Jonquery

Location

Jonquery lies in the west of the Marne département, in the middle of the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park. The village sits in a hollow that the stream ru de Jonquery (also called the Ruisseau de la Maquerelle) has cut into the massif. The commune covers 434 hectares, with heights ranging from 114 to 241 metres. By road it is about 26 kilometres to Reims and 18 kilometres to Dormans. Neighbouring communes include Ville-en-Tardenois, Romigny, Olizy and Cuisles.

In 2023 Jonquery had 115 inhabitants. It is a rural commune with scattered buildings and lies within the catchment area of Reims. Administratively it belongs to the Communauté de communes Ardre et Châtillonnais.

Viticulture

The vineyards of Jonquery lie on the slopes south-west of the village. The commune is not classified as Grand Cru or Premier Cru. That does not make it uninteresting for wine lovers: if you want to get to know the Montagne de Reims away from the famous names, here you will find a corner of Champagne without much fuss.

“Neighbouring communes include Ville-en-Tardenois, Romigny, Olizy and Cuisles.In 2023 Jonquery had 115 inhabitants.

Wine growing is only one part of the landscape. According to the 2018 figures, a good 53 per cent of the land is arable, just under 26 per cent is woodland and just under 11 per cent is permanent crops, which include the vines. The climate is temperate oceanic. The nearest weather station, in neighbouring Chambrecy, recorded an average of 10.7 °C and around 734 millimetres of rainfall a year between 1991 and 2020. Winters are cool and summers rather fresh, but heat records such as 40.3 °C in July 2019 do occur.

Name and history

The village name is recorded as Jonqueriacum as early as 1146. It derives from the French word jonchère, meaning a bed of rushes. That suits a village on a stream in a damp hollow.

Billecart-Salmon Champagne

What to see

The most important building is the church of Saint-Martin. It dates from the 12th century and was listed as a Monument historique on 20 August 1919. It was restored after the First World War. Because it stands at a low point in the village, it still struggles with rising damp.

• Church of Saint-Martin, 12th century, Monument historique
• Walks and rambles in the Montagne de Reims nature park
• Vineyards on the south-west slopes above the village

For a visit, it makes sense to combine it with Reims, which is a drive of just under 30 minutes. Jonquery itself is a quiet place where you can experience the rural side of Champagne.