Avenue de Champagne is the grand boulevard of Épernay, and its fame is out of all proportion to its length. Along it stand the great champagne houses, Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger and others, in mansions built with the profits of the nineteenth century, with wrought-iron gates, tall windows and manicured lawns. Napoleon was a friend of the Moët family, and the story goes that he stopped here on his way to war. Whatever the truth, the street has the air of a place where money has always been well spent.
What you cannot see is more impressive. Under the pavements run cellars carved into chalk, a labyrinth of galleries that reaches many kilometres in total, and the avenue is, in a sense, the roof of an enormous cold, dark warehouse where millions of bottles lie waiting. It is no accident that the area is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars.
Épernay, with more than 27,000 people, is a perfectly sensible place to stop. Fuel is easy at the edge of town, and the centre has bakeries, brasseries and shops, though the quality of food in this town is in keeping with the price of the wine. If you want a tour, book ahead, because the major houses fill up quickly, especially at weekends and in autumn. Remember, too, that tasting and riding are a poor pair. Choose a designated driver, or take the train back.
On the bike, the avenue itself is slow and flat, lined with plane trees and parked cars, with strict speed limits and cameras. It is a place for strolling more than racing. The real riding lies beyond the town, where the roads wind up through the vines to Hautvillers and the Montagne de Reims. Come back in the evening, when the lamps come on along the avenue and the mansions glow, and you will see why the town takes such pride in itself.