Courthiézy

Location in the western Marne valley

Courthiézy lies in the west of the Marne département, right on the border with the Aisne département and therefore with the Hauts-de-France region. The Marne forms the municipality's northern boundary, and this is where the land is lowest, at 62 metres. To the south it rises quickly, reaching up to 243 metres on the Brie plateau. The village itself sits at the foot of the slopes of the Marne valley, at the mouth of a small side valley shaped by the Ravin des Masurettes.

The commune covers 589 hectares and had exactly 339 inhabitants in 2023. Besides the village itself, it includes the hamlets of Voucy on the Marne and Les Coqs on the plateau. It is only five kilometres to Dormans, about 29 to Épernay and around 19 to Château-Thierry.

Viticulture in Courthiézy

Courthiézy is neither a grand cru nor a premier cru. That makes the village no less interesting for wine lovers, because its economy is strongly shaped by wine growing. As throughout the western Marne valley, Pinot Meunier traditionally plays an important role here. It is considered a grape variety that copes well with the cooler conditions and clay soils of this stretch of the valley, and it gives champagnes fruitiness and suppleness.

“According to the 2018 land-use statistics, forests cover 43.8 per cent of the commune's area.

The vines are only one part of the landscape. According to the 2018 land-use statistics, forests cover 43.8 per cent of the commune's area. Permanent crops, which include the vineyards, account for 6.1 per cent.

Sights and nature

• The village church is dedicated to Saint Omer and defines the look of the village.
• The protected area "Pelouses calcaires et prairies de fauche de Courthiézy" extends over 68 hectares. It includes the chalk grasslands of the Saradans east of the village and the hay meadows of the Croix de la Reine to the south.
• Both habitats are rare in the Brie champenoise. Many orchid species grow here, including the burnt orchid. Protected animals include the sand lizard and the asp viper.

If you want some exercise between tastings, this mix of vine-covered slopes, woodland and chalk grassland makes for rewarding walking country.

Weinkiste Henri Abele Champagner

Getting there

The département road D3, the former national road N3 from Paris to Germany, runs through the village. It links Château-Thierry in the west with Dormans and Épernay in the east. North of the village, the Paris–Strasbourg railway line runs alongside the Marne. The nearest station is Dormans, with regular services to the Gare de l'Est in Paris. That makes Courthiézy easy to include as a stop on a drive through the Marne valley.

The village is rural in character: 99 per cent of its 194 dwellings are houses, and almost 30 per cent of main residences date from before 1919. This gives the village the feel of an established winegrowing community that has kept its own rhythm away from the big champagne towns.