Pévy

Location

Pévy lies in the north-west of the Marne département, about 20 kilometres by road from Reims. The commune belongs to the Massif de Saint-Thierry, a ridge that shapes the land to the north and west. To the south-east runs the valley of the Cochot. Across just 740 hectares, the land rises from 87 to 214 metres. Its neighbours are Bouvancourt, Hermonville, Trigny, Prouilly and Montigny-sur-Vesle.

With 235 inhabitants (as of 2023), Pévy is a rural place with scattered buildings. The Route touristique du Champagne passes through the commune, a good reason to stop here on a drive through the region.

Viticulture

Pévy is not classified as grand cru or premier cru, and it is not among the well-known champagne towns. The landscape is shaped less by wine than by farming: a good 55 per cent of the land is arable, around 24 per cent is forest. Permanent crops, which here include the vineyards, account for about 15 per cent (as of 2018). If you want to get to know Champagne away from the big names, villages like this show its quiet, rural side.

“Permanent crops, which here include the vineyards, account for about 15 per cent (as of 2018).

Sights

The most important building is the church of Notre-Dame, protected as a monument historique since 1920. It houses a 16th-century altarpiece (retable). In the village itself you will also find:

• fountains and old wash-houses (lavoirs)
• houses built of natural stone
• the Côte Saint Michel walking trail

The circular trail is 14 kilometres long and links Pévy with Montigny-sur-Vesle and Prouilly. It leads through a shifting mix of fields, vines and copses, and offers two viewpoints with wide views over the countryside.

Name and history

The village name has been recorded since the Middle Ages. Early spellings include Paveium (1226), Paivi (around 1250) and Paviacum (1324), and in the 18th century we find Pevi. Two clerics from Pévy are known from the late Middle Ages, Jean Ware (died 1511) and Ponce Lecomte (died 1566). Both belonged to the cathedral chapter of Reims. Jean Ware endowed masses in Reims cathedral and in the church of his home village, and left the latter money for repairs.

Getting there and the surroundings

Pévy lies within the catchment area of Reims, which you reach by road in about 20 kilometres. Fismes is around 15 kilometres away. No well-known champagne house belongs to the commune, so the village works best as a quiet stopover. Allow time for the church and a walk through the vineyards before driving on to the growers and houses of the surrounding villages.