Champagne Capsule Fair, Saint-Martin-d'Ablois

Champagne Capsule Fair in Saint-Martin-d'Ablois

The Champagne Capsule Fair in Saint-Martin-d'Ablois (51530) is a truly unique event in France, organized by the SCAE (Society of Champagne Wirehood Capsule Collectors and Enthusiasts) three times a year. This specialized event brings together placomusophiles — collectors of Champagne wirehood capsules — who meet to exchange, buy, and sell these small lithographed metal discs found under the wire cage of Champagne bottles.

Placomusophily is a passion with thousands of followers in France and around the world, but its center of gravity is naturally in Champagne. Wirehood capsules — these small circular metal plates that secure the wire cage of Champagne bottles — are produced in thousands of different varieties by the hundreds of Champagne houses, growers, and cooperatives. Each house has its own capsules, often in several series, and some rare or old capsules can fetch significant prices in this niche market.

Saint-Martin-d'Ablois, nestled in the vineyards between Épernay and the Côte des Blancs, is a perfectly appropriate setting to host this themed fair: it is at the heart of the region that produces the bottles whose capsules are so coveted. The proximity of the vineyards and Champagne cellars gives this event remarkable authenticity and geographical logic.

The SCAE organizes the fair three times a year, ensuring a regularity and frequency that allows collectors to meet regularly and trade their collections. Each edition attracts collectors from all over France, and sometimes from abroad — Belgium, Switzerland, Germany — to participate in these exchanges. The exhibitors' tables are piled high with capsules sorted by house, year, theme, or color, and negotiations are lively in this atmosphere of shared passion.

Saint-Martin-d'Ablois in the Côte des Blancs vineyards

Saint-Martin-d'Ablois (51530) is a village in the Champagne vineyards located south of Épernay, in the Côte des Blancs area and its surroundings. This peaceful commune, whose vineyards produce Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier for Champagne, provides an ideal rural and authentic setting for the Capsule Fair. The village belongs to the Épernay Champagne Marne agglomeration community and benefits from its proximity to the Champagne capital.