A visit to the Champagne region of France is quite different compared to visiting any other wine region across the globe. to visit this site you must be of legal drinking age in your country of residence. ☞ READ MORE: Easy Guide to the French Wines In 1950 one such cellar – owned by the irrepressible Mercier family – hosted a car rally without the loss of a single bottle! The first house to be established in Champagne, in 1729, is Maison Ruinart. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Bring a sweater, and wear comfortable shoes because you’ll walk a lot and the floors can be uneven. Paris, France. Before you visit any champagne house, check their opening hours. Explore. They are both part of LVMH group, the world leader in the luxury goods industry. Among the highlights is a massive 16-tonne oak-beam grape press from 1630. Get even more ideas and inspiration from our dedicated websites, so you can have the Alsatian experience that suits you best! This article about visiting the Champagne region contains affiliate links. Discover the Champagne-Ardenne region and … There is a small airport at Reims (Reims-Champagne Airport) and another in Troyes, and both cities have rail access. All champagne houses offer their tours by appointment, so booking ahead is your best option. It's set to open as a new Champagne museum in 2020. Private virtual and interactive champagne experience € 100. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. They offer well-organized tours of their cellars and tastings of several of their champagnes. After that, go to some of the smaller, often family-run, champagne houses to see the difference. Assembled by a family that has been making Champagne since 1872, this extraordinary collection of century-old Champagne-making equipment includes objects so aesthetically ravishing that you’ll want to reach out and touch them. Maison de l’Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière, First-time France: where to go and what to do. Generally you pay a fee, which includes a tasting at the end of the tour for those of legal age to drink alcoholic beverages. More information # Have a great time in Champagne Whether you are a city dweller, a couple or friends, there is something for every taste in Champagne . Find out more. Champagne Tours from Paris can be booked in advance. The imagination and the intellect are engaged as Champagne cellar visits … City Guides  |  Travel the World  |  Living Abroad  |  Travel Guides  |  Adventure Travel  |  Digital Nomad Life  | Valencia, Spain  |  California, USA  |  The Netherlands, I consent to the storage of my data according to the Privacy Policy, Contact: info@spendlifetraveling.com      |      Don’t expect anything luxurious, but it’s a comfortable option. The haunted-looking Château Perrier, a red-brick mansion built in 1854 in neo–Louis XIII style, is aptly placed at number 13! Entdecken Sie Frankreich zwischen Tradition und Innovation! Some links on this website are affiliate links. Before visiting the Champagne Region, we advise you to book a Champagne Tour & Tasting in advance because availabilities are often limited. But let's go back to the beginning and focus on the wine. Champagne has five main regions, or zones. As mentioned, if you don’t have a car and want to visit some of the smaller champagne producers you can book an organized tour. Weekend in town . Author: Sanne WesselmanA traveler, wanderer, digital nomad, and entrepreneur. One – Decide which Champagne houses you want to visit. And if you have any questions, just leave a comment below. France is the world’s top tourist destination for good reason. There are several beautiful towns around the Champagne region, but if you are visiting for the first time, or desire more options for after-tasting activities, it’s best to stay in the main city of Reims (pronounced Rans in French). It doesn’t have as many facilities as Reims, but it’s a great place to stay if you want to soak up that typical small-town French vibe for a few days. A modern tasting room and wine shop in Reims is a strong step in the right direction, initiated by grower Angéline Templier (of J Lassalle). Discover all the best the Champagne Region has to offer; the grapes, the soil, the winegrowers, wineries and ofcourse the best Champagne Houses to visit. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. The Champagne wine region is a wine region within the historical province of Champagne, located in the northeast of France. Located due Northeast of Paris, this small region produces what may be considered the most renowned and recognizable wine in the world. Fr En Wine tourism (sometimes oenotourism or vinitourism) is specifically designed for people who want to explore wine regions and get to know the local wines. The Pinot Noir dominates the landscape. But, if you have a car I would recommend staying outside of both, to be surrounded by vineyards and small champagne producers. Épernay’s handsome av de Champagne fizzes with maisons de champagne (Champagne houses). In fact, the champagne hillsides, houses, and cellars are considered so special that they made in onto the UNESCO World Heritage List! With the smaller producers, the entire process takes place onsite, so you can see the journey from grape to bottle. Go ! 