Half-timbered houses from the late 15th to the early 19th centuries can be found throughout France, yet one of the best places to enjoy their pastel charms is in the town of Troyes, 110 miles southeast of Paris in the southern portion of the Champagne region.

This article provides an overview of the Champagne region for travelers looking to visit its winegrowing zones over the course of a day or two or three. It partially echoes another article on this site, [...]

As cellar master at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers, Dom Pérignon (1639-1715) was instrumental in development of the clear, bubbly, cork-popping Champagne as we know it today.

“Drink the wine, not the label” is both a lofty and a homey approach to wine, and nowhere is that more important than with Champagne, the sparkling wine that we so readily identify with brands, [...]