On the Way of St James between Rilly-la-Montagne and Aÿ-Champagne

The route starts from Rilly-la-Montagne station.

(S) On leaving the station, turn right onto the small path (no dogs allowed) that runs along the top of the railway line towards the woods and continue straight ahead.
Once you reach the road, follow it to the right, pass the wine press and cross the road.

(1) After less than 100 m, turn left onto the Chemin de la Forêt.
From this point, follow the Compostela signposts to (11). These are shell-shaped markers, or blue and yellow lines. Stay on this path, which winds its way up the hillside.

(2) At the crossroads, take the track opposite. Continue along the same path until you reach the village of Les Haies.

(3) Pass the wash house (no water at the pump) and continue in the same direction. At this point, it is possible to avoid the village and the road section by taking an alternative route described below

(4) Less than a kilometre further on, take the Chemin du Champ Pierreux on the right.

(5) At the crossroads, take the dirt track on the left. Continue to the village.

(6) Take Rue de Rilly on the right until you reach the Lavoir de Thérèse. Pass to the right of the wash house, then take Rue de l’Étang on the left. You will arrive in front of the community grocery shop “Le Cerf à trois pattes”, which is open on certain days. Take the street on the left.

(7) In front of the school, turn right onto the D71 with care. This unpleasant stretch of road can be avoided by taking the alternative route described below

(8) Still on the road, you’ll see the start of the PR® on the old Roman road on your right. Continue for another 300 m on this road, keeping to the left.

(9) Take a track on the left that leads into the wooded area. Stay on this track until the next junction.

(10) At the crossroads, take the track on the right. Continue straight ahead on this path, which passes in front of the pretty Grand Étang (not shown on the OpenStreetMap).

End of the Compostela signposting

(11) You arrive at a house. From this point, you leave the signposted route. Continue along the path that runs alongside the garden of this house on your right, following the conifer hedge. Continue along this path until you reach a large crossroads, the Poteau Sainton.

(12) Take the second path on the right. It is a downhill track suitable for vehicles. It leads us towards the Aÿ vineyards. Continue through the vineyards in the same direction.

(13) At the fork, stay on the path on the right.

(14) When you reach Champagne Ayala, continue straight ahead along Rue Anatole France, then Rue Gambetta.

(15) At Place Henri Martin by the town hall, continue almost straight ahead along Rue Jean Jaurès. Cross the roundabout and head straight towards the bridge.

(16) Continue in the same direction until you reach Aÿ station, at the end of the avenue (E).

No water at the first wash house you come to, and just a trickle at the second (Lavoir de Thérèse).

Very pleasant picnic area in front of Germaine church: tables, drinking water tap, dry toilets, book box. Please respect this community space.

Cafés and shops in Aÿ. Two very pleasant terraces on Place de la Mairie.

Many Champagne producers in Aÿ. Champagne by the glass in the cafés.

Check the hunting days before setting off on the Parc de la Montagne de Reims website.

Cultural visits available in Aÿ.
https://www.ay-champagne.com/visiter/ren etc.

Café and community grocery shop in Germaine: Le Cerf à trois pattes. Open at certain times; see their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/lecerfa3pattes/

(¹) Alternative route to avoid the village of Germaine and the unpleasant stretch of road:

At (3), turn right onto Rue du Docteur Quentin and follow it to the end. Continue in the same direction through the woods, on the path that extends it. When you reach a T-junction on the old Roman road, turn left and walk to (8).
With this alternative route, there are only 300 metres of road between (8) and (9).