Peaking at 240m above sea level, Mont-Aimé is a natural promontory, which towers over the villages of Bergères-les-Vertus and Coligny, along with the Champagne plain and southern aspect of the Côte des Blancs, famed for its Chardonnay grape variety and Blanc de Blancs Champagne. It has been classified as a listed natural site under France's environment law. Located close to the castle keep, the information point and orientation table, in enamelled Auvergne lava stone, provide useful information to help visitors decipher this multifaceted landscape. There are also picnic tables and circular walking routes.
Mont-Aimé is a true testament to the history of Champagne and of France. In the 18th century, Countess Blanche of Navarre commissioned the construction of a castle on the site of this former Gallic fortified settlement. Traces of the castle ruins can still be seen. Taking advantage of its terrain, the hill became a strategic location during the Battle of the Marne in World War 1. The commemorative obelisk reminds visitors that Mont-Aimé was a theatre of operations during the campaign in North-East France (War of the Sixth Coalition). It was here that Alexander I of Russia held a large military parade in 1815, following the abdication of Napoleon I.
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Practical information
For more information: Épernay Tourist Office
7 avenue de Champagne
+33 3 26 53 33 00