Aÿ (French pronunciation: [aj] eye; also Ay) is a former commune in the Marne department in northeastern France. On 1 January 2016 it was merged into the new commune Aÿ-Champagne.[2]

Aÿ
Coat of arms of Aÿ
Location of Aÿ
Map
Aÿ is located in France
Aÿ
Aÿ
Aÿ is located in Grand Est
Aÿ
Aÿ
Coordinates: 49°03′22″N 4°00′14″E / 49.0561°N 4.004°E / 49.0561; 4.004
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentMarne
ArrondissementÉpernay
CantonÉpernay-1
CommuneAÿ-Champagne
Area
1
10.43 km2 (4.03 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)[1]
3,593
 • Density340/km2 (890/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal code
51160
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Champagne edit

Aÿ is most famous as a centre of the production of Champagne. Aÿ's vineyards are located in the Vallée de la Marne subregion of Champagne, and are classified as Grand Cru (100%) in the Champagne vineyard classification. The vineyards, harvest huts, presses, and cellars in the region were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015 as part of the Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars site, because of the region's testimony to the development of champagne.[3] Many prestigious Champagne houses own vineyards in the immediate vicinity, and several producers are located in Aÿ, including Ayala and Bollinger.

International relations edit

Aÿ is twinned with:

Personalities edit

Aÿ was the birthplace of:

Aÿ was the home of:

  • Juan Romero (1919-2020), Spanish Legion d'Honneur recipient, anti-fascist Spanish Civil War veteran, and last survivor of the Nazis' Mauthausen concentration camp[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2019, INSEE
  2. ^ Arrêté préfectoral 9 November 2015 (in French)
  3. ^ "Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  4. ^ Jones, Sam (2020-10-05). "Last Spanish Anti-fascist Survivor of Nazi Concentration Camp Dies Aged 101". The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-01-06. Spain['s]...deputy prime minister, Carmen Calvo, travelled to Romero's home in Ay, north-east France, to present him with a certificate recognising both his persecution and Spain's outstanding debt to its anti-fascists.