Nanteuil-sur-Marne, Champagne
After a long winter break, I launched into wine walking again. In light of my tight schedule, I decided to make the short trip back to the little village of Nanteuil-sur-Marne.
Nanteuil is about 80 km to the east of Paris. Indeed, Nanteuil represents the border between the Paris region and the Champagne region. Since the train station is on the Paris side of the border, you can get there with just a regular Paris metro ticket.
Nanteuil may not be the prettiest French village. But it does have a lovely old church. The church we know today is a 16th century renovation of the previous edition which was destroyed during the “Hundred Years’ War”, a series of armed conflicts fought between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages.
I walked through the village, and then up the hill that pierces through the vineyards, and offers spectacular views across the vineyards (see photo).
I met a monsieur who was working on his cousin’s vineyard, clearing the vines such that grape bunches could form neatly. It is an arduous task which, he assured me, can only be done by hand.
After walking around the vineyards and through the neighbouring village of Crouettes sur Marne, I came across a Commonwealth War Cemetery.
Wandering through the beautiful vineyards of Champagne, it is difficult to imagine its wartime past. The Champagne area was indeed a major battleground during World War I, and the area was taken over and occupied by German forces for four tumultuous years during World War 2.