The Cité du Champagne Collet-Cogevi in Aÿ-Champagne has miles of underground galleries. Dug into the hillside since the 18th century, these cellars offer visitors a journey back in time and an initiation into the mysteries of Champagne production. At the turn of a corridor, a strange machine from the past breaks through the ceiling of the gallery, more than 30 metres deep. This freight lift equipped with wicker baskets was used to bring bottles to the surface. During the ascent, the heavily loaded baskets would sometimes tip over and send their precious cargo crashing to the ground.