Western City

Start by taking a wander around Troyes (10 minutes’ drive/25 minutes by bike) to check out the ornate cathedral, stroll by the Seine and poke around the various museums. The town’s also a hub of info for visits to the area’s splendid Champagne houses – pop in here for details of where to go before plotting a course to places like Montgueux (15 minutes’ drive/25 minutes by bike), Les Riceys (55 minutes’ drive) or even to Épernay and Reims (both an hour and 15 minutes). There’s plenty of fresh air around when you want to clear your head after all that sparking wine – take walks in the Forêt d’Orient Regional Natural Park (20 minutes), stopping along the way to view the Moulin de Dosches and bound around the crazy inflatables at Beaver Aquapark (25 minutes). Book ahead at Aux Poils d’Assenay (25 minutes) and you can stop by to meet some fab furry creatures (alpacas, goats and extra-woolly sheep) and find out how their wool gets used. Château de Vaux (35 minutes) is worth a visit too, to see restoration work in action and roam around the splendid grounds.