10/10 Excellent
James W., Toronto Canada
23 Sep 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Champagne tastes and rural bliss
We spent two weeks at the Pavilion du Lac, a self contained apartment with good amenities (small washing machine, dishwasher, excellent shower, well laid out kitchenette and places to quietly sit and eat outside or in. There’s WiFi and a glorious 400 metre tree lined avenue before impressive wrought iron gates and a moat. The chateaux has been in the family for over 200 years and is set within a huge property including a lake (that’s swimmable). One Sunday, the chateaux was open to the public and there was a lot of interest. Marc, our host, was unintrusive, helpful, and had many recommendations. He also works hard to keep the estate tidy. We visited Troyes (60 mins), Rheims (40 mins) and Épernay (20 mins) and made several trips to Châlons-en-Champagne, just 15 mins away. The highlight was a visit to Lamiable champagne in Tours sur Marne (15 mins) where we bottled champagne. An absolutely lovely getaway that needs a bit of planning (restaurant hours are strict but we discovered lots of excellent places including the Auberge in neighbouring Matouche) but there is so much charm to explore. A frequent trip to the boulangerie in Recis (10 mins) was a delightful ritual. Avoid the champagne houses in Epernay and seek out the small farms. Two hours from Charles de Galle and a million miles from traffic jams. I hope we return.
James W.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2023
