IN 2022

Dare the big dive

Nigloland, amusement park in France opens its doors to you to live wonderful family adventures, feel wonder, emotions or thrills!

Immerse yourself in 4 breathtaking universes, find 43 attractions

And shows for young and old as well as 8 themed restaurants.

The charming small town of Brienne-le-Château, in Aube, is steeped in centuries of history immortalised by its architecture. Invaded as far back as Roman times, the town would enjoy its moment of glory with the arrival in 1779 of Napoleon Bonaparte, who first learned his trade at its military school. The building now houses a museum devoted to this cult figure of French history, with a particular focus on his achievement of the rank of officer. A collection of paintings and statues, as well as costumes, objects and other memorabilia, spans hundreds of square metres of history on the museum's first floor.

Apart from this renowned historic monument, the streets of Brienne-le-Château are a pleasant place to spend some time, particularly in the old town neighbourhoods. Architecture buffs can admire the details of the half-timbered low houses. In the hills stands the imposing castle, erected on a man-made hill. Enquiring minds will be keen to go up there to see its huge garden with topiary along with its immense cream-coloured façade, beneath a roof in anthracite blue tones.

In September, the town of Brienne attracts crowds of tourists to celebrate the Sauerkraut Festival. The local sauerkraut is renowned all over France for its champagne-enhanced flavours!

In the heart of the Grand Est region, in the department of Aube, the Orient Forest Regional Nature Park covers an expanse of 82,000 hectares, divided into different areas: the humid Champagne region dotted with ponds, hedged farmland and forests, chalky Champagne with its rolling hills, the Aube Valley, and the three major lakes of the Orient Forest. The latter make up the third biggest aquatic nature reserve in France and attract a myriad of birds, to the delight of all visiting ornithologists. With your hiking boots on, set off to discover this wild and unspoilt land, and admire the local fauna and flora.

Start by heading for the Fontaine aux Oiseaux embankment, an incredible wetland where frogs, newts and salamanders, along with black storks, live at the heart of the Orient Forest amid majestic willows that glisten in the sun.

Continue your adventure deep in the Champagne countryside to discover the vast forested areas of the Étoile Wood, which was once used for hunting with hounds. The paths that were originally cleared for hunters are now ideal for a ramble among the trees, which form an immense canopy of greenery. Along the way, you will see a wide range of plant species covering the ground: angelica, meadowsweet, nettles and many others make up the abundant flora of the Orient Forest Regional Nature Park. In the summer period, be sure to visit the sandy shores of Lake Orient, including the Blue Flag-certified beaches of Mesnil-Saint-Père and Géraudot. The water, turquoise and azure at the same time, has an Atlantic look about it, surrounded by wild greenery.

If you are on a family holiday in this major park in Aube, make sure you visit Nigloland, one of France's biggest amusement parks in the heart of the forest. Formerly a circus in the Roaring Twenties, it has swapped its old fairground attractions for mechanical rides that draw visitors from all over France.

The marshes of the Orient Forest are another must-see. They are home to plants specific to the local area, with water mint, gypsywort and iris giving off amazing scents. The Konik Polski, horses brought specifically to the area to graze the pastures, regularly roam in the vicinity and are recognisable by their coat with stripes, characteristic of ancestral horses.

Needless to say, the Orient Forest Regional Nature Park is the place for nature-lovers!

The small Haute-Marne village of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises is famous for having been a place of tranquillity and rest for General de Gaulle, a great statesman of the 20th century who acquired a property there in 1934. It was at this family home, named La Boisserie, that General de Gaulle received the German Chancellor Adenauer in 1958 to seal the Franco-German reconciliation. Now open to visitors, the estate of La Boisserie has several rooms open to the public - the drawing room, dining room, library and office where the general wrote his Memoirs - to keep the memory of this famous figure alive.

Not far from there, at the foot of the monumental Lorraine cross, the symbol of free France, lies the Charles de Gaulle Memorial. This memorial site and museum space consists of a permanent exhibition covering 1600 m², dedicated to the life and works of the famous French general, writer and politician.

Visible from thirty or so kilometres all round, the huge pink granite Lorraine cross, inaugurated on 18 June 1972 as a tribute to General de Gaulle and his historic appeal to the Resistance of 18 June 1940, overlooks the village and the landscapes that Charles de Gaulle loved so much. His tomb lies in the cemetery at Colombey-les-Deux-Églises.

Founded in 1115 by St. Bernard, then turned into a prison in 1808, Clairvaux Abbey has seen centuries of history go by. In the heart of the humid Champagne region, in Ville-sous-la-Ferté, this Cistercian complex of majestic buildings stands amid an ocean of greenery.

The guided tour begins with the Ladies' Hostelry, a magnificent 16th- century building designed to accommodate the wives of visitors to the abbey.

The exploration of the site continues all the way to the lay brothers' building, dating from the 12th century and dedicated to the lay brothers who looked after the abbey's estates. Admire the storeroom with its rib vaults, a room devoid of all furniture where silence reigns supreme.

