Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Carol Duval-Leroy, president of France’s largest independent champagne house, says the Vaud village of Champagne has little chance of winning its long-running battle with its giant neighbour, to use the town name on its products. Duval-Leroy’s €70 million firm in 2007 produced 6.1 million bottles of the bubbly stuff. She took over the family champagne business in 1991, and 12 June she addressed a group of business people over lunch in Geneva to talk about the history of and developments in the champagne industry, including the success of her company.

But it was in her role as president of the Champagne grape growers’ association that she answered a  question about that groups’ willingness to negotiate with the small town with the same name. The answer was an unequivocal no. "We’re bigger," she smiled.

Champagne, Vaud, produces flûte snacks and wine with its name but the European Union ruled against the town in 2004. In April 2008 the village voted to continue its fight after it was told by a court in Paris to shut down a web site.