If you drive to southern France from Brussels the most common and shortest route leads you through Luxembourg. If you have the time and want to explore northern France or the Champagne region there are many more options.

Which places spring to mind if you think of Champagne? Reims, Épernay, perhaps Aÿ, maybe if you are a keen champagne drinker some smaller villages such as Verzenay. But how many of you would immediately think of Rouvres-les-Vignes? Or Colombey-les-Deux-Églises? Wait a minute, didn’t I get that wrong? Isn’t that village known just because Charles de Gaulle was born there (and is buried there)? No, I can assure you that you can find interesting champagne indeed in both these villages, and others, in the area, the Côte des Bar, to the east of Troyes in the south-east corner of the Champagne region.

Take small roads to get there and you may find a ladder to heaven your way.

This particular one is to be found in Châtillon-sur-Broué, in the Église Notre-Dame, built in the early 1500s.

There are more quaint villages to visit, more picturesque wooden churches to admire, but maybe you would like to move on, now that you have less than an hour to drive to Rouvres-les-Vignes or Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. If you choose to go to Rouvres, I recommend a stop at Champagne Claude Perrard to discover their produce. Jean-Pierre Perrard explains the philosophy of the small family business with enthusiasm and conviction. And a glass of champagne after a long drive on a warm day tastes just soooo good.