Say you’ve been in Paris for a few days and are looking to get out of the city for a short weekend trip. There are a myriad of interesting day/weekend trips just outside of the city… Tours, Orleans, Fontainebleau, or the Loire Valley, etc. With so many options to choose from, selecting where to go can be challenging. Why not a weekend (or day trip) to France’s famous Champagne region? France is synonymous with world class wines. This is because the laws surrounding the production of wine in France are very strict, requiring farmers in their region to grow specific grapes while also adhering to government regulated cultivation practices. This is what is called the AOC (appellation d’origine controlée) and this determines what grapes are grown in which regions and how their wines are to be produced. France is particularly coveted for their high-quality sparkling wines known as champagne, named for the region in which it is grown. Note: only sparkling wine from this region is allowed to be called champagne, all others must use different terminology… (Click here to continue reading)