Champagne-Ardennes

** C **** h **** a **** m **** p **** a **** g **** n **** e **** -A **** r **** d **** e **** n **** n **** e **** s ** ==  Introduction == ** Welcome to our wiki! Champagne-Ardennes is one of France's many regions. In this wiki you will find out more about the regions famous landmarks, the rivers which pass through the region, **** food and drink, th ** ** e capital city and many more. Happy Reading!... **

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 This region of France is famous for its __sparkling wine__ which is also called __champagne__. Champagne, the most delightful of all sparkling wines, was not actually invented in the region. Ac <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">cording to legend, it was monks who bought the method for making sparkling wine up from the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Languedoc, <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">in the south of France; but they soon discovered that the chalky soil and climatic conditions in the Champagne region produced a bright bubbly wine that was in many people's opinion better than the sparkling wines produced further south. There is no other region in France, and maybe no other region in the world whose name has been made so famous by a local product. This region grows __wheat__ and __sugarbeat__ (what sugar is made from). It also grows the most __cabbage__ than any other region in France.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**<span style="color: rgb(67, 192, 239);">CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNESES RIVERS ** <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> The Marne, Seine, Aisne and the Meuse are all rivers which flow through the region. The Meuse is the only river out of the four rivers which flows through Champagne-Ardennes, that flows north. The rest of them flow west. <span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> The Seine is a slow elegant flowing river which also travels through the regions of lle-de-France and Haute-Normadie. The Seine drifts through the streams of Paris making a romantic backdrop for enchanting photographs of France.



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 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Marne is led through the artificial lake in The champagne region. The Marne is mainly famous for the historical events in which this river was the site of. **======

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 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> The Aisne, another river which flows through champagne, rises in the forest of Argonne near Sainte-Merehould. It flows north and then west before joining the Oise River near Compiegne. **======

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<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> **The north flowing river Meuse is a majour European river rising in France flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. This river is 925 km (575 miles) long.** ======

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**<span style="color: rgb(127, 62, 239);">CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNES - DEPARTMENTS & CAPITAL **

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> **Champagne-Ardennes is made up of four different departments: Marne, Haute-Marne, Ardennes and Aube.** <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Starting of with Marne: Marne is named after the Marne River (Mentioned Above). Chalons-en-Champagne is a very important city in this region.

<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Chalons-en-Champagne is a city in France. Despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Remis (Remis is another French city), it is the capital of both the department of Marne and the region of Champagne-Ardennes. One of the main Tourist attractions is the Saint Etiennes cathedral. It was built in the **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">12th century but was mainly rebuilt in gothic style. In the 17th century parts were added. **  H aute- Marne has some history within itself. During world war two, this department was split under the German control. The canal, which runs through the Marne all the way to the Saone, was used as a border, dividing the department into west and east. The east was intended for the creation of a new German state whereas to the west would be the traditional “occupied zone”. Haute-Marne was finally back under its own control when the department was liberated by the Allies between August and September in 1944. **
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Haute-Marne is another department in this region. ** **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">




 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Ardennes (another department), is named after the Ardennes area. As well as Haute-Marne, this department has experienced historical events. This area was the location of much fighting in World War One and World War Two. Battles such as “The Battle of the Ardennes.” and the “Battle of the Buldge.” were fought here.

Last but not least Aube is yet again another department from this region. This dep. is named after the ** **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">[|Aube River] ** **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">. In 1995, its population was 293,100 inhabitants. This land is used for producing the champagne that is taken from this region. It is also famous for, perhaps, the visit made by the late Turkish president Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1932, who signed a friendship treaty with France there. ** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> =<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">**<span style="color: rgb(244, 87, 239); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">TOURISM ** =

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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__SPORTING ACTIVITES__
==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__WATER SPORTS:__ The three big artificial lakes in the //Forêt d'Orient//, located at the East of Troyes, were fit out to welcome water sports lovers: ==

