- Département
- Marne (Grand Est region)
- Site
- Vallée de la Marne, about 27 km south-west of Reims
- Inhabitants
- 281 (2020)
- Source
- Wikipedia, eigene Zusammenfassung
Reuil is a wine-growing village in the Marne Valley, about 27 kilometres south-west of Reims. It is not a cru village, but it does have a museum that shows life in the vineyard in miniature.
Location
Reuil lies in the Marne Valley, around 27 kilometres south-west of Reims. The river forms the village's southern boundary. Like many villages in the Marne Valley, it sits in a natural hollow, probably created by massive landslides in the distant past. Beneath it lie layers of clay and limestone, through which groundwater flows. In the past, the villagers dug wells there and tapped springs.
Since 1 January 2023, Reuil has no longer been an independent commune. Together with Binson-et-Orquigny and Villers-sous-Châtillon, it forms the new commune of Cœur-de-la-Vallée, as a commune déléguée. Administratively, the village has belonged to the arrondissement of Épernay since 2017, and before that to Reims. The inhabitants are called Reuillats.
Viticulture and landscape
Reuil is neither a grand cru nor a premier cru village. Even so, anyone wanting to explore Champagne away from the big names will find a village here that is strongly shaped by its surroundings. According to data from the European Corine Land Cover map, around 75.7% of the commune's area was given over to agriculture in 2018. The largest share, 40.2%, is permanent crops, which in this area means mainly vines. Arable land accounts for a further 31.5% and forest for 13.9%. Built-up areas make up only 6.3%. The village has 281 inhabitants (2020), which makes it decidedly rural.
In the past, the villagers dug wells there and tapped springs.Since 1 January 2023, Reuil has no longer been an independent commune.
History
The name Reuil has to do with the village's position on the river. It is first mentioned in 1146 as Rolium, and in 1178 as Rodolium. Researchers trace this back to the Gaulish "rolo" for ford or passage, combined with "ialo" for clearing. Excavations show a long period of settlement, probably going back before Roman times. Finds include Gallo-Roman roof tiles, a bronze coin, terracotta shards and a few pieces of Argonne sigillata from the second and third centuries. The abundant water probably encouraged people to settle here.
Sights
Three things make a stop in the village worthwhile:
- Musée du vignoble en miniature de Champagne: On a model of 75 square metres, 170 santon figures, each 30 centimetres tall, show the work and life of a village in times gone by. For wine lovers, it is a vivid introduction to everyday life in the vineyard.
- Église Saint-Martin: It was largely destroyed in the First World War and rebuilt faithfully to the original. It has been listed as a monument historique since 1919.
- Pont Godart: The bridge over the Marne dates from around 1950.
Reuil has also been awarded "three flowers" in the national competition for flower-decked villages. That suits a village that is easy to visit on a drive through the Marne Valley, for example on the way between Reims and Épernay.
Pictures
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