Bergères-sous-Montmirail

Bergères-sous-Montmirail is a quiet village on the western edge of Champagne. With 137 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2023), it is one of the very smallest communes in the region. Visitors who come here are not looking for big names, but for a look at the rural side of the appellation.

Location

The commune lies in the south-west of the Marne département in the Grand Est region, and belongs to the arrondissement of Épernay and the canton of Sézanne-Brie et Champagne. In terms of landscape, it is part of the Brie champenoise. The village sits in the valley of the Petit Morin, on its right bank. The river is 86 kilometres long and flows into the Marne at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre.

Road distances help with getting your bearings:

• Montmirail: 7 km
• Sézanne: 21 km
• Épernay: 42 km
• Châlons-en-Champagne: 63 km

Viticulture

North of the village, on the slopes of the valley, stand vines that are entitled to the name Champagne. Bergères-sous-Montmirail is neither grand cru nor premier cru, but it is precisely these fringe locations that show how far the appellation reaches. The vineyard area is just one piece of a mosaic: according to 2018 data, a good 54 per cent of the commune's land is arable, 30 per cent is woodland and about 10 per cent is meadow. Permanent crops account for a little over 5 per cent.

“With 137 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2023), it is one of the very smallest communes in the region.

The terrain is rolling. Elevations range from 127 to 227 metres, and on both sides of the valley the plateaus lie above 200 metres. The climate is oceanic. At the nearest weather station, in Esternay, the annual mean for 1991 to 2020 was 11.0 °C, with rainfall of around 700 millimetres.

Village and name

The place name goes back to the plural of the Old French word bergière, meaning a sheepfold or sheep pen. The village is already recorded in 1194 as Bergeriæ and Bergieres. The addition "sous-Montmirail" refers to the neighbouring town of Montmirail, which lies to the north-west.

Bergères-lès-Vertus

Besides the village itself, seven hamlets belong to the commune, among them Moulin Henry on the Petit Morin, and Boutavent and La Haute Vaucelle on the heights to the north. The buildings are widely scattered. In 2021 there were 98 dwellings, all of them detached houses, and almost 30 per cent of main residences date from before 1919.

Nature

Between Bergères-sous-Montmirail and Boissy-le-Repos lies a designated nature reserve of 90 hectares (ZNIEFF type I). It takes in slope woodland, mainly pedunculate oak, and at the foot of the slope an alder carr with calcareous springs. Plants rare for the region grow there, such as marsh ragwort and the spring squill, along with some twenty bird species.

For lovers of good food and wine, the village makes a starting point for exploring Champagne away from the well-known winegrowing villages. After a walk through the Petit Morin valley, it is worth continuing to Montmirail or Sézanne, where a stay can easily be extended.