Avenay-Val-d'Or

Avenay-Val-d'Or is a winegrowing village in the Marne département with 956 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2023). If you want to get to know Champagne beyond the big names, this is a quiet place with a long monastic history and vines right on the doorstep.

Location

The village lies on the southern slope of the Montagne de Reims, in a valley shaped by the Livre. The little river is about 15 kilometres long, rises near Ludes and flows into the Marne. It is roughly 3 kilometres to Aÿ-Champagne, about 7 to Épernay and around 21 to Reims. The commune covers 12.5 square kilometres and lies within the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park. Its neighbours are Mutigny, Germaine, Fontaine-sur-Ay and Aÿ-Champagne.

Viticulture

Avenay-Val-d'Or is a winegrowing commune of the AOC Champagne and belongs to the Vallée de la Marne growing area. The village has no grand cru or premier cru classification. The vines grow where the relief of the Montagne de Reims runs out to the south and east into the Livre valley. To the north of the commune, by contrast, forest dominates: the highest point lies on the plateau at 256 metres, the lowest on the Livre at 73 metres. In the south-east rises the Mont Aigu at 210 metres. From there the view takes in the Champagne crayeuse, about 80 metres lower.

“Avenay-Val-d'Or is a winegrowing village in the Marne département with 956 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2023).

History

Avenay was already settled in Roman times. Around the year 660, Saint Bertha of Avenay founded a Benedictine abbey here, which shaped life in the village for centuries. The abbey buildings were completely demolished during the French Revolution. Today it is mainly the church that recalls the abbey.

Sights

• Église Saint-Trésain: The village's most important building dates in its present form from the 13th to the 16th century and is listed as a monument historique. It preserves relics and works of art from the former abbey.
• Lavoir: The old wash-house is fed by the Bief, one of the arms of the Livre that run through the village.
• Mont Hurlet: On the dry grassland beneath light pine cover grow numerous species of orchid. The site is considered the second most important orchid habitat in the Marne département.
• Quarry beneath the Mont Hurlet: Limestone was extracted here from the 12th century onwards. Today a large colony of bats hibernates here, making up around 20 per cent of the bats in the Marne département.

Well-known names

The medievalists Paulin Paris and his son Gaston Paris came from Avenay-Val-d'Or. Both taught at the Collège de France, and Gaston Paris was also a member of the Académie française.

For lovers of good food and wine, the village makes a worthwhile stop between Aÿ and the Montagne de Reims: the woods invite you to take a walk, and the vineyards are right next door.