If you get no kicks from Champagne, it could be that you're visiting the wrong part of it. For far from the madding crowds of Epernay and the now industrial city of Reims lies another unpretentious Champagne of small producers, rivers and villages.
Troyes
Before you get stuck in to the serious wine country, I'd begin any visit in the city of Troyes, the breathtaking medieval capital of the region. An impressive and ongoing restoration effort is uncovering more and more of its half-timbered buildings and stones still protrude from facades to protect them from bygone chariot wheels. In alleys such as the Ruelle des Chats, the leaning buildings and gargoyles crowd so closely above your head that you feel enclosed in the middle ages.
This can be hazardous, however, as to make the best use of space in the cramped medieval town, the wattle and daub buildings were designed to get wider and wider with every storey above ground. This means that their eaves often meet in the middle, providing the perfect habitat for pigeons to lurk and take aim - I'd say from taking a direct hit that it's probably best to wear a hat while walking around.
The city's oldest quarter dates back to Roman settlement, and has gradually been enlarged, most rapidly in the 19th century when the thriving textile industry sucked thousands of workers into the town. By hazard or design, the central area flanked by the Seine on the one side and the 19th-century boulevards on the other has taken the form of a champagne cork (or "bouchon de champagne") a fact in which the locals take great pride. The city flourished thanks to the 12th- to 14th-century Champagne fairs, which twice a year drew wool, leather, spice and jewellery merchants to trade in the city from across Europe.
Though France may be losing out to Asia in the modern era of textile production, the history of hosiery and knitwear production in Troyes has left a legacy in the form of three major discount factory outlets. One of them, Marques Avenue, stocks 240 brands alone, from Levis to Kenzo. Sales are held in January and June but fashion and furnishing bargains can be found all year round.
The city's nine historic churches - including the Eglise St Jean where England's Henry V married Catherine of France to end the 100 years' war - and varied art and history museums should fill at least a day or two. Visit the Museum of Modern Art for its collection of Derain, Braque and Vlamink and the Tool museum at least for its atmospheric courtyard which is hosting a free outdoor exhibition this summer recreating a medieval kitchen garden.
An ideal, if pricy, base in the city is the stunning Maison de Rhodes hotel, right in the centre of town next to the cathedral. A tranquil sanctum next to the cathedral in the centre of town, the 17th former convent has just 11 lofty rooms and once belonged to the Knights Templar of Malta. The décor skilfully blends painstaking restoration and modern understated chic, the romance factor is high and the service is relaxed and extremely friendly.
A lovely place to stop for tea and a quick gallery visit is in the courtyard of the Cour du Lion d'Or, just off the rue Emile Zola shopping street. I was also particularly drawn to the master chocolatier Pascal Caffet's emporium at 2, Rue de la Monnaie, but wandering around anywhere in the warren of the old quarter is a good bet as long as you keep off the main tourist drag of Rue Champeaux.
The champagne route
Troyes is an easy 1.5-hour train ride from Paris's Gare de l'est or a three- to five-hour drive from Calais. From there it's about a half hour's drive to the south-western Côte des Bar area, where a beautiful 136-mile champagne route is clearly marked by the side of the roads.
Here, the wine is made by families long-steeped in the traditional Champagne method, in sleepy villages bordered by rivers and woods. The Aube region produces a quarter of France's champagne, and much of what the small producers make is sold on to the big houses that line the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. But a visit to local cultivators and a tasting of the prized produce in their homes is a very different experience to the glitz and glamour of the Avenue.
At Champagne Rémy Massin et fils in Ville sur Arce (yes, it does sound rude in English), Mme Massin has devised an in-depth geological tour explaining the soil conditions of the terroir, her method for producing award-winning champagne and even a display of fossils four generations of her family have unearthed during their cultivation. If given enough notice, Madame will even paint a bottle or two for special occasions, and her Cuvée Tradition comes in at a cool €12 a bottle. The drive to the champagne house is far prettier if you approach via nearby Celles sur Ource and there are plenty of producers signposted for casual or booked tasting visits. Just beware of turning up unannounced on a Sunday or in September, unless you want to help out with the annual harvest. An ideal time to visit would be July 29-30 to catch the festival of the Champagne route in the villages around Bar sur Seine.
Other regional delights
If you need a day off champagne crawling, Pierre August Renoir is buried in nearby Essoyes, where he painted every summer for 25 years or you could drop into the chateau at Chacenay or taste the region's AOC Chaource cheese in the village of the same name. If short on time, it might be worth dropping into the tasting centre at Les Riceys, which is also known for its rosé wine, much favoured by Louis XIV. Children may also welcome a day at Nigloland, France's fourth-biggest theme park or a go on one of the quad bike circuits that seem to be springing up as winegrowers try to broaden their appeal to visitors.
To the east, lie the region's three manmade recreational lakes - the largest in Europe - with one dedicated to sailing, another to water sports and the third to fishing and canoeing. As part of a Europe-wide project, the lakes are cleverly linked to nearby villages and all the way to Troyes and by a network of "Voie Vertes" cycle paths, launched three years ago.
Bordering Burgundy to the south, food and wine fans can head on towards Dijon to continue the feast, or reach Paris in an hour and a half's drive westward. That is, if you want to leave. Visiting Epernay on my journey home, I was reminded of the wow factor of Moet's catwalk-cum-showroom, the glamour of the big-name houses and the elegance of the town. But I was also reminded of the pretensions, the crowds and the tour buses, and I felt like turning around and heading back.
Way to go
If you would prefer to stock up, it's best to drive from the UK with Eurotunnel whose regular 35-minute crossings cost from £49 per car one way. Troyes is a three to five-hour drive from Calais along the A26 toll motorway.
By rail, Troyes is one and a half hours from Gare de l'est in Paris, an easy connection from the Eurostar, which arrives at the neighbouring Gare du Nord.
Where to stay
Maison de Rhodes, 18, rue Linard Gonthier (+33 (0)3 25 43 11 11). Double rooms from €129 euros per night, suites from €210. Next door and run by the same family is the more traditionally decorated, four-star Le Camps des Oiseaux hotel. Double rooms cost from €100 and suites from €210. Or a three-star option is Le Grand Hotel with double rooms from €60 per night.
Near the Lakes: L'Auberge du Lac. A three-star option; some rooms have jacuzzi baths! auberge-du-lac.fr
In Chaource: Aux Maisons. Also three-star; has an outdoor pool and restaurant. logis-aux-maisons.com
Where to eat
In Troyes, the rue General Saussier has several options, including the Victoria for tea and salads, and Arômes et Gourmandises for lunch. In the Côte des Bar, for a treat try La Parentèle, 32 rue Marcellin Lévêque, 10260 Villemoyenne (03 25 43 68 68) The village's name may mean "average town" but the food is far from mediocre.
Where to shop
Troyes' three factory outlets are McArthurGlen, Marques Avenue, and Marques City.
