Eastern France

Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Burgundy

HAUTVILLERS

Abbey Church, tomb of Dom Pérignon.

CHAMPAGNE WINE ROUTE

(156 miles total) The Route Touristiqse du Champagne (from Hautvillers to Outines the long scenic way via Villenauxe-la-Grande, the Mountain of Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs).

OUTINES (55 miles)

In the heart of the Der region of oak forests, open fields and waterways, half-timbered church of St-Nicholas and old houses on the Grande rue.

BAR-SUR-AUBE (34 miles)

12th-century church of St-Pierre, Monks Cellar, Gothic cave with inscriptions.

COLOMBE-LE-SEC (5 miles)

Flowered wine village. Nearby, Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises, where Charles de Gaulle lived and is buried.

ARC-EN-BAROIS (35 miles)

Pleasant vacation setting in forest, 13th-century church, 18-hole golf course.

JOINVILLE (42 miles)

Château and Renaissance gardens, 13th-century bridge with houses along it. Good restaurants.

POISSONS (4 miles)

16th-century church of St-Aignan with flamboyant Gothic porch.

ECOT-LA-COMBE (20 miles)

Picturesque hamlet in wooded site.

BOURBONNE-LES-BAINS (31 miles)

Pretty parks and municipal museum, traditional spa.

CHATILLON-SUR-SAONE (7 miles)

Renaissance village, regional products at historic Hotel de Sandrecourt.

VITTEL (27 miles)

Famous spa, casino in 1000 hectare park. Concerts, golf, horse racing, tennis.

COLLINE INSPIRE (19 miles)

Hill of Sion-Vaudremont, named "Inspired Hill" by French author Maurice Barres, pilgrimage site, one of the most celebrated panoramas in Lorraine.

GELAUCOURT (2 miles)

Flowered village.

NANCY (14 miles)

Capital of Lorrain, exquisite Place Stanislas, on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Art Nouveau museum with works by Galle.

METZ (22 miles)

St-Etienne Cathedral, stained glass from 16th century to Chagall; Art and Historical Museum, Chevremont Grainstore, St-Louis Square, medieval mansions, German Gate.

HATTONCHATEL (32 miles)

Delightful village overlooking Woevre valley, 15th-century church and cloister, 11th-century château.

RODEMACK (63 miles)

Walled medieval city, historical celebration every June.

BITCHE (89 miles)

In forest of the "Little Vosges," citadel by Vauban.

OBERSTEINBACH (14 miles) and NEIDERSTEINBACH (2 miles)

Quintessential Alsatian villages in the northern Vosges Forest near German border.

LEMBACH (7 miles)

Major fortifications of the Maginot Line. Nearby Château de Fleckenstein.

WISSEMBOURG (10 miles)

Typical Alsatian houses, St-Peter-and-Paul church with medieval stained glass, Westercamp Museum.

HUNSPACH (6 miles)

Remarkably unspoiled Alsatian village with typical houses and farms. Nearby Cleebourg vineyards famous for Pinot Blancs and Pinot Gris wines, and Batschdorf pottery center.

STRASBOURG (31 miles)

Capital of Alsace, home of the Council of Europe and European Parliament. Notre-Dame Cathedral, astronomical clock, a dozen prestigious museums. Colorful old town, "La Petite France."

ALSACE WINE ROUTE

(80 miles total) MARLENHEIM, OBERNAI, OTTROTT-LA-ROUGE, MONT-ST-ODILE, MITTELBERGHEIM, ANDLAU, DAMBACH-LA-VILLE, CHATENOIS, BERGHEIM, RIQUEWIHR, HUNAWIHR, KAYSERSBERG, RIBEAUVILLE, TURCKHEIM, EGUISHEIM, THANN. Beautiful villages and vineyards all the way.

COLMAR (on the Wine Route, 44 miles from Strasbourg)

Wine capital of Alsace, Unterlinden Museum and Issenheim altarpiece by Gruenewald, Museum of Bartholdi, creator of Statue of Liberty.

RONCHAMP (64 miles)

Chapel Notre-Dame-du-Haut built by Le Corbusier in 1955 on hilltop site.

FONDREMAND (40 miles)

Feudal château, 11th-century tower with local history museum, traditional Franche-Comté houses, arts and crafts center.

CHAMPLITTLE (40 miles)

Renaissance houses in Place des Halles, Albert Demard Museum in 16th & 18th century château.

PESMES (24 miles)

Dramatic site on Ognon River, St-Hilary church, old town, castle, ramparts.

NANCRAY (30 miles)

Open-air museum of rural Franche-Comté architecture.

ORNANS (17 miles)

Hone of Gustave Courbet, fishing museum, 15th to 18th-century mansions.

LODS (7 miles)

Wine museum, vignerons' houses, on the Loue River.

MOUTHIER-HAUTE-PIERRE (2 miles)

Kirsch liqueur from Marsotte dark cherries grown here.

JURA WINE ROUTE (80 miles total)

The vineyards of Arbois, Château-Chalon, Etoile and Côtes du Jura along this route from Salins-les-Bains to Saint-Amour.

CLUNY (38 miles from St-Amour)

Visit the Ochier Museum before touring the Abbey ruins.

BURGUNDY WINE ROUTE (45 miles total)

From Dijon to south of Chagny, the N74 is one of the greatest wine roads of France, following the Cote'd'Or through Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits St-Georges, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, among other superb vineyards.

DIJON (28 miles from Beaune)

Former capital of Dukes of Burgundy, Ducal Palace and Guard Room, pedestrian streets, wonderful restuarants.

SEMUR-EN-AUXOIS (50 miles)

Town of treasures, Renaissance houses on rue Buffon, Cathedral Notre Dame, Porte des Bleds, Savigny Gate with city motto.

VEZELAY (29 miles)

Perched hill village, Basilica St-Mary Magdelen with doorway and tympanum, terrace, ramparts, view of Morvan National Park.