Épernay

Vineyards near Épernay

Coat of arms

Épernay

Location within Grand Est region

Épernay

Coordinates: 49°02′25″N 3°57′36″E / 49.0403°N 3.96°ECoordinates: 49°02′25″N 3°57′36″E / 49.0403°N 3.96°E

Country

Épernay-Pays de Champagne

Government

• Mayor

Franck Leroy

Area¹

22.69 km² (8.76 sq mi)

Population (2006)²

24,456

• Density

1,100/km² (2,800/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

51230 / 51200

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Épernay (IPA: [epɛʁnɛ]) is a commune in the Marne department in northern France. Épernay is located some 130 km north-east of Paris on the main line of the Eastern 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.

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.

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.

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Wikipedia