Travel France: Champagne-Ardenne
There is something magical about the early morning sun glinting on the surface of a beautiful lake – even if it is 6.30am and you’ve been woken by three children dressed in bathing costumes clamouring for a swim in a campsite pool which doesn’t open till nine.
The five of us had come to explore two lakes and the countryside around them in Champagne-Ardenne to discover first hand what else the region has to offer in addition to its world-famous paté and sparkling wine. And to find out if it’s the kind of place which fits the bill for families.
The first lake was the Lac de la Liez in Haute Marne, the second, the vast Lac du Der Chantecoq which, apart from a small finger stretching into Haute Marne, is in the neighbouring department of Marne. Both are manmade stretches of water and, while they differ greatly in character and purpose, they each have lots to offer visitors all the year round.
The Lac de la Liez is the largest of four reservoirs that were built at the end of the nineteenth century to top up the Marne-Saône Canal, which saunters past a stone’s throw from the bottom of the huge dam. Nestling in woodland and surrounded by gently undulating countryside, the lake is 270 hectares in area and draws visitors from across northern Europe who come to enjoy the beach, the water sports – sailing, windsurfing, canoeing – the hiking, cycling, bird watching and fishing.
We stayed in a self-catering chalet at Camping Sunélia Lac de la Liez, which proved to be a well-equipped, comfortable base for the duration of our stay in the region. All the chalets and the tent and caravan pitches are arranged in terraces on the hillside so that everyone is afforded a spirit-soaring view of the lake in the mornings.
We arrived towards the end of a scorching afternoon, hot and tired after an easy-but-long 514km drive from Calais – all of us desperate to cool down in the inviting water that stretched out and away below the campsite.
A quick change into swimming gear and after a short walk out of an entry-code-controlled gate and down two flights of concrete steps, we found the beach. We were soon immersed in clear, fresh water – the rigours of the journey washed away in an instant.
A closer inspection of the beach area revealed a café, a shop selling beach essentials and a first-aid post. A little further down the shore we saw a windsurfing and sailing school and beyond that a mini-marina where pedaloes, canoes, rowing boats and small motorboats could be hired.
JUNIOR BUILDERS
The children spent two happy hours swimming in the safe, cordoned-off bathing area, borrowing other children’s buckets and spades to make intricate sandcastles, dams and rivers (no-one needs words when a tentative smile and a friendly gesture will do).
Our evening meal was two delicious take-away pizzas and salad from the campsite’s unpretentious, welcoming, open-air restaurant, with a well-earned bottle of wine for the adults from the well-stocked shop.
After a cheeky, early-morning swim in the campsite’s outdoor pool – the attendant kindly turned a blind eye when we arrived with our fingers crossed, three-quarters of an hour early – we drove into nearby Langres, an ancient, fortified city built on a promontory overlooking the countryside to which it gives its name – the Pays de Langres. Standing 150 metres above the Marne and Bonelle valleys, Langres itself is breathtaking. Designated one of the 50 plus belles villes de France and situated near the sources of three rivers, the Aube, the Marne and the Seine, it is surrounded by impressive ramparts, parts of which date back to Gallo-Roman times.
We hired bikes and electronic guides from the tourist office and set off to explore. Although they are fairly confident cycling, we were a bit anxious about how our eight-year-old and six-year-old would cope with the narrow, traffic-filled streets of Langres. It was a delight therefore to discover that nearly all of the 3.5km of ramparts are completely traffic-free and ideal for children.
We spent a morning cycling round at a leisurely pace, stopping frequently to enjoy the views, to admire the sights en route and to learn about the fascinating history of this strategically important town. With 12 towers and seven gates, not to mention the delightfully higgledy-piggledy houses and the stomach-churning drops from the ramparts to the ground below, we were all kept entertained.
After a simple-but-tasty lunch of salad followed by cheese and chocolate mousse at the Auberge des Voiliers at the foot of the Lac de la Liez’s dam, we returned to Langres to take a ride on a little train around the twisting medieval streets. It starts and finishes at the tourist office and is a great introduction to the major sights.
With the electronic guide – a sort of oversized mobile telephone – providing a simultaneous English translation to the French commentary you can decide which attractions you would like to go back to see in more detail.
We settled on a quick visit to the imposing Cathédrale St-Mammes and poked our noses briefly into the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire before settling for an exploration on-foot of Langres’ fascinating nooks and crannies.
DONKEY DERBY
The promise of an ice cream just about kept the children on board for the cultural bit but before long they were clamouring to move on to what became the highlight of their stay in Pays de Langres – a hike with donkeys in the nearby village of Pierrefontaines.
Patrice and Joelle Miot have 22 donkeys at the Elevage du Haut du Sec and they take visitors on walks in the surrounding countryside. The children were enchanted by the idea of taking Carma and Fiji out for a ramble. The latter were less enthusiastic. Initially, if they’d planted their hooves and refused to move at all they wouldn’t have been less keen. We had to haul them inch by inch along the pretty forest track with Jack, Lucy and Rosie taking it in turns to have a ride.
Eventually our two steeds decided if they had to go for a walk they might as well make the most of it so they cranked up the pace, slowing only to grab a crafty mouthful of tasty foliage whenever they could get away with it – with much admonishing from Joelle.
