Few places in the world have had a more extensive influence on Europe or on Western civilization as a whole than the ABC region of France. Comprised of Alsace, Burgundy, and Champagne-Ardenne, it is the crossroads of Europe and of history itself. Land, religion, art, politics, and invention have always been implicit in ABC. It is the birthplace of so many of our traditions that it's virtually impossible to talk about one thing without talking about everything. To talk about wine, for instance, means talking about religion, since it was first made by monks, and about the wealth it created, which then had to be defended, influencing architectural design and giving rise to formidable castles and fortresses.

Stretching from just east of Paris to the borders of Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland, and south to the foothills of the Jura Mountains, ABC of France offers an amazing and intoxicating mix of influences. Mediterranean, Germanic, and Gaelic art and architecture come together in a stunning landscape of infinite planes, ancestral forests, green mountains, and rolling vineyards, crisscrossed by thousands of miles of rivers and canals.

ABC is home to the Gothic cathedral of Reims, where Clovis converted to Christianity and numerous kings of France were crowned, and the town of Troyes, where Rashi wrote his commentaries on the Torah. It was here, in the city of Strasbourg, that Gutenberg invented his movable letterpress. ABC has given the world more than 10,000 different wines, 6,000 kinds of champagne, Dijon mustard, the Grand Prix, and films (and treats) like Chocolat. Innumerable museums, festivals, and natural wonders abound everywhere you go.

With 600 miles of wine trails, visitors can stop by local vintners' properties and sample ABC by the glass. The taste and subtleties vary with every step, each flavor rooted to the all-important French notion of terroir, or native soil. Explore the land by foot, hot air balloon (mongolfieres), river barge, bicycle, or horseback...any way you see them, the sights are some of the most breathtaking you will ever encounter. Like the wine it produces, the experience of ABC is one that lingers, enriching everything it touches.