The Perrier-Jouët Champagne House appears to be the oldest preserved property on Avenue de Champagne; in 1778 travel guide Le conducteur français describes the main building set at right angles to the avenue. Ownership changed hands over the years, with the house belonging at various times to Pierre Lochet-Duchainet (1791), Jean-Louis Chanoine (1825), Henri-Guillaume Piper (1853) and Marie Salmon (daughter of Eugène Mercier). It was then acquired by the Veuve A. Devaux Champagne House, and finally by Perrier-Jouët (1927), its present-day owners.
During the 18th century, the main building separated the courtyard from the garden, with both facing the street. The paved courtyard was enclosed on the road side by a low wall surmounted by cast iron railings complete with a gateway. With its Egyptian style, the gateway encapsulates the very essence of the external architectural features: columns with pyramid-shaped overhangs topped by geometric consoles and crowned with sphinxes. The west wing is pre-1778 and is representative of classical 18th century architecture. It is characterised by simple volumes and large windows allowing the light to flood in. The interiors of this old part of the property have retained their luxurious decor (marble fireplaces, original wooden panels with curved designs, and panelling).
Under the First Empire, the building was extended by the construction at the rear of the courtyard of a wing built at right angles, providing a second set of living quarters. This neoclassical wing differs very little from the earlier wing apart from the use of brick over the entire facade, and a more marked front section, notably at roof level, giving it a more monumental appearance.
This residential complex was supplemented by extensive cellars built in the mid-19th century.
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Lochet-Duchainet or Perrier-Jouët Champagne House, 28 avenue de Champagne, 51200 Épernay.
Tel.: +33 3 26 53 38 00.
https://www.perrier-jouet.com/fr
