Châlons-en-Champagne — known as Châlons-sur-Marne until 1998 — was the administrative capital of the former Champagne-Ardenne region. It is a quiet, well-kept town threaded with canals, and its medieval religious architecture punches well above its weight for a city of its size.
The 13th-century Cathédrale Saint-Étienne dominates the centre, with remarkable stained glass spanning several centuries. Just as impressive is the Romanesque-Gothic Collégiale Notre-Dame-en-Vaux and its cloister museum, which houses beautifully carved column statues recovered in the 1960s. Les Jards — eleven hectares of riverside gardens — make for a pleasant walk between the two. The surrounding Champagne vineyards are close at hand — the Côte des Blancs, famous for its Chardonnay-based champagnes, begins just south of nearby Épernay.