Paris, 7 o’clock a.m. I’m leaving for the Bahamas. I’ve already prepared everything for the trip: a bottle of water, sweets, sandwiches, a blanket, I put some petrol in the car tank. I’ve also found a local newspaper, the French Union des Bahamas and, to get an idea of the natives’ everyday life, I’ll read it during the breaks. The trip is going to be quite long, one hour and a half, two hours, it depends on the ring road because I live in the west suburb. Fine sandy beaches, the water stretches as far as the eye can see, some jet ski of the world champions naiads who prance savage sputtering horses; sailing, water skiing, Canadian or a Savoyard beers in a table outside at the Lamparo’s. There is a small ornithological train and wooden partition churches, and do not forget the rosé, the Riceys’ rosé, the favourite wine of Louis XIV who had it delivered in high quantities to Versailles. These are all things I’m going to find at the Lac du Der Chantecoq, which stretches, in between the Marne and the Haute-Marne, between Saint-Dizier and Troyes, Chalons in the Champagne region and Chaumont, over 5000 hectares (five thousand!), that is to say two and a half times the Annecy Lake. One hour and a half away from Paris, the change of scenery is complete. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, the Lac du Der’s expanse is amazing. Its harbour looks like an Atlantic harbour, with its port authority and police station, its beaches and its tourists wearing mules who buy spades, buckets and postcards at the pink shopping centre, all painted under the sun because there is always the sun above the lakes of the Champagne region and of the Ardennes. The region benefits from an oceanic microclimate. And what about practising sailing boat? A trip on a very small boat in a puddle! Let me laugh! It’s really funny! You must be joking. The sensations are amazing, similar to those you’d feel in the sea. There are some gusts of wind, periods of calm and moments of strong gale. The skipper is only a fair-weather sailor? He takes part in regattas at the French championships! I flat in the jib on the winch, I put the rope at the cleat before lowering the sail and I watch out for the list; by turns, I’m covered with foam of the crashing waves or hanging mid-air. The halyards slam along the mast listening to the wind which whistles in the shroud when I go back to the pontoon after one hour of strong feelings. A bit more jet ski to play with the waves before the aperitif. Tomorrow, I’m trying the water skiing with a Tahitian woman. The eight thousand grey flamingos which stop here every year, on the way out and back, give evidence of it: the Lac du Der, the biggest artificial lake in Europe, is an exceptional stopping place, even recommended by the Guide du Routard des Grues. In the Lake, there are sheat-fishes, luces, perches and carps. Fishing is allowed but it is forbidden to sell what you’ve caught. It is surrealistic: most of the local restaurants are specialised in cooking fish… the saltwater fish. A silly Lake, it doesn’t matter how big and interesting it is, if placed in a deserted, or better green, department, doesn’t have any chance to attract holidaymaker unless the holidaymaker is informed and he is a carp sinner or a fair-weather sailor (accommodation on the spot, with or without a skipper). The department has an abundance of curiosities and expands without causing troumble to the environment. You’ll probably eat and sleep at the Ferme Auberge du Bocage, which can host up to 54 people at the price of _ 13 per night (per person!) and offers a very good meal at a price of _ 25 or you can choose a price (all you have to do is book). The Ferme Auberge produces its own foie gras, which is great, potted duck meat without pork, duck sausage, duck and (haricot) bean stew, boiled meat with cabbage… The Bocage also accommodates a storyteller cabman who tells a story as soon as Câline la Comtoise marches: she doesn’t listen to him any more, she stands on the pedals, resigned and philosopher, she pulls the long covered wagon in which, there is his cabman friend Michel Denize who talks for hours on end without giving up. If you prefer the comfort of a hotel, the Cheval Blanc, is very close, near the dyke which surrounds the lake, open to bikes. The bedrooms are comfortable and well kept, the restaurant is nice and mixes the local and the Mediterranean tastes. You can have lunch right in the centre of town at the cheap Grange aux Abeilles, but the table and the rough service aren’t worth the trip. Let’s take the local Coiffy wine; your next place where to spend time has been found: water activities, friendly accommodation, evenings spent listening to stories, you’ll become good friends of the storyteller… You’ll come back again and again here, at the Lac du Der.
