The most beautiful natural sites to discover Champagne-Ardenne

Claude-Joseph Vernet (1764) will illustrate this view of Nogent-sur-Seine with the church Saint-Laurent, the fishermen holding their nets, and a young girl wearing his clothes in the landscape. Olive Island, on the look of Saint-Louis Island, derives its reputation from its presence in the sentimental education of Flaubert, and its name of the doctor emeritus, mayor in 1884, who donated it to the city in the exchange of the graves of his family. It was then called Collet Island or Île des Grands Locks, with as a sine qua non the absence of commerce, sale, cabin cabin… Today as yesterday, this nature is the ideal place for a romantic and romantic walk, especially as the setting up of a mobile bridge. The alleys of the park were traced and gravel, and the island as a whole, with three hectares, was remodeled thanks to a pruning of trees. An arboretum welcomes you and accompanies you with twenty panels that describe the different local species.

The city's waterways are one of the city's charms. The Nau complements the Petit Jard and the Market Castle, which is taking place in its waters. It then hides under Lochet Street to re-emerge the arts wharf, then conflue with the Mau, opposite the courthouse. The Mau, he enters the city by the Mauvillain Bridge, known for his arch in shell. It cools the gardens of the prefecture and reflects the wooden areas and the beautiful châlonnaises stones to the bridge of Putte-Savatte (rue Croix-des-Dyers). Then the watercourse disappears under the market square and comes back to the great day next to Notre-Dame-en-Vaux and recovers a little further the waters of the Nau. It was at this confluence that the port of the city was installed in 1377. The river continues towards St. Antoine Bridge or Submarine bridge to find the waters of the St. Martin Canal. The canal connecting Louis-XII to the Canal Saint-Martin and crossing the city leaves a tranquil meander in Jard, where fishermen settle. The lock becomes a show when a barge passes. Walks to make, bridges to cross…

Under the great skies of Champagne, the hillsides covered with vines, the small valleys where villages and their Romanesque churches nestle and then, on the plateau, deep forests. From the Champagne plain, you can see the edge of the forest massif of the Reims mountain topping the slopes. The plateau culminates at 288 m, almost uniformly flat and covered on 20 000 ha with dense forests. Once owned by the abbeys of Reims and its surroundings, it is now divided between the 6 800 ha managed by the ONF and private properties.

This forest, which has become known as the Revolution, is a place of escape easily accessible from Chaumont. Several hiking and mountain biking trails allow you to turn around or at least discover part of it. The shortest trail is 4 km, while the longest runs 13 km. The departure can be made from three main places: the Lily area, from where there is a botanical trail, the Clear oaks area and its health course, and the area of the Fountain Sainte-Bookseller, which also includes a 9 km mountain bike circuit.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 1 p. m.

Difficulty: .

This natural site in the near outskirts of the city is the opportunity for families to relax by playing adventurers, without risk, because the site is well marked, with various routes more or less disgraded. The site was once the site of Montaigu Castle, now disappeared. The route of Compostelle between Troyes and Auxerre also borrowed the path of the castle. Here, children are now taking pleasure in arbating the steep trails, picking up strands through wood, asking themselves in the openings… The most despicable will go out to ATV, with a possible departure from the ancient church of Laines-aux-Bois and a loop by Souligny. The place is perfect for picnics and ample enough to multiply walks but the evening comes, it is much less popular, and very isolated…

At the doors of the city, we encounter forest charm, for walking and also sport. The site is equipped with 3 health course circuits of 1 700 m, 2 000 m and 4 000 m, at different levels, interspersed with explanatory panels.

Neuville-sur-Valve, St-Benoit-sur-Valve… The Valve waters this whole region before drinking the Parisians. She takes her source here, under St. Alban Church, at Mount Pimont. Go down 50 m and cross the national that gives such a dull and so sad appearance in the village. Don't trust appearances, bend behind the bus bus… You're rewarded: below is a beautiful covered th-century wash wash, with a wooden area, which is well restored and leaves its vats in the first waters of the nascent creek. With a picnic, you will be installed on this green rest area along which the first waves of the watercourse wind.

Located in the Domaine Saint-Victor, 3 km from Soulaines towards Brienne-le-Château, this association offers numerous animations for schools and groups (on reservation). Forest visits, ponds tours, hiking, geology discovery, amphibian migration observation… Saint Victor's estate also houses a park to deer, moist meadows and a wooded area to discover butterflies, wetlands, forests, gardens............................…. water bodies and diagnostics on natural spaces.

It is a place that is often ignored and even more function. The Mussy-sur-Seine cooler consists of a spectacular stone cylinder of 10 m deep and about 7 m in diameter. From the outside, difficult to get a clear idea of the thing. This cooler was in some way the fridge of Langres bishops when they stayed in Mussy during the summer. It is in an excellent state of conservation, rare in France, and is visible upon request at the tourist office.

The ponds of Reynel represent a Eden for fishermen. Located next to the castle, they are lined with wood and the landscape is not only admirable but also, so peaceful! Professionals agree on these two strengths: calm and framework. All year round and 24 h/24, you can throw your canes in order to tease the pike (minimum 60 cm), gardons plump and coveted carp. Do if you have fishing as a leisure!

These 30 ha marshes, classified as Natura 2000, provide a refuge for fauna and flora that visitors can see perched at an altitude of 470 m. This wet and peaty area is home to a very rich specific biodiversity. The Konik-Polsky horse was introduced to the site to contain the vegetation.

Sublime geological curiosity, this cave of the Jurassic era excavated in the limestone of Givet is one of the attractions of the region opened since 1896. The 9 open rooms allow you to observe many concrete events - animals or characters that come out of the rock - a rock suspended as by magic and a column of 3 million years! Many animal traces have been revealed: mammoth, aurochs and pheasant pheasants. It is also likely that they have received human occupation in prehistoric times. A rather magical place for children, it is recommended to cover well, since the temperature avoids the 9 ° C and put good shoes, to climb the stone staircase. From the Nutons Hall, we get to the Salle du Gouffre, where the first traces of human occupation are found, and then to the Lion Room, which owes its name to the form of a concrete, then to that of the Clair de Lune, the room of Lovers, where one distinguishes the silhouette of a couple. 

If we know the Faux de Verzy in the Marne, we know less about this tree which is more than 800 years old. There are few in France. It was a junction of three fields, hence its name. It is 5 metres wide and it is even said that some people hid there during the Second World War. A superb site that gives a good excuse for a walk.

The route of the upper Meuse valley goes to the great figures of history such as Louise Michel, the brothers Goncourt and Camille Flammarion. Goncourt is initially a village, halfway between the Meuse and Lorraine. The Meuse takes its source in Pouily-en-Bassigny at 409 meters above sea level. Enjoy the beautiful scenery around the nascent river. In just a few tens of kilometers, you will discover a whole local heritage. We go to Fresnoy, we make a hook up to Morimond Abbey before returning to Choiseul and his beautiful twelfth century church. A passage through the site of the Mothe, then we find the downstream Meuse to go back to the D 74. Goncourt, then Bourmont, after a small detour by Vroncourt-la-Côte to salute Louise Michel, Clefmont and then Montigny-le-Roi. The chief of the Val has a heavy past. Property of the Count of Champagne, he sees a castle in xiiie, becomes Montigny-le-Roi when his lord is crowned king of Navarre.