Saint-Martin Portal

To your left stands a truly remarkable monument—the Saint-Martin portal, a grand façade that once belonged to an ancient abbey church of the same name, originally built by the Counts of Champagne. The portal itself dates back to 1540 and was added to a religious complex that had stood on the site since 1032. It was crafted by Pierre Jacques, a sculptor from Reims, who designed it in the style of a triumphal arch, richly decorated with motifs inspired by classical Antiquity. It’s one of the finest Renaissance relics in Épernay and among the city’s oldest surviving monuments. When the Saint-Martin church began to deteriorate in the early 19th century, the decision was made not to restore it but to demolish it and build a new one. Still, the portal was considered far too valuable to lose, so it was carefully preserved and moved—several times, in fact—before finally being installed here, perfectly aligned with the square across from it to give it the visibility it deserves. Its historical and artistic significance earned it a place on France’s very first list of Historic Monuments, all the way back in 1840.