La Chapelle-Monthodon

Location

La Chapelle-Monthodon lies in the south-east of the Aisne département, a good 17 kilometres east of Château-Thierry. The border with the Marne département is close, and Dormans to the north is barely six kilometres away. The village sits in the Saconnay valley, on the edge of the Bois du Breuil. The hamlets of Montleson, Chézy, Les Piots, Les Pozards and Monthodon belong to the village.

Anyone travelling through the western part of the Vallée de la Marne passes through a quiet side valley here, away from the big champagne roads. The village has no grand cru or premier cru classification. It is a rural village in the south of the Aisne, and so on the western edge of Champagne.

Administration and name

Since 1 January 2016, La Chapelle-Monthodon has been a commune déléguée of the commune nouvelle of Vallées en Champagne. Baulne-en-Brie and Saint-Agnan were merged in at the same time. The administrative seat is Baulne-en-Brie, around 4.4 kilometres away. In 2023 the village had 205 inhabitants. In French, the residents are called Odoniens.

“LocationLa Chapelle-Monthodon lies in the south-east of the Aisne département, a good 17 kilometres east of Château-Thierry.

The old Latin name was Capella ad montem Odonis, meaning the chapel on Odo's hill. During the Revolution the village was simply called Monthodon. The last lord of the manor is said to have been the Duke of Bouillon.

What to see

The village centre is small but worth a stop, especially for lovers of rural architecture:

• Church of the Nativité-de-la-Sainte-Vierge: founded in the 13th century and protected as a monument historique since 1920. The floor of the nave, made of glazed clay tiles, is particularly remarkable.
• Lavoir on the village square: the old wash house to the right of the church has a bronze sculpture inspired by the fable Le Coq et le Renard. There are three more wash houses in the village.
• Le Tout Petit Festival d'Agri(cultures): this festival of literature and art was first held on 20 November 2016 and takes place every two years.

For champagne travellers

La Chapelle-Monthodon is not a place for big tastings. But if you want to get to know Champagne beyond the famous names, it makes a good starting point. From here you can reach Dormans and the Marne valley in a few minutes, and Château-Thierry is about 17 kilometres away. It is best to plan visits to growers in the area in advance, as in villages this small the estates usually only receive visitors by appointment. The church and the wash house with its fable figure can be seen in a few minutes and combine well with a drive through the valley.