Cité du Champagne Collet Cogevi: discover the secrets of a historic wine

At Aÿ, in the historic vineyards and hillsides, the oldest cooperative in the Champagne region allows you to discover champagne in all its oenological, historical and cultural dimensions. House, villa and museum: three entities make up the Cité du Champagne Collet-Cogevi which also hosts temporary exhibitions.

The house is dedicated to the history of the cooperative since its creation in 1921 until today. Its nineteenth century cellars and its wine library of more than 30,000 bottles are also open to visitors. The villa, former home of Raoul Collet, who was the emblematic director of the cooperative, is evocative of a state of mind as well as a lifestyle, and takes you on a cultural journey to the heart of the 1920s and the Art Deco era.

The Champagne Crafts Museum pays tribute to the terroir and its unique natural characteristics, as well as the people and their know-how. It reveals their secrets through the showcasing of 1,500 original tools and documents relating to the work in the vineyards and the production of wine, as well as several short films accessible on tablet computers.

You can continue your experience by following the ‘vineyard trail’ on the hillsides of Aÿ, classified 100% Grand Cru. The trail is marked out and illustrated with explanations on the evolution of the vineyard through the seasons, taking you to the foot of the ventilation shafts that allow the underground cellars to ‘breathe’. The visit ends with a tasting of Collet champagne.