A car stolen in France's Champagne country in 1979 is to be reunited with its owner after police pulled it from a murky swamp.

Champagne doesn’t have a season — I’m fairly sure most of us would drink it every day if we were let, writes Leslie Williams.

Now in truth the grape never went away, it was really the fat oaky styles that we abandoned, says Leslie Williams.

France’s wine-making region Champagne and a part of Burgundy have been granted world heritage status by the United Nations, boosting tourism and the economy.

One suspect sought in the deadly shooting at a French satirical paper has turned himself in, as police hunt for two heavily armed men with possible links to al-Qaida.

CHAMPAGNE. The word needs little explanation to any adult and is almost guaranteed to conjure up a memory or two.

Magician is set to lead Aidan O’Brien’s assault on the Breeders’ Cup as he bids to win the Turf for the second year running.

AFTER an admittedly disastrous spring the Irish summer has been quite respectable so far with reasonably warm days and nights and just occasional bouts of rain.

THE FLIGHT from Dublin to Bilbao in Spain’s Basque region was surprisingly full for a Tuesday morning in April and it was buzzing with anticipation and goodwill.

An explosion at a residential building and subsequent partial collapse of the edifice has left at least two people dead and injured nine others in the Champagne area of France, officials have said.

European farmers have warned that drought, cold and hail have led to the worst wine harvest in up to half a century.

It was agony and ecstasy at Ballybrit yesterday as one Aussie took home €12,000 as Best Dressed Lady — and I missed out on €1,000 by a matter of inches.

CHAMPAGNE celebrations were the order of the day for the cast and crew of a west Cork drama group who clinched the top prize at the 2011 All-Ireland Drama Festival.

CARNIVAL times have come around already for Carla Blake. Carnival Cottage, her home in Conna, east Cork, and its acre of great gardens have been swiftly snapped up by a new owner who will be able to move in for spring bud and flowering time.

CHAMPAGNE corks were popping in Ballydoyle stables last night and across the wider Golden Vale as campaigners celebrated the decision by South Tipperary County Council to refuse planning permission for a controversial animal waste plant.

CHAMPAGNE-SOAKED John Ward ranked Cheltenham’s Coca-Cola League Two play-off final victory as “the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Lorenzo Bernucci of Italy was the unexpected victor of a dramatic sixth stage of the Tour de France in Nancy as Alexander Vinokourov threw down the gauntlet to race leader Lance Armstrong.

GRAPE vines in the Champagne region are sagging this year with an abundance of fruit. But this will not mean increased supply, or cheaper bottles of bubbly for consumers.

Grape vines in the Champagne region are sagging this year with an abundance of fruit. But this will not mean increased supply – or cheaper bottles of bubbly for consumers.