Of all the great wine producing regions, the most famous, and one of the most compact, is about a two and a half hour drive from Dunkerque (Dunkirk). Here you can steep yourself in the history, mystery and joy of champagne!
Whether you choose to stay in one of the main centres, such as Reims or Epernay, or prefer to find a B&B in a small village off the beaten track, the pleasure of learning about this illustrious wine region is a journey beyond compare.
Relaxing, romantic, rewarding
There are many wonderful places simply waiting to be explored during your short break.
Reims
Reims is probably the most famous city in the Champagne region with a stunning cathedral that sits alongside palaces, parks and museums. read more
Epernay
Epernay is home to the most famous champagne houses with many cellars, chateaux and roman churches to visit. read more
Provins
A mediaeval town, Provins recently won the title of "City of Art and History" and is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Humanity World Heritage. read more
Troyes
Troyes is truly magical, and still relatively undiscovered. read more
Champagne tour suggestions
Why not plan your own itinerary choosing your own route and time scale taking the pick'n'mix approach to sipping and tasting, shopping and sightseeing – not to mention lingering over fine wines and great food? No need to join the crowds on guided tours; take the DIY option but check out visits to Champagne Houses in advance to avoid any disappointment.
If time is limited, go no further than Reims, a modest drive from Dunkerque (Dunkirk), where there are plenty of world–famous Champagne Houses open for visits, tasting and shopping all within easy reach. Take your pick from G.H Mumm, Taittinger,
Pommery, Charles de Cazenove, Lanson and Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin where you can learn about their production. Aim for just two visits a day. If you feel champagne'd out, there is plenty to enjoy before you head for home – the magnificent cathedral, great shopping, fabulous summer concerts (many of them free) as well as every type of eatery from simple bistros to the finest dining.
If you can spare a little more time, start off in Reims and when you've explored there, head 29km south to Epernay known as the Champagne Capital. It has the largest number of cellars and Houses in the region, mostly situated in the Renaissance style buildings on the Avenue de Champagne. Among the 16 Champagne Houses are the celebrated Moët, Castellane, Perrier-Jouët and Mercier. You can explore the miles of cellars carved out of the chalk where the wine is stored. If you're happy to let someone else do the driving, join one of the trips that set off from the Tourist Office at 09.30 hrs and 14.30 hrs most of the year and last about 3 hours. Check the times on www.ot-epernay.fr or call +33 (0)3 26 53 33 00. When you leave Epernay, head east and drop into nearby Ay, the home of Bollinger and a host of other producers.
When you have sipped and sampled your way through Reims and Epernay, there is still more to explore! Just 7km north of Epernay is the pretty village of Hautvilliers and legend has it, Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon, invented champagne at the Abbey there. If you feel like some gentle exercise to offset the indulgences of eating and drinking, make for the nearby Montagne de Reims Regional Park, separating Epernay from Reims, and set off on two feet or two wheels on the great off-road cycle tracks. About 115km south of Epernay, through the Chardonnay growing area of Cótes des Blancs, you arrive at the historic town of Troyes with its half-timbered buildings, fountains, squares and cobbled streets – another centre from which to discover more of the Champagne region.
Reims is probably the most famous city in the Champagne region with a stunning cathedral that sits alongside palaces, parks and museums. Don‘t miss the maze of champagne cellars. For WW2 enthusiasts the Salle de Reddition will be of particular interest as it‘s where the Germans surrendered to America. As you‘d expect, being in the heart of the Champagne region, the restaurants and cafes are particularly special. There‘s great shopping too, from open markets to traditional boulevards or more modern high-tech malls.
The company's distinctive label with a diagonal red stripe, the Cordon Rouge, is derived from the French award, the Légion d'Honneur. Mumm is recognised everywhere due to a strong marketing policy, which means that more than 60% of its production is exported.
Opening times:
High season: 1 Mar – 31 Oct; 09.00-11.00 / 14.00-17.00
Low season: 1 Nov – 28 Feb; by appointment weekdays,
09.00 -11.00 / 14.00-17.00 Saturdays only
Closed: Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Sundays in Low season
e-mail address for booking visits:
Louise Pommery picked up the reins of Pommery when her husband died in 1858 and was responsible for the building of the elegant Domaine Pommery. She might well have raised an eyebrow at the recent launch of Pommery;s POP, a packaging venture in a blue quarter bottle which is blended to be drunk straight from the bottle through a straw. Whatever next?
Opening times:
Daily, 10.00-18.00 Tours last 1 hour.
Taittinger has had a chequered list of owners which at one stage included an American investment group. Thankfully it is now back in the hands of Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, grandson of the original founder, and is housed in the building that was once the residence of the Comtes de Champagne. Located at the Place Saint-Nicaise, the Taittinger cellars are open to the public for guided tours. The oldest parts of the cellars are said to be Gallo-Roman chalk mines, worked during the 4th century to provide raw building materials for the city. During the 13th century the cellars were enlagred by the monks of the Saint Nicaise Abbey for the storage of the champagne that they produced. Visits last one hour and there is a charge.
Opening times:
15 Mar – 15 Nov: every day including Sundays and holidays 09.30-1300 / 14.00-17.30; 15 Nov – 15 Mar: Monday to Friday 09.30-13.00 / 14.00-17.30
Lanson, one of the larger producers, ships its wines extensively throughout the world and is on the shopping list of the British Royal Family. Lanson owns 800 acres of some of the best vineyards in the district and produces a premium champagne including Black Label which is aimed at a younger market. Tours cost €8 per person, last 1 hour and are available in French, English and German.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday, closed weekends and holidays. Must book in advance.
e-mail address for visits:
The name of this prestigious house is derived from the fact that when François Clicquot died in 1805 he left his 27 year old wife Barbe Nicole Ponsardin a widow. A determined lady, she took over the running of the family business and in 1810 Veuve (widow) Clicquot became the company's official name. Today the female tradition is continued under Cécile Bonneford, Président of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. Tours cost €8.50 per person and lasts 1.5 hours including tasting.
