TOURS & AUBE EN CHAMPAGNE

 WHAT'S INCLUDED

Departure dates throughout the year
Durations from 4 days 3 nights
Return short channel crossings
Return executive coach travel
From 3 nights at a 3 star hotel in Troyes
Half board throughout

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1 Depart from your pick up point and travel to take the short crossing to the continent. On arrival at the hotel in Troyes you will have time to settle in & freshen up before dinner tonight..

Day 2 After breakfast we will be met by our guide who will provide a guided tour of the city on foot and by coach. The origins of the 1st settlement date back to prehistoric times and Greek geographers mention a ‘celtic’ tribe called ‘Tricasses’ that gave name to Troyes. There was no France at this time and even Attila the Hun invaded the region only to spare the city after the bishop surrendered to him. In the 9th century Charlemagne took control and the origins of France were born. Three centuries later Thibaut the third completed the construction of the outer walls that remain today, which are in the shape of a champagne cork. Walking around the streets of Troyes is like going back a few centuries and the magnificent buildings have been sympathetically transformed to provide an atmosphere unmatched in all of France. From here we continue oto one of the regions most renowned champagne chateaux, Chateau de Bligny. The XV111 century chateau was constructed by the Marquess of Dampierre in the heart of the beautiful Cotes de Bar landscape. You will be given a guided tour of the spectacular lounges, see the crystal flute collection and see a film on the vinyards. Of course there will also be a tasting of a selection of the chateaux champagne’s. The magnificent chateau is a house of rich history and architectural wine making heritage. It has a fantastic collection of implements and tools used for planting, tilling and harvesting the time honoured art of champagne making. From here it's onto Essoyes where in 1887 Aligne Charigot took her husband, Pierre August Renoir where he was overwhelmed by the wonderful light and atmosphere and so took up residence here. For 25 years Renoir painted many of his masterpieces in Essoyes and he along with most of his family, is buried in the church graveyard. Each year the Renoir Foundation funds a young artist who works at his original workshop, where you will have a tour. We return to Troyes and the hotel where dinner is included this evening.

Day 3 We will be joined by our guide from the Aube en Champagne tourist office who will accompany us on a visit to the half timbered churches in Troyes. In this small city centre alone there are over 10 medieval half timbered churches, which date back many centuries and provide a fascinating insight into the life and times of the region. Next we drive to one of the world's most famous and oldest champagne houses, Drappier in Urville. The family settled on the land in 1808 and planted the original vinyard that remains until this day. The main cellars were built in the X11 century by Clairvaux monks and house the special vintages as well as the ‘big bottles’, the 36-bottle ‘Primat’, which are the pride of the house. You will have a guided tour and sample some of the produce during your visit. Our next visit is to Chateau Chacenay which dates back to the 10th century and is situated in the heart of the beautiful Champagne countryside. Located on the "Route Touristique de Champagne", this imposing castle offers a fascinating insight into medieval France. Hidden by trees and surrounded by a deep, but now empty, moat, the castle combines stunning grounds, a dramatic fortress and comfortable stately home. Visitors will see a majestic house containing many priceless artistic treasures, as well as a 12th century chapel and a drawbridge flanked by two towers that leads to the Great Courtyard. Together they evoke a deep sense of a bygone era.The castle was the scene of many bloody battles, sieges and bombardments and remained impregnable until it was conquered by Louis XI in 1472. This afternoon we visit one of the regions most beautiful areas, The Forest of Orient. The region is located to the east of Troyes and is a national park and area of outstanding beauty. The Orient lake was constructed to regulate the flow of the rivers Seine and Aube and has been called after the names of the Knights of Orient, Hospitallers and Templars, the former owners of the Orient Forest which spread from the Pays d'Othe to the hills of Saint-Dizier. Here we visit the 'Maison du Parc' which is situated in the middle of the forest and is a 16th building which now hosts the tourism office and has a permanent exhibition presenting the territory of the Park. Dinner will be in the hotel this evening.

Day 4  After checking out of the hotel we head west to the village of Marnay sur Seine where we first visit the Botanical Garden of Marnay sur Seine where you can discover over 3,000 species of plants and flowers. This collection has been brought from nearly every country in the world and have been divided into thematic gardens. A great number of perfumes, colours and tastes will embellish your visit, from the rose garden to the pots theatre, going through the vegetable garden that specializes in old varieties of vegetables. After the Botanical gardens we will be visiting one of the most beautiful chateaux in the region, Motte Tilly. This château is a perfect example of 18th century architecture and displays its harmonious facades at the heart of a beautiful park situated near Nogent-sur-Seine. In 1754, the abbot Joseph Terray, who became Louis XV's finances general inspector and Lord of La Motte-Tilly demolished the old feudal castle in order to build the present dwelling and the gardens according to the plans of the architect François Nicolas Lancret. The chateau was not spared by the Revolution or France's invasion by the Allies after the fall of the First Empire and by the Second World War, and was ransacked several times. The main attractions in the château are the Louis XV blue room, the Orangerie where exotic species can be found in the 18th century gardens, on which there has been a preservation order since 1946, when they were extensively restored. Lunch can be taken in in Nogent sur Seine before we continue on our return journey back to the UK arriving at oour original departure point(s) later this evening.

PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS
Price on application
Single supplements & minimum  numbers apply

HOW TO BOOK

Choose your departure date
For your instant quote / more information:
Call Simply Groups on 01943 605999 or
click here to use our online enquiry form.

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