Mardeuil

Mardeuil is not a name that shines on labels. The commune holds neither grand cru nor premier cru status. But if you want to understand Champagne beyond the famous addresses, this is a place where wine growing is still part of everyday life and a real economic force.

Location

Mardeuil lies in the Marne valley, about 3 km from the centre of Épernay and roughly 19 km south-south-west of Reims. The Marne marks the commune's northern boundary. Neighbouring villages are Cumières, Hautvillers, Épernay, Vauciennes and Damery. The highest point is at 73 metres, so this is flat land by the river rather than hillside. The former Route nationale 3, now the D3, runs through the village and links Épernay with Château-Thierry. As of 1 January 2023 the commune had 1,457 inhabitants.

Viticulture

About 180 hectares of vines belong to the commune. According to 2018 data, a good 86 per cent of the land is used for agriculture, and just under 23 per cent is given over to permanent crops, mainly vines. There are also arable fields and meadows.

“As of 1 January 2023 the commune had 1,457 inhabitants.ViticultureAbout 180 hectares of vines belong to the commune.

The growers' cooperative was built in 1956. Today a new cooperative stands in the La Cerisière industrial estate in the north-west. The industrial zone between Cumières and Épernay is home to many businesses connected to the wine trade. The climate is temperate and oceanic. At the nearest weather station in Chouilly, the annual mean for 1991 to 2020 is 11.4 °C, and rainfall averages just under 669 mm.

History

In 1156 Mardeuil was a hamlet of Épernay with seven or eight houses. In 1693 it became a parish in its own right, dedicated to Saint Thomas of Canterbury. The village also features in the history of Champagne through the growers' revolt of 1911, when soldiers were camped in front of the church. In the Second World War the bridge over the Marne was destroyed. Two residents, Albert and Suzanne Didier, are counted among the Righteous Among the Nations for saving persecuted Jews.

Veuve Clicquot Champagner

Practical information

• Mardeuil has no railway station; the nearest is in Épernay.
• Two town bus routes of the Mouvéo network (lines 5 and 9) connect the village with the bus station in Épernay.
• The old village centre has a town hall, schools, a bakery and an inn.
• It makes a quiet base for visits to Épernay and the Marne valley.

Mardeuil shows the working side of Champagne: vines, cooperative and businesses sit close together, and the great names of Épernay are only a few minutes away.