Opening times:
1 April - 31 Oct; Monday to Saturday / 2 Nov – 31 Mar; Monday to Friday
Apr - Dec 31, Monday - Friday 09.00-11.15 / 14.00-16.15
Now owned by the Martell group, this smaller house produces a range of well-blended wines, which you might well find onboard an airplane if traveling first class.
Opening times:
Every day 10.00-19.00, except holidays
Epernay is home to the most famous champagne houses with many cellars, chateaux and roman churches to visit. It‘s a particularly colourful town with flowerbed upon flowerbed as you stroll through the towns four market places: Place des Arcades, Halle Saint-Thibault, Place Fada n'Gourma and Place Auban-Moët.
Notre Dame is impressive with its Renaissance panels of stained glass, paintings and sculptures.
The Avenue de Champagne is lined with mansions, Stop at number 18, Moët et Chandon, and take a tour of their cellars, and of course a tasting!
Claude Moët, grandson of the founder, was a friend of Napoleon who regularly stopped off on his way to a war with the Prussians to stock up with Champagne. Legend has it that he failed to go via Epernay on his way to Waterloo! Guided tours in French and English from €13 – €25 per person including a tasting. Reservations recommended.
Opening times:
0.9.30-11.30 / 14.00-16.30 Monday to Friday;
1 Jan-5 Jan / 4 Feb-17 Mar / 12 Nov-31 Dec.
Monday to Sunday: incl Public Holidays, 17 Mar-11 Nov
e-mail address for booking visits:
Perrier-Jouët was founded in 1811 when Pierre-Nicholas- Mari Perrier met, fell in love with and married Adele Jouët. The unique Art Nouveau styled bottle was designed by Emile Galle in 1902, and the anemones are now synonymous with Perrier-Jouët.
Opening times:
Jan, Feb, Mar by appointment only
Apr – Dec 31, Monday – Friday 09.00-11.15 / 14.00-16.15
Brand leader in France, Mercier operate a seamless visit to their cellars. The lift dives 30m to take you on a mini train journey, lasting 45 minutes, through just some of the 18km of cellars. Tasting included and a spacious shop for buying. Tours in French, English, German and Dutch. €8 per person. Booking only required for groups of 10 or more.
Opening times:
Mid Mar – Mid Nov 09.30-11.30 / 14.00-16.30
Mid Feb – Mid Mar and Mid Nov – Mid Dec as above but closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Closed: Mid Dec - Mid Feb
e-mail address for booking visits:
The tower at Castellane is 66m high and has 237 steps to the top with a great panoramic view over the vineyards and the valley of the Marne. Below lie 9km of caves where the champagne is stored. Guided tours in French, English, German, Italian, Dutch. Tasting included.
Opening times:
High season: 1 Apr – 31 Dec: 10.00-12.00 / 14.00-18.00
Jan – Mar inclusive on request
Closed: Christmas Day, New Year's Day
e-mail address for booking visits:
or call Tel: +33 (0)3 26 51 19 11
A mediaeval town, Provins recently won the title of "City of Art and History" and is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Humanity World Heritage
It is said that Provins established a name for itself in 996, when the remains of Saint Ayoul were found in the town. Indeed, the largest middle age fair in Champagne was held at Provins.
Boasting an amazing 58 listed historical monuments it‘s certainly a very interesting and attractive town to visit. The half-timbered houses, the fortifications and churches, along with subterranean galleries, once the meeting places of secret societies, all combine to give the feeling of bye-gone days and a very different world.
Troyes is truly magical, and still relatively undiscovered. Once the ancient capital of the champagne area, it‘s a lovely town of timber-frame houses, narrow streets and a beautifully preserved historical centre. A city with a magnificent Gothic cathedral and churches and delightful 16th century courtyards.
There‘s a system of boulevards shaped like a champagne cork and, once again, some excellent shopping. Famous for its heritage of stained glass, knitwear industry and over 100 discounted factory outlets. A few bargains will really make it a cheap break.
Soak up the culture, visit the galleries and museums, shop and drink champagne. What more could you want?
In the 1890s Canard-Duchéne became an internationally recognised champagne, chosen as one of the champagnes supplied to the Russian court of Tsar Nicholas II. Guided tour in French and English. Tasting included.
Opening times:
Mid Mar – Mid Dec: 10.45-12.00 / 14.00-16.30
Monday to Saturday. Closed Sundays and Public Holidays
Founded in 1899, near Epernay, they have 2km of underground mediaeval cellars which include a rock carving of an archer dating back to 14th century and now the Pannier logo. Need to book in advance and costs €6 each.
Opening times:
Monday to Saturday 09.00-12.30 / 14.00-18.30.
A family firm committed to sustainable farming, using only organic fertilisers, hand picking and producing only vintage champagne. Small museum on the history of the vine and the wine but ring in advance.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday, 09.00-12.00; 14.00-18.00
Only by appointment
Set in 12 hectares of prestigious chalky terrain of 1ère Cru classification this vineyard is family owned and managed from growing the grapes through to labelling. In the cellars the bottles are turned and disgorged in the traditional way.
A short drive from Troyes is a champagne tour which strips the famous wine of all pretension, and where the local, little-known producers celebrate their product with passion and pride. The Champagne route of the Côtes des Bar meanders through a series of picturesque villages, which are home to a collection of independent, family-run Champagne producers.
These are a selection of hotels you'll find right in the heart of the Champagne region – you'll find more by using the Accommodation Finder on the right.
