- Département
- Marne (Grand Est region)
- Site
- Brie champenoise, Surmelin valley, west of Épernay
- Inhabitants
- 288 (as at 1 January 2023)
- Source
- Wikipedia, eigene Zusammenfassung
A small village in the Brie champenoise, in the Surmelin valley, 21 km from Épernay. Arable farming, woodland and ponds shape the place, making it a quiet detour for champagne lovers away from the vine slopes.
Location
Mareuil-en-Brie lies in the west of the Marne département, about 30 kilometres south-west of Reims. By road it is 57 kilometres to Reims, 21 kilometres to Épernay and 17 kilometres to Dormans. Administratively the village belongs to the arrondissement of Épernay and the canton of Dormans-Paysages de Champagne. With 288 inhabitants (2023) it is very small and falls within the catchment area of Épernay.
The village sits on the north slope of the Surmelin valley, which runs from east to west through the 889-hectare commune. Altitudes range from 145 to 233 metres. Anyone arriving from Épernay therefore leaves the classic vine slopes behind and enters the Brie champenoise, a landscape with a quite different character.
Landscape and nature
Do not confuse the village with Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Marne valley. Here in the Brie, fields, woods and pastures define the scene. Land use (2018 figures) breaks down as arable land 42 per cent, woodland 41.4 per cent and meadows 12.7 per cent. Vineyards do not appear in this breakdown at all. The local economy is rural too: farming and crafts set the tone.
Land use (2018 figures) breaks down as arable land 42 per cent, woodland 41.4 per cent and meadows 12.7 per cent.
Nature lovers will find several ponds on the Brie forestière plateau, among them the Étang de Mareuil, 9.5 hectares in the Bois de la Morvelle. The ponds are part of a Natura 2000 site and are classed as worthy of protection. Rare aquatic plants grow there, and several uncommon bird species breed, such as the pochard and the garganey. Amphibians including the tree frog, the fire salamander and the great crested newt also occur. In all, the national nature inventory records 457 species within the commune, 79 of them protected.
The village and what to see
The old houses are often built of millstone grit (meulière) with brick surrounds, and mostly stand right on the street. Among the listed buildings is the church of Saint-Rémi. Around the village there are also a château with its farm buildings, the Ferme de la Forgerie and a former mill.
- Church of Saint-Rémi
- Château with its associated farm
- Former mill on the Surmelin
- Ponds and woods in the Bois de la Morvelle
Climate and visiting
The climate is oceanic. The nearest Météo-France weather station, at Chouilly 21 kilometres away, records an average of 11.4 °C and around 669 millimetres of rainfall a year for 1991 to 2020. On 25 July 2019 it reached 40.3 °C.
For those who enjoy their champagne, Mareuil-en-Brie is not a destination for cellar visits and tastings, as our source names no champagne houses here. The village works better as a quiet stop on a tour of western Champagne, perhaps with a walk by the ponds, before heading back to Épernay and the growers.
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