It was a delightful way to spend a couple of hours – enjoying the tranquillity of the woodland setting with a friendly and informative guide making sure no-one got lost or fell off or argued over whose turn it was, but eventually it was time to pat Carma and Fiji goodbye and head back to the campsite.
A brief flick through the tourist brochures gives a tantalising glimpse of all this region has to offer. Sadly too much to see and do in just two days. We wanted to picnic and swim at the Gorge de la Vingeanne near the enchanting village of Auberive and cycle down the Voie Verte from Langres to Flagey, not to mention spend a day at the Champagne-Ardenne’s only theme park – Nigloland, near Dolancourt.
But it was time to move on and an hour-and-a-half’s drive across country through wooded valleys and rolling fields of wheat, barley, maize and sunflowers brought us to France’s largest lake, the Lac du Der Chantecoq.
Completed in 1974, this vast inland sea was created to protect Paris from flooding by taking water from the River Marne during the winter when it is in spate and collecting it in the reservoir until it is needed during the summer months.
The 4,800 hectare lake is at its highest in June. It is then that the sluice gates are opened and it begins to drain gradually – 5cms a day – back into the Marne until at its lowest point in November it covers just 1,000 hectares and becomes a wetland haven for 270 species of indigenous and migratory birds.
We stayed in a comfortably furnished, self-catering villa at the Marina Holyder on the Presqu’île de Rougemer on the southern shores of the lake. What the buildings lack in character they make up for in colour, with each painted a subtle pastel hue. The holiday complex, complete with restaurant, bar, swimming pool and sauna, is situated close to the beach within easy reach of some shops. More substantial food purchases must be done in the supermarkets of Montier-en-Der, a 15-minute drive away.
The contrast between the two lakes is startling. Where the Lac de la Liez is picturesque and pretty, the Lac du Der is awe-inspiring and magnificent – in places it is hard to see across to the other side.
WATER CHOICE
There are heaps of things to do both on the lake and around it. It’s quite hard to choose. You can take a boat ride across the lake or a tourist train ride along the dyke at the water’s edge. You can go sailing, canoeing, hire pedaloes or a motorboat. You can swim, of course, go windsurfing or pony-riding; hire bikes and visit the various museums dotted around the lake’s circumference.
At 77kms all the way round, it makes an energetic day’s cycle ride. We opted for a more sensible exploration of 20km of lakeshore. Starting from the tourist information office in Giffaumont-Champaubert, we headed east along the cycle path until we reached the church of Champaubert-aux-Bois which was taken down and rebuilt on high ground stone by stone before the valley was flooded.
Standing alone on a little peninsula looking out over the huge expanse of blue water, it is actually quite a sad memorial to the three villages – Chanteqoc, Nuisement-aux-Boix and Champaubert – which were lost when the lake was formed.
Heading back the way we had come we cycled past the Port de Giffaumont and out on to the huge dyke which stretches across the foot of the valley. The view to the right was of water gently lapping against the rocks, sailing boats, colourful windsurfers, jet skis and powerboats – all of which are available for hire – while below to the left, herds of white cows grazed peacefully in the tree-dotted fields.
After a picnic at one of the lake’s six beaches – the lake has been cleverly designed so that even when the level is low, the beaches never run dry – we made our way back to the bike-hire shop and then put our feet up with an ice cream while the children played on the bouncy castles, trampolines and mini train in the Mini Park Toons Land.
Our final day in the region saw us venturing by car around the lake to visit the Musée du Pays du Der in the village of Sainte-Marie-du-Lac-Nuisement. The museum is made up of several timber-framed buildings that were saved from flooding, including the church of Nuisement, the school/town hall, the smithy, a dovecote and an old barn.
The tour begins with a short but fascinating film showing how the lake was made. It includes archive film footage and interviews with villagers affected and is a moving reminder of the lives changed forever by the creation of the Lac du Der. It ends on an upbeat note, however, with the words of an old farmer who waxes lyrical about how much better the area is with the lake than it was before – just as well really.
So with our stay all but over, what was the verdict? Without a pause, we all gave it a firm thumbs up but with one caveat – it is a long way to drive with small children, particularly if you don’t live in the southeast of England to start with. So while the adults felt we had barely scratched the surface of Champagne-Ardenne and would definitely put it on the list for a future visit, next time we might just break the journey in the pretty Picardy town of St-Quentin and arrive refreshed the next day, ready to make the most of this beautiful and fascinating region.
How to get there
The Curtis family travelled to Champagne-Ardenne with Eurotunnel (www.eurotunnel.com) and Budget Rent a Car (www.budget.com). See the Vital Stats section for more details about getting to the region.
LAC DE LA LIEZ
Where to stay and eat
Camping Sunelia Lac de la Liez
52200 Peigney
Tel: 00 33 (0)3 25 90 66 79
www.campingliez.com
Pitches from €16 per night (for two people)
Two-bedroom chalet from €50 per night (sleeps up to six)
Auberge des Voiliers
Lac de la Liez
52200 Peigney
Tel: 00 33 (0)3 25 87 05 74
www.hotel-voiliers.com
Double room from €50
Places to visit
Hike with a donkey
Patrice and Joelle Miot
Elevage du Haut du Sec
52160 Pierrefontaines
Tel: 00 33 (0)3 25 87 66 05
Bike hire and audiotour of Langres
Langres Tourist Office
Square O. Lahalle