Eighteen metres below the streets of Reims, a stone staircase of a hundred and sixteen steps leads down into one of the most remarkable wine cellars in the world. The Pommery caves were dug as Roman chalk quarries, the crayères, whose tall, pyramid-shaped galleries were later linked by tunnels into a network about eighteen kilometres long. When a widow, Madame Pommery, took over her late husband's champagne business in 1858, she saw the potential of the chalk pits and built her cellars there, as well as a huge neo-Gothic and Elizabethan-style estate above ground.
She was a daring businesswoman. In the 1870s, she created one of the first dry champagnes, a brut, at a time when the English and Russian markets liked sweeter wine. Down in the galleries, carved reliefs were cut into the walls by a sculptor, and the bottles lie in dark racks that disappear into the distance, a quiet army of green glass. During the First World War, locals sheltered here from bombardment, and the cellars have also been used for art installations in recent years.
The caves are on the outskirts of Reims, close to the town of Cormontreuil, which has about six and a half thousand people and fuel stations, though it is easier to find a wide choice of stations on the main roads into Reims. Visits are guided, usually booked in advance, and last around an hour, ending with a tasting. Tickets can sell out in high season, so book ahead if you can. The cellars hold a steady temperature of around ten to twelve degrees, so wear a jacket under the helmet, and leave the gloves outside, because steps and rails can be damp.
For a rider, it makes a fine stop before or after a day among the vineyards, since the caves are a few minutes from the ring road and have parking. Do not drink and ride, of course, but a tasting is best saved for when the bike is parked for the night. The glow of the glass in the dim galleries is unforgettable, and the cool air is a pleasure in July.