Épernay

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title: "Épernay" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communes-of-marne-(department)", "subprefectures-in-france", "champagne-(province)"] topic_path: "geography/france" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Épernay" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox French commune"]

FieldValue
nameÉpernay
commune statusSubprefecture and commune
imageVineyards near Epernay.jpg
captionVineyards near Épernay
arrondissementÉpernay
image coat of armsBlason Epernay 51.svg
cantonÉpernay-1 and 2
INSEE51230
postal code51200
mayorChristine Mazy
term2023–2026
intercommunalityCA Épernay, Coteaux et Plaine de Champagne
coordinates
area km222.69
population
population date
population footnotes
::

|name = Épernay |commune status = Subprefecture and commune |image = Vineyards near Epernay.jpg |caption = Vineyards near Épernay |arrondissement = Épernay |image coat of arms = Blason Epernay 51.svg |canton = Épernay-1 and 2 |INSEE = 51230 |postal code = 51200 |mayor = Christine Mazy |term = 2023–2026 |intercommunality = CA Épernay, Coteaux et Plaine de Champagne |coordinates = |elevation m = |elevation min m = |elevation max m = |area km2 = 22.69 |population = |population date = |population footnotes = Épernay () is a commune in the Marne department of northern France, 130 km (80 miles) north-east of Paris on the mainline railway to Strasbourg. The town sits on the left bank of the Marne at the extremity of the Cubry valley which crosses it.

Épernay is a sub-prefecture of the department and seat of an arrondissement.

History

Épernay (Sparnacum) belonged to the archbishops of Reims from the 5th until the 10th century, when it came into the possession of the counts of Champagne. It was badly damaged during the Hundred Years' War, and was burned by Francis I in 1544. It resisted Henry of Navarre in 1592, and Marshal Biron fell in the attack which preceded its eventual capture. In 1642 it was, along with Château-Thierry, named as a duchy and assigned to the duc de Bouillon.

French Revolution and Empire

On May 23, 1797, the municipality passed regulations concerning the town library, notably establishing its public nature for the first time. In 1806, a fire brigade was created.

During the French Revolution, Epernay became the capital of the canton and district of Épernay. In 1800, it became the subprefecture of the arrondissement of Épernay.

During the French Campaign, the town suffered devastation at the hands of the coalition armies. After the fall of the Empire, Épernay entered a period of calm, which allowed it to focus on its organization (in 1837, the town's streets were named and its houses numbered) and its facilities. On December 26, 1846, gas street lighting was installed. The Meaux-Épernay section of the Paris-Strasbourg railway line was inaugurated on September 2, 1849, by Prince-President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte.

Contemporary period

With the Franco-Prussian War 1870/71, the territory was occupied by Prussians troops on 8 September and numerous restrictions were put in place, such as the ban on hunting. The railway line between Épernay and Romilly-sur-Seine was inaugurated. 1 November 1872 marked the end of the occupation.

Then the town grew. In 1900, the first power station was built, modernised in 1912 to supply alternating current. By 1934, it was no longer able to meet demand.

On 27 July 1903, the town was connected to Montmirail by the C.B.R. railway, then to Ambonnay on 8 April 1904, enabling travel to Reims or Châlons.

During the First World War, two-thirds of the town was destroyed. During the retreat from the Marne, from 4 to 11 September 1914, it was occupied by the German army, which blew up the Marne bridge during its retreat[73].

It subsequently became a rear-front town, as the front stabilised from late 1914 to May 1918 around Reims, 35 km to the north. As such, it was a transit point for the large numbers of troops stationed there, and Épernay became an important hospital centre. Its proximity to the front line meant that it was bombed many times, especially from 1917 onwards, and there were fears that it would fall into enemy hands during the German offensive in May 1918 (Operation Michael).

Population

| align = none | cols = 2 | percentages = pagr | source = EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017) | graph-pos = bottom |1793 |3736 |1800 |4480 |1806 |4544 |1821 |4977 |1831 |5318 |1836 |5457 |1841 |5978 |1846 |6095 |1851 |7386 |1856 |9346 |1861 |10598 |1866 |11704 |1872 |12927 |1876 |15506 |1881 |16388 |1886 |17907 |1891 |18361 |1896 |19377 |1901 |20478 |1906 |21637 |1911 |21811 |1921 |21806 |1926 |20589 |1931 |20381 |1936 |20406 |1946 |19703 |1954 |21222 |1962 |21882 |1968 |26583 |1975 |29677 |1982 |27668 |1990 |26682 |1999 |25844 |2007 |24591 |2012 |23529 |2017 |22671

Main sights

In the central and oldest quarter of the town, the streets are narrow and irregular; the surrounding suburbs, however, are modern and more spacious, with La Folie to the East, for example, containing many villas belonging to rich wine merchants. The town has also spread to the right bank of the Marne.

