Cormoyeux

Location

Cormoyeux lies in the Marne département on the southern flank of the Montagne de Reims and belongs to the regional nature park there. The village nestles in a valley carved by the Ru de Brunet, a tributary of the Marne. Neighbouring communes are Nanteuil-la-Forêt, Hautvillers, Romery and Fleury-la-Rivière. By road it is about 12 kilometres to Épernay and 27 kilometres to Reims. The nearest railway stations are in Ay and Épernay.

With 129 inhabitants (as of 2023) and an area of just 217 hectares, Cormoyeux is a very small place. There is only one hamlet, Les Essarts in the north-west.

Viticulture and landscape

The village economy revolves mainly around winegrowing. Cormoyeux is classified neither as Grand Cru nor as Premier Cru, but the land-use figures show how strongly the vines shape the commune: a good 35 per cent is given over to permanent crops, mainly vineyards, and just under 35 per cent to woodland (as of 2018).

The relief explains this mix. The altitude ranges from 145 metres along the stream in the south to 264 metres on the wooded plateau of the Montagne de Reims. The village itself lies mostly between 175 and 200 metres. Between the valley floor and the high ground, the vineyard slopes climb upwards. Anyone tasting champagne here is quite literally sitting between vines and forest.

“The nearest railway stations are in Ay and Épernay.With 129 inhabitants (as of 2023) and an area of just 217 hectares, Cormoyeux is a very small place.

Nature and geology

On the slope there are fossil deposits from the Lutetian, part of the sites found around Damery and Fleury-la-Rivière. The woods of Bois de la Hazette and Bois de la Grosse Fontaine, an area of around 54 hectares, are protected. They consist of beech-ash and oak-hornbeam woodland on chalky soil. Plants rare in the département grow there, such as asarabacca, stinking iris and mezereon.

Larmandier-Bernier Champagner Reben

Things to see

• The church of Saint-Clément, dating from the 16th century, the village's architectural landmark
• The forests of the Montagne de Reims with their protected flora, ideal for walks between two tastings
• The vineyard slopes above the village with views down into the valley

For food and wine lovers

Cormoyeux is not a place for grand sightseeing but a quiet base. The better-known Hautvillers borders it directly, and Épernay with its champagne houses is a few minutes away by car. If you want to experience Champagne away from the famous names, here you will find a village where wine still sets the rhythm of daily life.