ATLAS DE CHAMPAGNE
La région viticole prêt-à-porter
Champagne Atlas. The wine region at your fingertips
French text
*The visual contents are owned by the author.
*The photographs by the artist Michel Jolyot, are not included in this exhibition.
Welcome to Champagne!
The journey that led to the creation of this Atlas began in 2018 with Enographiae, an ambitious adventure undertaken together with engineer Massimiliano Moraca.
The goal was clear from the beginning: to explore the cultural and wine landscapes of Champagne and offer a unique and unpublished perspective.
The 340 maps that make up this work are the result of years of work, study, and dedication. Each map is an open window into centuries of tradition, innovation, and beauty, celebrating the richness that lies behind every bottle of champagne.
The Champagne Atlas is much more than a collection of maps. It is a story through time of one of the world's most celebrated wine regions.
Whether you are industry professionals, wine lovers, geo-history enthusiasts, or simply curious explorers, your adventure begins here.
Have a great journey!
The Champagne Atlas celebrates a unique cultural landscape in the world.
The maps capture the majesty of the vineyards that stretch as far as the eye can see, revealing the complexity and diversity of the Champagne region's territories.
Preface
Geoffrey Orban warmly welcomes readers to delve into the geography, history, and essence of a region that has entranced the world with its wine.
It's a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore a territory molded by the intricate interplay of nature and human creativity.
Introduction
Jean-Luc Barbier guides us into the enchanting realm of art.
Winemakers and Champagne Houses, driven by their expertise and remarkable sixth sense, their intuition, craft a map of territorial diversity through the individuality of each wine.
Through creativity and mastery, each champagne sip transforms into a canvas where the history, culture, and ardor of an unparalleled region in the world are beautifully depicted.
The cultural heritage
The historical aspect springs to life, shedding light on the inherent worth of time.
The distinctive identity of the geographical region is etched through the rich cultural legacy of the 320 villages.
As we journey, the glossary unfolds as a valuable reading aid, unveiling historical sources that often stretch back into the distant past.
The distinctive character of the region
The analysis of the morphology of the territory focuses on the nature of its soil and subsoil.
A brief ampelography, not agronomic but rather descriptive, highlights the specificities of the cultivated grape varieties.
The wine heritage
The viticultural system stands out as the foundation of the cultural landscape, arising from the interplay of natural factors and human expertise.
The deep diversity of the elements under examination spans from individual units to various artificial and natural typologies, molding a complex, rich, and multifaceted tapestry.
Michel Jolyot's photographic art intricately captures the distinctive characteristics that define this cultural landscape.
The geographical boundaries
The Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Champagne goes well beyond mere territorial boundaries, encompassing climate, production techniques, soil quality, and human dedication.
The maps offer intricate insights into the physical demarcations of the territory, in alignment with the territorial coherence scheme of the INAO (Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité).
Spanning across 5 departments, it identifies 4 wine regions, comprising 15 sub-regions housing 320 production villages.
The vineyard's physiognomy
The fiches for each of the 320 villages include information such as geolocated maps, details on morphology, hydrography, extent of vineyard hectares, and the percentage of different cultivated grape varieties.
(data provided by Comité Champagne).
In addition, the data on land use and the predominant soil types enrich the experience of knowledge and learning.
The 320 cadastral maps are adorned with over 8,500 place names because, much like monuments, pieces of art, or a language, they are integral to our shared memory and represent a shared heritage.
Our team
Behind every map, text, and image lies a team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise, who have skillfully, wholeheartedly, and passionately transformed an idea into reality.
Mariagiovanna Basile - Curator and Author
Mariagiovanna as the driving force behind the Champagne Atlas project.
She not only came up with the idea for the project but also wrote the texts and determined how the various elements would be organized.
Given her background in analyzing cultural landscapes in urban planning, she used her expertise to create a user-friendly manual on Champagne vineyards that can be appreciated by people at different levels of knowledge in the field.
Massimiliano Moraca - Cartographic software
With expertise in designing and developing GIS systems, Massimiliano has successfully converted intricate data into user-friendly maps that enable readers to delve into the Champagne wine region with precision.
The Champagne Atlas serves as proof of the significance of technology and innovation in the realm of communication.
Jean-Luc Barbier - Introduction
Jean-Luc's contribution is a heartfelt homage to this remarkable land, narrated by an expert.
His extensive experience and infectious passion shine through in words that bridge the gap between the cartographic work and Champagne's rich historical and cultural depth.
Michel Jolyot - Photography
With a distinguished and extensive career in the realm of photography, Michel has lent his artistry to the third chapter of this work.
His exceptional talent to not only capture the visible details but also the essence and ambiance of each location, places the cultural landscape of Champagne vividly in the hands of the readers.