One of its churches retains a portal and stained-glass windows from the 16th century, but the other public buildings are of modern construction. The most famous street in Épernay is the Avenue de Champagne which features the leading Champagne manufacturers.

Other sights outside the town include:

Economy

Épernay is best known as the principal "entrepôt" for champagne wines, which are bottled and kept in large cellars built into the chalk rock on which the town is built. The major grape varieties used in champagne are the pinot noir, the pinot meunier and the chardonnay. The production of the equipment and raw materials used in the champagne industry is a major source of local employment. Champagne Pannier, among others, was established in Épernay before moving to Château-Thierry in 1937. Brewing and sugar refinery and the production of hats and caps, are also major industries.

Épernay station has rail connections to Paris, Strasbourg, Reims, Metz, Nancy and several regional destinations.

The nearest airport is Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport, which is located 132 km west of Épernay.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Mercier_Vineyards,_Epernay.jpg" caption="Mercier Champagne vineyards in Épernay"] ::

Notable people

Épernay was the birthplace of:

Épernay was the final resting place of:

Twin towns — sister cities

Épernay is twinned with:

Climate

|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Épernay (Chouilly) (2004–2020 normals, extremes 2004–present) |Jan record high C = 14.6 |Feb record high C = 21.1 |Mar record high C = 24.7 |Apr record high C = 27.6 |May record high C = 31.6 |Jun record high C = 36.1 |Jul record high C = 40.3 |Aug record high C = 37.5 |Sep record high C = 33.5 |Oct record high C = 27.0 |Nov record high C = 21.7 |Dec record high C = 17.0 |Jan record low C = -11.1 |Feb record low C = -12.3 |Mar record low C = -10.3 |Apr record low C = -3.0 |May record low C = 0.8 |Jun record low C = 4.9 |Jul record low C = 7.9 |Aug record low C = 6.6 |Sep record low C = 3.7 |Oct record low C = -3.2 |Nov record low C = -4.7 |Dec record low C = -10.9 |Jan high C = 5.9 |Feb high C = 7.1 |Mar high C = 11.2 |Apr high C = 16.3 |May high C = 19.2 |Jun high C = 22.9 |Jul high C = 25.5 |Aug high C = 24.6 |Sep high C = 21.2 |Oct high C = 16.1 |Nov high C = 9.9 |Dec high C = 6.4 | year high C = 15.5 |Jan mean C = 3.4 |Feb mean C = 4.1 |Mar mean C = 7.2 |Apr mean C = 11.3 |May mean C = 14.2 |Jun mean C = 17.8 |Jul mean C = 20.0 |Aug mean C = 19.2 |Sep mean C = 16.2 |Oct mean C = 12.2 |Nov mean C = 7.2 |Dec mean C = 4.0 | year mean C = 11.4 |Jan low C = 1.0 |Feb low C = 1.1 |Mar low C = 3.2 |Apr low C = 6.3 |May low C = 9.3 |Jun low C = 12.7 |Jul low C = 14.5 |Aug low C = 13.8 |Sep low C = 11.2 |Oct low C = 8.4 |Nov low C = 4.4 |Dec low C = 1.6 | year low C = 7.3 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 57.9 |Feb precipitation mm = 57.2 |Mar precipitation mm = 49.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 37.4 |May precipitation mm = 62.7 |Jun precipitation mm = 59.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 55.9 |Aug precipitation mm = 55.8 |Sep precipitation mm = 41.1 |Oct precipitation mm = 55.4 |Nov precipitation mm = 54.7 |Dec precipitation mm = 81.5 |year precipitation mm = 668.9 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days = 11.3 | Feb precipitation days = 11.6 | Mar precipitation days = 10.6 | Apr precipitation days = 7.6 | May precipitation days = 9.8 | Jun precipitation days = 8.8 | Jul precipitation days = 8.2 | Aug precipitation days = 8.7 | Sep precipitation days = 6.7 | Oct precipitation days = 9.6 | Nov precipitation days = 10.2 | Dec precipitation days = 13.1 | year precipitation days =116.1 |source 1 = Meteociel{{cite web |url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=51153001 |title=Normales et records pour Chouilly (51) |publisher=Meteociel |access-date=21 November 2024}}}}

References

References

  1. (6 June 2023). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises.
  2. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/metadonnees/geographie/commune/51230-epernay INSEE commune file]
  3. {{Cassini-Ehess. 12717. Épernay
  4. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-51230#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
  5. Simpson, James. (16 October 2011). "Creating Wine: The Emergence of a World Industry, 1840-1914". Princeton University Press.
  6. (3 November 2019). "'Great lady of the French Resistance' dies at 103".
  7. "Villes jumelées". Épernay.

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communes-of-marne-(department)subprefectures-in-francechampagne-(province)