Under the Lake there were three villages which have been destroyed, Chantecoq, Nuisement aux Bois and Champaubert, the disused church of which keeps watch over the shore and became the emblem. The church of Nuisement has been dismantled and built again in Sainte-Marie aux Lacs, in a typical village for those who want to visit it. The Lake was filled with water on 8th January 1974 thanks to the Barrages Réservoirs’ institution, which depends on Paris. You’ll know something more about this when you visit the church of the Champagne region, which is in the Châtillon sur Broué’s wood, where the retired abbot takes care of the heritage and its preservation. You can find churches so much plunged into the wood only in this region of France and you can find half a dozen of them, magnificent and amazing, all along a road which winds through the countryside and crosses beautiful villages with about ten stained glass window churches of the XVIth century made by some glassmaker masters of Troyes. It’s deplorable the tourist trashy leaflet which doesn’t tell anything.
The Bahamas have several archipelagos, at least I do think so, and it suits me, the Champagne-Ardenne has got several Lakes, those of the Forêt d'Orient are a bit bigger that the Lac du Der! Here, it is possible to practice as many water activities and at the Mesnil Saint Père’s harbour, it’s like being by the sea. The Las d’Orient are in the middle of the forest, and, actually, we are no longer at the Bahamas, but near the big Canadians Lakes, be careful to the Indians. The Parc Naturel Régional Naturel de la Forêt d'Orient offers hundreds of organised activities and heritage discoveries. A very good restaurant and hotel of Piney is the Tadorne (03.25.46.30.35) where you should book and ask for a Riceys’s rosé, wine of which we’ll talk about later. There’s also a cycle lane which links to Troyes, where you can do your shopping. You know, clothes and textile materials. This nearby and unknown region is the ideal place for your holidays. You could also visit Nigloland, fifth French amusement park, full of flowers and perfects for kids. Next year, I’ll come back to this charming region and, in the meantime, good lake and parties!
Published on Gazoline number 78, April 2002
Pierre-Brice LEBRUN & Gazoline
Comité Régional de Tourisme de Champagne-Ardenne
15, avenue du Maréchal Leclerc - BP 319
51013 CHALONS-EN-CHAMPAGNE
envoyer un mail
téléphone 03.26.21.85.80
télécopie 03.26.21.85.90
Office de Tourisme du Lac du Der Chantecoq
Station Nautique
51290 GIFFAUMONT-CHAMPAUBERT
03.26.72.62.80
tous les hébergements, toutes les activités
envoyer un mail à l'Office de Tourisme
vue aérienne de la base nautique
avec le port et Le Lamparo en premier plan
(photo Office du Tourisme du Lac)
Bar Snack Glacier Le Lamparo - Station Nautique - 51290 GIFFAUMONTHôtel-Restaurant Le Cheval Blanc
21, rue du Lac - 51290 GIFFAUMONT-CHAMPAUBERT
L'Hôtel-Restaurant Le Cheval Blanc
est un Logis de France : informations Logis de France au 01.45.84.83.84
La Ferme-Auberge du Bocage & Michel Denize, cocher-conteur
Chez Marie-Line et Jean-Luc Bernard
15 rue de la Haye - 52220 DROYES
03.25.04.23.28 / télécopie 03.25.04.20.29
Le Gîte 2 Épis de Mr et Mme LAVEFVE
4 rue d'Outines - 51290 CHATILLON SUR BROUÉ
03.26.72.62.69
La meilleure Guide pour la route des églises champenoises à pans de bois, c'est Madame Josette LOUIS-SEURAT
24, rue du haut des vignes
52220 MONTIER en DER - 03.25.04.21.49
la route des églises à pans de bois
(photo Carole MARIE, merci !)
Parc naturel de la Forêt d'Orient
Maison du Parc - 10220 PINEY
03.25.43.81.90 / télécopie 03.25.41.54.09
TOUS LES HÉBERGEMENTS,
TOUTES LES ACTIVITÉS
envoyer un mail au Parc NaturelComité départemental de Tourisme de l'Aube
34, quai Dampierre - 10000 TROYES
03.25.42.50.00 / télécopie 03.25.42.50.88
envoyer un mail au CDT de l'AubeHôtel Restaurant Le Tadorne
1, place des HALLES - 10220 PINEY
03.25.46.30.35 / télécopie 03.25.46.36.49
envoyer un mail à l'hôtel-restaurantNIGLOLAND - RN 19 - 10200 DOLANCOURT - 03.25.27.94.52
Tous les deux ans à Montier-en-Der, aux pieds des vagues du La
le Festival de la Photo Animalière 03.25.55.72.84
écrire au festivalOffice de Tourisme de Troyes
16 boulevard Carnot - 10018 TROYES cedex
03.25.82.62.70 / télécopie 03.25.73.06.83
écrire à l'Office de Tourisme
l'église désaffectée de Champaubert monte la garde
sur la grève du Lac de Der Chantecoq,
dont elle est devenue l'emblème