The frugal Cistercian style gave way to opulence a few centuries later, in the 18th century. As the abbots were wealthier by then, they decided to create a vast refectory within the Great Cloister. A few elements remain of the lavish decorations created at that time, and you can still admire the arcades featuring painted medallions, as well as the immaculate floor adorned with black cabochons.

Under Napoleon I, Clairvaux Abbey became the biggest prison in France with around 3,000 inmates. Known as "the chicken coops", the old cells measuring 1.5 by 2 metres, where prisoners were detained until 1971, are a reminder of this dark episode in the abbey's history. Not for the faint of heart.

Other areas are open to the public, like the Great Cloister built in the 18th century, an immense architectural complex surrounding a large square courtyard, or the lay brothers' barn, a stone structure whose reflection can be seen in the river. This river's source is at Fontaine Saint Bernard, in a very scenic clearing in Clairvaux Forest. A walk there is highly recommended for nature-lovers!

The village of Essoyes in Aube is inextricably linked to the work of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, who stayed there every summer from 1888 onwards. The painter was truly inspired by the idyllic setting of the village, where pretty half-timbered houses still stand on the banks of the Ource to this day.

For an introduction to the artist's work, we recommend a visit to the Espace des Renoir, based in the former stables of Hériot Castle, with a permanent exhibition about the famous painter's life and family. His sons' creations are also in the spotlight, with a short film about actor Pierre Renoir, film-maker Jean and ceramist Claude.

Continue your pilgrimage on the Renoir trail, which guides visitors wishing to follow in the painter's footsteps, with a particular focus on the sites that inspired him. Reproductions of his most famous paintings, like The Bathers, Gabrielle and Jean, Dance in the Country and more, are displayed on the village façades, alongside houses adorned with flowers.

You can also visit Renoir's studio, nestling in a lovely garden. His paintings and everyday objects are on display there, bathed in natural light. Also be sure to visit the Renoir family home, where he set up his first studio in Essoyes, for an intimate view of this artistic family's life during the 1900s. The itinerary ends at Essoyes cemetery, where they are buried together. A memorable tour awaits you...

Nestling at the heart of the peaceful Blaise Valley at the borders of Lorraine, Cirey-sur-Blaise Castle, a listed Historic Monument, is famous for having been the home of the celebrated philosopher Voltaire from 1734 to 1749. He was invited there by Gabrielle Émilie de Breteuil, Marquise du Châtelet. It was a place of refuge and "heaven on earth" for the politically committed writer who was threatened with incarceration following the publication of his Philosophical Letters. He restored and enlarged this Louis XIII-style residence, adding a gallery with a splendid sculpted door, dedicated to the arts and sciences. Take a guided tour and discover the drawing rooms, dining room, library, kitchen, chapel, the marquise's room, and the little theatre where Voltaire liked to rehearse his plays!

Open since 1982, Troyes Museum of Modern Art is one of the most extensive provincial museums of modern art in France.

Based in the former episcopal palace, this is a collectors' museum made up of private donations, the very first of which came from the textile industrialists Pierre and Denise Lévy. Around 2,000 artworks, paintings, sculptures, drawings and ceramics offer a complete panorama of Art from the second half of the 19th century to the 1960s, as well as a collection of primitive art objects from Africa and Oceania.

Exhibits of note include many works by Derain (around 80 paintings), as well as Courbet, Bonnard, Braque, Vlaminck, Soutine, Modigliani, etc.

The sculptures include Picasso's "Jester", bronzes by Derain, and works by Maillol, Degas and Zadkine. As well as the African and Oceanian Art section, Troyes Museum of Modern Art has over 140 pieces from the Marinot glassworks that are typical of the Art Deco style.

This beautiful town in the Grand Est region charms large numbers of visitors who flock to the historic capital of southern Champagne. Its historic centre is distinguished by its champagne cork shape, a characteristic that Troyes owes to the ancient ramparts that once protected the town.

Stroll between the traditional, magnificent half-timbered buildings whose walls come in a beautiful palette of red, yellow, white... Between these charming dwellings are secret passages and narrow cobbled streets, like the famous Ruelle des Chats, offering delightful urban walks. For instance, we recommend a wander along the promenade by the Seine, where you can admire elegant statues like the Heart of Troyes. The latter stands 3.5 metres tall and is surrounded by imposing water jets. Other ancient sculptures and windows adorning the monuments bear witness to the important legacy of the master glassmakers and sculptors from the School of Troyes. The Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, 114 metres long, is illustrious proof of this: it represents all the styles of the Gothic art and is adorned with 182 stained glass windows, or 1,500 m² of magnificent glass from the 13th to 19th centuries, bathing its interior in exceptional light!

The architectural opulence of Troyes' town centre immerses us in its glorious past, particularly that of the textile industries: the old factories clad in red bricks have kept their original façades and have now been converted into housing. This aesthetic combining various materials such as cast iron and glass echoes that of Troyes' covered market, inspired by the Halles de Paris. The outside walls are adorned with columns, each one featuring a cast iron lion's head, and the whole complex is covered by a huge metal roof frame. It is well worth stepping inside this immense building erected in 1876, to stock up on local produce at the market!

