THE "hillsides, houses and wine cellars" of Champagne have won their bid to be added to Unesco's list of world heritage sites.
The decision, announced this weekend, is the result of a six-year campaign by producers in the region to have their work recognised.
Also winning a place on the coveted Unesco list are "the climates and terroirs" of Burgundy.
Announcing its award, Unesco said Champagne was the "model for sparkling wines".
The addition to the Unesco list reads: "The property encompasses sites where the method of producing sparkling wines was developed on the principle of secondary fermentation in the bottle since the early 17th century to its early industrialization in the 19th century.
"The property is made up of three distinct ensembles: the historic vineyards of Hautvilliers, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims, and the Avenue de Champagne and Fort Chabrol in Epernay.
"These three components – the supply basin formed by the historic hillsides, the production sites (with their underground cellars) and the sales and distribution centres (the Champagne Houses) - illustrate the entire champagne production process.
"The property bears clear testimony to the development of a very specialized artisan activity that has become an agro-industrial enterprise."
Speaking to Connexion in June, Pierre Cheval, who has led the Paysages du Champagne project for 10 years, said: “Our bid has taken six years of work since we decided to go for it.
“Champagne is steeped in history. We have a wonderful story: how wine-making has changed, vines, transformation into the final product and the work over the years in turning a local wine into a global market.
“I don’t know how much our full project has cost but it is comparable to other sites. We did not waste money and I had a small team, just me and two others.
“We put together the whole dossier for Unesco but we also worked with historians, sociologists, artists and writers to make it solid.
“In all, we had about 25 contributors and they all wrote their own section. But they wrote in their own styles and when we looked at them alongside each other it was illegible. We rewrote the whole lot and put it in one style.
“All the while we were talking to the Ministry of Culture and the Unesco team in Paris and they threw up problems we had not expected, such as the role of women. We had to redo that part and others.
“When they visited us the inspection teams were rigorous in asking questions about the land and its history. Obviously we had a visit to the cellars and a taste of champagne – but just a very small amount. We wanted them to make their decisions with clear heads and, of course, champagne is well known for allowing that.
“The other effects will be seen in rising tourist visits. We know Albi three years ago saw tourist numbers up 30% but we need to be careful as Champagne is different. Many tourists come for a visit but do not stay.
“We need quality tourists who will come and stay with us and learn more about our wines and our methods and develop an appreciation – and, hopefully, buy some wine.”
Also making it on to the Unesco world heritage list are the "climates and terroirs of Burgundy".
Their winning application says: "The climates are precisely delimited vineyard parcels on the slopes of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune south of the city of Dijon.
"They differ from one another due to specific natural conditions (geology and exposure) as well as vine types and have been shaped by human cultivation. Over time they came to be recognized by the wine they produce.
"This cultural landscape consists of two parts. Firstly, the vineyards and associated production units including villages and the town of Beaune, which together represent the commercial dimension of the production system.
"The second part includes the historic centre of Dijon, which embodies the political regulatory impetus that gave birth to the climate system. The site is an outstanding example of grape cultivation and wine production developed since the High Middle Ages."
