Tour de France 2024 - stage 8

Detailed stage map

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From Semur en Auxois (Burgundy) to Colombey les Deux Eglises (Grand Est region - Champagne)

The stage begins in Burgundy a few miles to the northwest of Dijon. It passes close to the small hill town of Langres, which is definitely worth a visit. Sometimes referred to as the "Carcassonne of the North", the old town is a remarkable ensemble of historic stone buildings, enclosed within 3.6 kilometres of ramparts, mostly dating from the 13th and 17th centuries. But parts are much older, as Langres has been a fortified city since Roman times; and unlike Carcassonne, Langres is not jam-packed with tourists.
The Champagne region prides itself on historic links with some of the most iconic leaders that France has ever had - and in particular Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc), who came from the village of Domrémy, now in the Aude department, and General de Gaulle, who is buried at Colombey les Deux Eglises, in the Haute Marne. Contrary to false information repeated on several websites, de Gaulle was not born here, and had no ancestral link to the region.

Main tourist attractions in the area

Champagne cellars visits and tours (51): at Rheims and at Epernay. Travel underground and see how the sparkling Champagne wine is blended bottled and matured. Check out the options and book your tour on Viator
Colombey les Deux Eglises . General de Gaulle's country residence, La Boiserie, is now open to the public. De Gaulle is buried in the village cemetery
Epernay: the "champagne capital", small town in the hills south of Reims, with many of the biggest champagne producers. Cellar tours, champagne tours.
Reims: one of the finest medieval cathedrals in France. Once the kings of France were crowned here. Historic city centre. Basilique St. Rémi, Roman triumphal arch, Champagne cellar visits.
Lac du Der (52) . the biggest reservoir in Europe (48km²), built in 1967, this lake has become a particularly important area on the migration routes of water birds. The annual visits of flocks of cranes draw birdwatchers from all over Europe. See Birds in France
Nigloland (10): Near Bar sur Aube: one of the biggest theme parks in France

Langres -

Langres (52) ; fortified hill town with 3.6 km of ramparts and city gates. The historic stone-built town centre is a remarkable ensemble. A gem
Troyes (10): 13th - 16th century gothic cathedral with fine stained glass; historic city centre.

Champagne accommodation

A small hand-picked selection of hotels in the Champagne region.

All these Champagne hotels have been selected on account of their generally good user reviews:

Click hotel name for more details, with online booking and best rates. For full lists of Champagne hotels, see below.

Reims - Epernay - Troyes area:

Epernay : *** Hotel Jean Moët

Epernay : **** Hotel Villa Eugène

Epernay : ** Campanile Epernay - Dizy

Etoges, near Epernay : **** Chateau hotel
Chateau d'Etoge

Reims: *** Hotel Mercure Reims centre

Troyes: *** Hotel Mercure Troyes centre

The About-France.com choice of hotels:

About-France.com takes the hassle out of finding a good hotel; we have read hundreds of hotel reviews on different websites, excluded hundreds of hotels from our listings, and only kept those for which the favourable or very favourable reviews well outnumber the poor write-ups. As a result, our hotel lists are short and very selective.
Naturally, the type and quality of service provided will vary according to the type of hotel chosen; visitors cannot expect the same service or room quality in a two-star hotel as in a four-star chateau hotel. Our choice lists hotels that are generally judged to be above average or well above average for their category.

Visiting Paris?
See our selection of Paris hotels.

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From Burgundy to Champagne

This stage takes riders from Semur en Auxois, in Burgundy, to the small town of Colombey les Deux Eglises, in the Marne department, the seat of the De Gaulle family

Champagne discovery tours.
Day trips to Champagne, from Paris, by coach or minibus, are available and can be booked online from Paris City Vision.
Click for offers and details

Champagne cellar, Epernay.
Photo by Greenacre8

Click here for Champagne wines

Old Troyes

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