Far from Reims and Epernay, there is another Champagne. Not one of grand houses, and wealthy luxury firms. This district is a quiet, country-based one, and very much in touch with its roots. This is the Department of the Aube, close to Champagne’s border with Burgundy, with which it shares a passion for terroir. It was the terroir and the family run champagne houses here that I came to visit.
The Cote des Bars wine district lies between the small towns of Bar-sur-Seine and Bar-sur-Aube. The vineyards lie mostly on south-facing slopes. It is a very tranquil area, ideal for easy, relaxing hiking adventures. The trail I hiked was in a small village just south of Bar-sur-Seine. Celles-sur-Ource, like Bar-sur-Seine and Bar-sur-Aube, follows along a river, the Ource. This tiny river is a natural watershed for the area, and the trail took advantage by crossing it a couple of times, which provided nice opportunities to walk along the gently flowing waters.
But it also climbed the vineyard slopes. There were two slopes of vineyards, one on each side of the Ource. While the ascents were relatively short, there were a couple of them. The first came after leaving the village center and crossing the Ource.
North of the river, fields soon give way to vineyards, and the climb begins slowly, but steadily. It meanders through different vineyard plots, some even proudly named, even if they are not considered Grand Cru plots. As the trail snakes its way north and east, the plot names are found on cement posts. At the top of the ridgeline, an observation point provides wonderful views of the surrounding countryside for miles around.
From here, the trail heads downhill, through the vineyards, ultimately crossing the main road, D69, again. Continuing to head south, the trail passes into a wooded area, as it meanders toward the sound of running water. Soon the trail crosses the Ource again, in a delightful sylvan glade.
As I headed uphill from there, I had plenty of opportunity to reflect that the vines on the southern side of the river were not as splendidly situated as the vines on the other side of the departmental road. More copses were here. In places, the terrain seemed less even, with dips followed by steeper rises. The comparison was interesting. You could almost call these two halves, so different, each a trail of its own; and complete them separately, as the map showed could be done easily and safely. (In fact, I was tempted to do so, because heavy rain threatened during much of my time on the circuit.)
Passing just below a long, sinuous copse, I finally reached the top of the southern ridge, and arrived at another observation point. From the orientation table, I could look over the little valley of the Ource, out to the northern ridgeline, where I had stood a short while before. Queen of all I surveyed, which was mostly a lot of vineyards. But these were not just any vineyards, these were champagne vineyards!
After another brief climb, the trail headed down through vineyards, and into the village. It was a quirky little village, with champagne houses seemingly as plentiful as the vineyards around it. (A good many of these are conveniently located for vehicle traffic along D69, rather than on the trail itinerary of quaint winding and narrow streets of upper Celles.) But no matter where they are, they proudly produce champagne, and are eager to offer tastings to champagne lovers like myself!