Champagne is like no other wine region in France. Although it is the ultimate in bottled glamour, it is doubtful if even most French people have much idea of how champagne is made – the almost feudal relationship between the rural growers and the luxury champagne houses, the difference between, say, a champagne that is an "assemblage" and a Blanc des Noirs, or a "millesime" vintage and an NV, the anglicised non-vintage. While the famous international brands demand a hefty fee for a tour of their cellars, there is an increasing number of smaller vignerons who receive visits from the public, and don't charge for tastings, while winemakers are also opening their own B&Bs all over the region. The nearest vineyards are only an hour from Paris, and a few days stopping off at small cellars, meeting the people who make the bubbly, is the perfect way to begin to understand the mysterious world of champagne.