The city also has cultural visitor attractions such as the Museum of Tools and Workers' Thought, containing a vast collection of old hand tools. A fine example of the region's craftsmanship! Other places such as the Saint-Loup Museum, dedicated to Fine Arts, archaeology and natural history; the Historical Museum of Troyes and Champagne and the Hosiery Museum, both housed in the elegant Vauluisant mansion; and the Museum of Modern Art in the former episcopal palace make for a wonderful visitor experience.

Finally, to complement this urban tour, enjoy an outing in the surrounding area by travelling along the Greenway. On foot or by bike, it will take you straight to the countryside around Troyes, from the middle of the forested areas to the surrounding lakes, including the famous Lake Orient (Lac d'Orient). Shopaholics and bargain-hunters will enjoy a trip to one of the town's many factory outlet stores.

Built between 1533 and 1546 at the request of Claude de Lorraine, the first Duke of Guise, the Grand Garden Castle in Joinville, a listed Historic Monument, forms a magnificent Renaissance ensemble with its elegant main building and superb garden. Owned by the General Council of Haute-Marne, this former hunting lodge of the dukes of Lorraine is now home to a cultural meeting centre. All year round, it hosts cultural events such as classical music concerts and contemporary art exhibitions. Accessible in all seasons, the Renaissance garden, made up of carefully tended flowerbeds, squares of aromatic plants and rare fruit trees, and the romantic park filled with hundred-year-old trees and modern sculptures, are a delight for walkers and admirers of topiary art. Every year in early May, it hosts an unmissable event for all plant-lovers, Spring in the Grand Garden (Printemps du Grand Jardin), a colourful festival dedicated to plants and gardens.

After your visit to the Grand Garden Castle, discover the old town of Joinville. It's as picturesque as can be, with its Quai des Peceaux, known as "Little Venice"; its medieval houses; its old auditorium - a high court founded in 1561 by

Antoinette de Bourbon and François de Guise - which contains historical reconstructions; its Chapel of St. Anne, decorated with 16th-century stained glass windows from the Troyes School; and its Church of Our Lady, built in the 12th and 13th centuries and containing a 16th-century alabaster sepulchre.

Nestled between Burgundy and Champagne, Châtillon-sur-Seine in Côte-d'Or is the very first town through which the River Seine runs. It lies at the foot of a hill bearing the ruins of a fortified castle and has some beautiful medieval heritage. Overlooking the town's rooftops from the top of its rocky promontory, the Church of St. Vorles, which is over 1,000 years old, is a real gem of the 11th-century Romanesque style. Inside, you can admire a Renaissance Entombment. Continuing your walk, you will come across the 12th-century Church of St. Nicholas, also a listed historic monument, with its beautiful 16th-century stained glass windows depicting the Tree of Jesse and the legend of the Way of St. James pilgrims.

Also not to be missed is the famous site of the Douix spring. This Vauclusian resurgence with its clear waters is located in a charming, green spot at the foot of a rocky escarpment, ideal for a short break between visiting two places of interest.

The town also has one of its most beautiful historic treasures on display in its Museum of Pays Châtillonnais. This is the Treasure of Vix, an incredible Greek bronze vase found in the tomb of the Celtic Princess of Vix. Dating back to the Iron Age, around the 6th century BC, its size and weight are impressive: 1.64 m and 208 kg! The museum housing this unique artefact tells the story of the Châtillonnais area, from prehistory to the present day, through various objects found during excavations.

Not far from the town, a vast and verdant forest offers some wonderful nature walks.

At the heart of Champagne, around ten kilometres from Saint-Dizier and Montier-en-Der, Der-Chantecoq Lake is France's biggest artificial lake, measuring 4,800 hectares! It's a splendid expanse of water on the border between the departments of Marne and Haute-Marne, ideal for water sports such as bathing, kayaking, water skiing, jet skiing, windsurfing and fishing. You can also go walking, cycling or rollerblading there, along its 77 kilometres of landscaped banks. There is plenty for fans of relaxation too, as the lake has six beaches of fine sand, which are an ideal place to unwind. As well as these many attractions, there are three harbours - Giffaumont, Nemours and Nuisement - so fans of yachting, sailing and speed boating can enjoy their favourite activity.

Observation points and discovery trails dotted along the edges of the quiet areas provide nature-lovers with a chance to admire the wildlife, and in particular the migrant birds (such as the common crane), who stay here from autumn to spring. A paradise for keen ornithologists! The panoramic water tower of Giffaumont-Champaubert has an orientation table and offers a superb view of the lake and hedged farmland all around, from a height of 20 metres.

In Sainte-Marie-du-Lac-Nuisement, don't miss the Museum of Pays du Der, based in the typical half-timbered buildings of humid Champagne. Visitors can learn about the history and construction of Der Lake and the villages that have disappeared, the arts and traditions of Champagne's hedged farmland, its old trades, an educational pond and kitchen garden, and a garden of medicinal plants!