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The //Eastern Lake// is dedicated to sailing, windsurfing, fishing and bathing. Admission is free.
==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Temple lake (1800 ha) is the most « wild » lake in the way it was fit out. It is foremost a fishing place. //Amance// Lake (500 ha) is dedicated to nautical sports as boat races, water skiing, seadoos,… == ==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">//Der Chantecoq// artificial lake, located between Marne and Haute-Marne //départements//, is the biggest artificial lake in Europe (4 800 ha). Windsurfing, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, rafting, fishing and bathing can be done there. ==

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">There are plenty of other lakes in the region as well.
==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">AERIAL SPORTS: __<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Flights in helicopter or in a hot air balloon over the ==

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">forests. And why not enjoy a glass of Champagne during your flight over Champagne Ardennes?
==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">LAND SPORTS: __<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Mountain biking, walking, excursions and hiking, tree climbing. You can also do skiing during winter, in Belgium that is really close. Excellent region of France for Golf facilities with 8 courses. You can even tee off from one of the last remaining small forts along the Maginot Line! == ==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">RELAXATION: __<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Bourbonne-les-Bains is the only spa resort in Champagne-Ardenne. == ==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The thermal water contains rare gases and numerous minerals. The water helps regulate blood circulation and ease pain, for people suffering from rheumatism, arthritis or respiratory disorders. == ==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The waters come from rainwater which filters down into the ground to a depth of about 1,700 to 2,000 metres. It takes 32 to 40 years before the water has permeated through all the different strata. ==

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS[[image:wild_boar.jpg width="301" height="211" align="right" caption="Wild Boar"]]__
==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> __AQUARIUMS AND ZOOS:__ Saint-Laurent Animals park (45 ha): wild boars, deers, birds, bucks and bighorn sheeps can be observed. A number of farms also open their doors to visitors to enjoy local produce. ==

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==<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Champagne festival in Troyes : during a week, an artist is honoured with concerts given at night in different places in Troyes. Many different styles are represented : lyric art, rock music, theatre, comedian on stage, etc.. //Furies// festival in Châlons-en-Champagne : during 8 days, circus and theatres shows take place in the streets, in June. ==

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<span style="font-size: 120%; color: rgb(246, 129, 14);"> <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**<span style="color: rgb(246, 129, 14);">Adolphe Willette ** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Willette was born in Chalons-sur-Marne. He was a famous painter who studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts for four years. <span style="color: rgb(246, 129, 14);">  <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">

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<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Xavier Bertrand <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">is a french polit ician who was born March 21, 1965 in Chalons-sur-Marne. He was the minister of labour, social affairs , solidarity and for two years, was the minister of health.
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; color: rgb(238, 27, 44);">Nicolas Appert **

Nicolas Appert was the french inventor of airtight food preservation. In 1800, Napoleon Bonaporte offered a 12,000 franc reward to anyone who could devise a practical method for food preservation for armies on the march. After 14 or 15 years of experimentation, Appert submitted his invention and won the prize in 1810. **<span style="color: rgb(69, 70, 232);">Clyde Fitch ** Clyde Fitch was a Dramatist. H e wrote over 60 plays, 36 of them original, which varied from social comedies as well as melodrama and historical dramas.He was the first American playwright to publish his plays. His first work of note was Beau Brummell (1890) a major work set in the English Regency. Sadly on September the 4th, 1909 Fitch died in Chalons-en-Champagne. <span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);"> **__Borders__** <span style="font-size: 187.2%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Although France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, this particular region Champagne-Ardennes only borders Belgium. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> · <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">** The Kingdom of Belgium is a member of the European Union ** <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> · It covers 30,528 km2 (11,787 square miles). · It has a population of about 10.7 million. · Belgium has three official languages, which are, in order from the greatest speaker population to the smallest, [|Dutch], [|French] , and [|German]. · Education is compulsory from six to eighteen for Belgians, but many continue to study until about 23 years of age. As you will know almost every country has its own language and many names of countries change depending on the language you are using, most countries use the first three letters B.E.L. to begin their spelling of Belgium although not all countries do!**

Thankyou for taking time to read our wiki and we hope you enjoyed finding out about Champagne-Ardennes and maybe get the chance to go visit the region yourself one day.

If you would like more information on __Champagne-Ardennes,__ check out this tourist website below.

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