Passy-Grigny

Between the Marne and the Aisne

Passy-Grigny lies in the west of the Marne département, right on the border with the Aisne and therefore with the Hauts-de-France region. Geographically the commune belongs to the Tardenois, an area of rolling hills to the west of the classic champagne centres. It is about 7 kilometres to Dormans, 28 to Épernay and 33 to Reims. The commune covers 1,199 hectares, with heights ranging from 80 to 224 metres. In 2023 the village had 370 inhabitants.

Two villages on the Semoigne

Historically, Passy-Grigny consists of two separate villages. Grigny lies to the west and Passy to the east of the little river Semoigne. Passy feels more compact, almost like a small market town, while Grigny stretches east to west along the road. The two are slowly growing together, but a gap is still visible. There are also hamlets such as Pareuil, La Colleterie and Les Rosiers. The Semoigne is 17 kilometres long and flows into the Marne at Verneuil. It and the Brandouille have cut into the clay plateau and exposed several layers of rock.

Viticulture

The local economy is strongly geared towards wine growing. According to Corine Land Cover, around 18 per cent of the land in 2018 was given over to permanent crops, which include the vineyards. More than 46 per cent is arable land and a good 25 per cent is woodland. Passy-Grigny has no Grand Cru or Premier Cru rating. So anyone buying here finds champagne from a village away from the famous sites. In the western Marne valley, Pinot Meunier is traditionally well represented, which is typical of the area and usually gives fruity, approachable champagnes.

“In 2023 the village had 370 inhabitants.Two villages on the SemoigneHistorically, Passy-Grigny consists of two separate villages.

Sights

• The church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul from the 12th century, protected as a Monument historique since 1922
• The old tower of the castle of Grigny
• Remains of the Templar commandery from the 12th century
• The Bois de la vallée de la Semoigne, a nature reserve (ZNIEFF) of 89 hectares with oak and hornbeam woodland, alluvial forest, meadows and fish ponds

The reserve is home to plants that are rare for the region, such as snowflake relatives, squills and bluebells, as well as many dragonflies, amphibians and birds. A walk here makes a good counterweight to a tasting.

Ayala Champagner-Keller

Climate

The climate is temperate oceanic. For 1971 to 2000 the source gives an annual mean temperature of 10.7 °C and an average of 722 millimetres of rainfall. Summers are rather cool and winters cold. For viticulture this means that ripeness and acidity have to be balanced carefully over the course of the year, a typical theme across the whole of Champagne.

If you are visiting Dormans and the Marne valley, Passy-Grigny makes a good detour: for the church, the Templar remains and growers who offer their champagne without big names or fuss.