The Champagne vineyards, woodland and the Marne plain around Aÿ

The walk starts at the Hôtel Loisium, a superb building with a lovely view of the vineyards and the Marne.

(S/E) Walk towards the village of Mutigny. Join the Route d’Avenay and follow it straight on for 100 m.

(1) Turn right and walk up the Allée des Sablons towards Mutigny church. Turn left just after the church onto the sloping lane that leads to a viewpoint.

(2) Admire the view over the vineyard-covered slopes of the prestigious estates of Deutz and Moët & Chandon, as well as those of the small winegrowers in this beautiful Champagne vineyard.
Turn right and leave the village via the path that cuts through the vineyards, with the village of Aÿ in your sights. Follow the yellow signposts.
You can easily make out the town of Épernay in the distance, and the Marne Valley is clearly visible, with large stretches of water in winter.
Continue down through the vineyards and cross the Cubray stream (which flows into the Marne below Aÿ). Turn left just after the small bridge over the stream, then right towards the reservoir visible from the path. Walk round the reservoir and go down the stone steps leading to Rue Edmond Ayala.

(3) At the foot of the steps, opposite you to the north-west, head up the hillside through the vineyards of Epernay’s major estates. Note the white boundary markers indicating the illustrious owners of the vineyard plots. The vineyards are very often busy with farm workers who, depending on the season, prune and train the vines and shoots in winter.
Walk gently uphill to the edge of the forest, following the almost straight path.

(4) Leave the vineyards behind and enter the forest that crowns the top of the hill.
The surroundings change completely, giving way from the vineyard plots – neatly aligned by centuries of human labour – to a forest of tall trees and woodland paths.
The signposting suggests taking the bed of a small stream, but during wet winter periods the paths can be difficult to navigate and very slippery. It is better to walk straight on along the right bank of the stream until you reach the Allée des Chênes. Turn right when you reach it. Continue straight on to the Château de la Malmaison.

(5) Turn slightly left onto the forest track, continuing through the woods, until you reach the village of Champillon. When you see the first houses in the village, turn right at the edge of the woods.

(6) Turn left onto the first tarmac road, Allée des Pins, and head down to the village of Champillon via Rue du Bel Air and then Rue Chamisso. Cross Rue Jean-Jaurès with care, then continue straight on along Rue Pasteur.
Admire these charming, beautifully restored narrow streets, lined with lovely houses and Champagne cellars. Walk right through the village along Rue Pasteur, then Rue Baudet and Rue de la République, until you reach the adjoining vineyard again. The street names are clearly visible.

(7) Walk up the vineyard-covered hillside, straight on until you reach the edge of the forest.
Once again, the scenery changes as you leave the vineyards behind and enter the Hautevillers forest.
You’ll pass safely under the main road through a short tunnel. Follow the gravel forest track , keeping to the red and white^GR®14markings.

(8) Turn left to head downhill, still following the^GR®14, towards the village of Hautevillers.
You’ll come across a series of small signs introducing the different tree species along your route: beech, hornbeam, wild cherry, oak, aspen, holly…
As you approach the village, you’ll come to a small tarmac road lined with wine cellars: Rue Eguisheim. Continue along Rue de Bacchus.

(9) At Place de la République, Rue de Bacchus and Rue de Dom Pérignon meet. You couldn’t make it up!
Head down to the left along Rue de la Porte d’En Bas and turn right into Rue du Dessous des Clos.

(10) Leave the alleyway that turns right at a right angle and take the discreet path directly in front of you. Soon you’ll be back amongst the vineyards. Join a road and follow it to the left. Walk down the vineyard-covered hillside into the Marne valley and you’ll come out onto the D1, which you should follow to the left. Be careful, as traffic is heavy; keep well to the narrow verge and cross the D1 with caution. Walk alongside the Moët & Chandon estate for 200 metres along the D1 before taking the first street on the right and reaching the Pont Malo bridge over the Marne’s side canal.

(11) The terrain is now very flat. What a contrast to the route taken so far! The vineyards give way to clay fields with heavy, sticky soil. These are the alluvial deposits left behind by the Marne.
As soon as you’ve crossed the bridge, turn left onto the old towpath, now renamed the “Voie Verte”. Walk for 4.5 km along this towpath.

(12) As you pass, take a moment to admire how Lock No. 13 at Aÿ works. Continue along this towpath.

(13) When you reach the bridge spanning the canal, which is an extension of Avenue Victor Hugo, cross the canal heading north towards Aÿ town centre. Walk straight through the village, passing through Rue Jean Jaurès, Rue Gambetta and Rue Anatole France in turn, until you reach the junction where the circular route begins.

(3) Return to the car park (S/E) by turning right and following the outward route in the opposite direction.