The Mag
The Champagne Love Story Novel
Victor Canard and Léonie Duchêne’s love story inspired the creation of Canard-Duchêne champagne.
What better ingredient could there be to make champagne?
Focus on this romance, which was born nearly two centuries ago and combines family tradition and champagne identity.
A sparkling encounter
The tradition of the House is rooted in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, on the slopes of Ludes, in the Montagne de Reims Natural Park.
Canard-Duchêne is the love story between Victor Canard and Léonie Duchêne.
Their first meeting occurred in 1859. Léonie was born into a winemaking family, and Victor worked as a cooper. They were both Champagne region children who were passionate about shaping the products that nature provided them.
They met on a walk through the beautiful village of Ludes when vines were in bloom.
They said a few words. There was a spark, and the affinities were strong! They realized they shared a common interest for their land.
The beginning of a Champagne romance
They began to meet in the middle of the vineyards, then in the extraordinary forests for bucolic walks. Their personalities emerged as they traveled through vineyards, green plains, and the discreet heights of the Montagne de Reims.
The “100-day rule” was effective at the time: the time between full bloom and harvest.
This is how long Victor waited to confess his feelings for Léonie…
They talked for a long time about their dreams. They both realized how much love they both had for their native land, besides the love they had for each other.
Two forward-thinking souls
As the only child of a family of winegrowers, Léonie had already been working in the vineyard since her early childhood. It was therefore quite natural for her to decide to make winemaking her life’s work. Supported and accompanied by Victor, together they demonstrated the excellence of their know-how.
The first cuvées were released, and the results were immediate: local success! Victor then abandoned his woodworking career to focus solely on their vines. They worked together among the grapes, hand in hand.
Victor finally makes up his mind… and asks Léonie for her hand on the very spot where they met a few years before. Yes, absolutely!
Here’s a new reason to throw a party and celebrate tradition by cracking open a few bottles with a saber, this time in their honor.
They were already linked by Champagne, but were making their love official by getting married. Furthermore, delaying engagement for a few years was a very novel act at the time.
The legacy of a love
In 1868, Victor and Léonie combined their names to establish the Canard-Duchêne House in Ludes. They decided to devote themselves to a once-in-a-lifetime project: revealing the magnificent potential offered by this hillside in the heart of the Montagne de Reims natural park.
This union embodies the essence of Canard-Duchêne: a return to the essentials and the richness of the Champagne terroir in Ludes, a Premier Cru village and Pinot Noir land…
This couple has always emphasized the secret ingredient of a relationship that works both professionally and personally: patience.
Marriage was the foundation of every family in the nineteenth century, and it was a crucial component in the transmission of heritage, land, education, and values in general.
As a result of love, convictions, history, and avant-gardism, the House of Canard-Duchêne has been able to forge its identity. Since 1868, we have tried to honor free spirits like Léonie and Victor in each of our bottles, and we have done so for over 150 years!
The beginning of a family story
Alfred (1863), Armand (1870), Paul (1874), and Maria (1877) were born as a result of their love.
Inspired by their parents, the latter also worked on the development of champagne and passed on their passion from generation to generation.
But that’s another story…
* Imaginary story, inspired by the love story of Victor Canard and Léonie Duchêne.
To get a taste of the viticultural basis of their romance, we invite you to visit our cellars and taste the Léonie and V for Victor Canard vintages!
