Ardenne region is a magical place, from the thick forests to the crystal clear lakes, limestone karsts to the rolling hills of the Champagne plain.

Things to do on holiday to the Champagne-Ardenne region, France

There are over 650km of waterways throughout the Champagne-Ardenne region. Slowly meandering along the rivers in a canoe, rowing boat or small yacht is a magnificent way to explore the region during your stay in a Champagne-Ardenne gite, letting you see the area from a new perspective, getting up close to the wildlife and birdlife that calls the region home. Alternatively, you can discover Champagne-Ardenne is by hot air balloon, which lets you see huge swathes of the region at the same time. Champagne-Ardenne is well off the beaten track, never swarmed by tourists, allowing you to walk, cycle and ride through the varying terrains and past the huge chateaux that adorn the countryside in peace.

The Champagne-Ardenne region is steeped in history too. Along with the history of the Champagne trade, parts of the infamous Maginot Line can still be clearly seen in parts of the region, as well as Roman remains in towns such as Langres. The impressive châteaux and castles that adorn the region are also well worth further investigation from a Champagne-Ardennes villa, especially if you are travelling by foot, bicycle or horseback, all of which hare hugely popular methods to travel the countryside.

No rough guide to the Champagne-Ardenne region would be complete without mentioning the ‘king of wines’, in many areas, vineyards cover the landscape for as far as the eye can see, with a huge number giving tours and wine tasting sessions to visitors. La Route Touristique du Champagne is a magnificent, pre-planned route for tourists to learn about the most famous of all wines, from the storage caves to the Champagne houses of Mumm and Veuve Clicquot.

Places to visit on holiday to Champagne-Ardenne region, France

The Aube department of the Champagne-Ardenne region is a place of thick forests and fertile plains, where argri-tourism and peaceful rural breaks thrive. Much of the huge Foret d’Orient has been declared as a national park, where walking and horse riding are actively encouraged. There are some excellent lakes for windsurfing and sailing in Aube, as well as some magnificent golf courses. Hot air balloon trips are easily organised in the area too.

The department of Ardennes is a quaint walker’s paradise. Cyclists and sailors also flock to Champagne-Ardennes accommodation in the area, as this is one of the wildest regions in France, and one where many hours can be spent fishing, playing golf or windsurfing on one of the many lakes.

Situated in the south-east of the Champagne-Ardenne region, Haute-Marne is crossed by many rivers and tributaries, where huge castles cast their shadow onto the mirror flat waters of large lakes, only disturbed by small boats and windsurfers.

Marne lies in the very heart of the Champagne region, and is the ideal place to take a Champagne-Ardenne holiday rental for getting to know the ‘king of wines’.

Cheap flights to the Champagne-Ardenne region, France

The chief towns of Champagne-Ardenne can be reached within an hour of leaving Paris, making holiday rental accommodation here remarkably accessible from the UK. The area is at the heart of the TGV high speed train network as well as only being 30 minutes from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).