2) Visit Champagne distilleries The big attraction in Champagne is of course the world-famous houses of champagne. Visit these little known treasures in the Champagne-Ardennes Region; you'll be delightfully surprised by them like the chateau where the writer Voltaire lived with his lover, Emilie du Châtelet. When is the best time to visit Champagne? With the Pass'Alsace, get free admission and loads of benefits at more than 50 iconic sites and places to visit. You can find Maison Ruinart in Epernay on the Avenue de Champagne. Tips for Driving Abroad for the First Time. The other option for a two-day trip would be to split your time between Reims and the nearby village of Épernay. But more about champagne houses later. Epernay is a cute French town. This full-day tour includes a tour of the Veuve Clicquot Champagne estate, a visit to the UNESCO-listed Cathedral of Reims, a Champagne lunch, and Champagne tasting in the Montagne de Reims’ vineyards. Reims is the largest city in the region and Epernay is the town … 15 Best Things to Do in Châlons-en-Champagne (France) You can guess from the name that this town is in the Champagne region . We offer four ways of visiting the Champagne region for a day from Paris: Full day trip from Paris to Epernay Full day trip from Paris to Reims Self-guided trip to Moet and Chandon (Epernay) Self-guided trip to G.H. The vineyards are divided into four large regions: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and the Côte des Bar. Tip: it’s worth checking out Airbnb for accommodation as well, especially if you are on a budget or want more space than a hotel room. Read the Fodor's reviews, or … The boulevard is lined with mansions and neoclassical villas, rebuilt after WWI. The impressive Mémorial Charles de Gaulle presents graphic, easily digestible exhibits, rich in photos, which form an admiring biography of France’s greatest modern statesman. The Atelier Renoir has displays zooming in on the hallmarks of Renoir’s work (the female form, the vibrant use of colour and light), alongside original pieces such as his antiquated wheelchair and the box he used to carry his paintings to Paris. Taxis are surprisingly expensive so I would advise against that unless money is no issue. Perhaps loveliest of all is the studio garden, particularly in spring to early summer when it bursts forth with tulips, anemones and roses. See also: Map of French Wine Regions The tourist office rents out audio guides for self-paced tours. Larger brands, by contrast, tend to welcome visitors solely to their cellars, where the bottles are stored. Although the main things to do when visiting champagne are visiting champagne houses and tasting champagne, of course there are other things to do here as well. The Romans planted vines in Champagne in 57BC but this was not initially an important wine area. Explore Champagne holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. Côte des Bar . Both have a train station and can therefore be reached relatively easily by public transport. It’s the drink of choice for the most memorable moments in our lives…marriages, promotions, the passing into a new year. Come taste the king of wine and discover the gastronomy of the Champagne-Ardenne region . Let's go ! Displays help visitors untangle such complicated mid-20th-century events as the Algerian war and the creation of the Fifth Republic, and consider the ways in which De Gaulle’s years in power (1958–69) affected French culture, style and economic growth. Get information on Champagne Country Travel Guide - Expert Picks for your Vacation hotels, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, sightseeing, and activities. Beneath the streets in 110km of subterranean cellars, more than 200 million bottles of Champagne, just waiting to be popped open on some sparkling occasion, are being aged. Pin it! The best way to understand the essence of this effervescent drink is by visiting houses and cellars of champagne producers in the region. Their tour is one of the best organized and most insightful ones. One full day with Paris Champagne Tour to visit the Champagne countryside and vineyard. It’s a great way to get away from it all, enjoying the beautiful sights this region has to offer. Events like these, which are held in several cities around the United States, are organized to spread a simple but powerful message. Call ahead or book online. I spend most of my time living and working abroad and use this website to share "the good, the bad and the ugly" of traveling and living abroad. Explore the cities and villages in the Champagne-Ardenne region: Reims, Troyes, Charleville-Mezieres, Chalons-en-Champagne, Langres and Sedan. September is harvest time and also one of the busiest time from the production side as well as for tourists. For a more high-end hotel option in Reims Les Berceaux de la Cathedrale is a gorgeous place right in the city center. Visit more, pay less! Stay in Reims to explore the Montagne de Reims, which focuses on pinot noir. I would recommend visiting Champagne between May to October. Two champagne wine tasting sessions. Visit the vineyards which produce the most prestigious wines in the world. My favorite family-run champagne producer is Bonnet-Ponson. Reims is the largest city in the region and Epernay is the town with the famous ‘Champagne Avenue’ (Avenue de Champagne). Small Champagne Houses, wineries and winegrowers can be found in this small part of the Champagne Region. Tip: the champagne tours take you through the cellars, which are quite cool. Audioguides are available. Things to Know Before Visiting Champagne, France Where to Stay When Visiting the Champagne Region. With this in mind, visiting Champagne France, for many, is like taking a pilgrimage to this unique place where dreams are made. It is easily accessible by car or train. A half-day champagne tour, visiting 2 small producers. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. There's a lot packed into this country – artistic and architectural masterpieces,…. Reims is the perfect place to stay if you are looking for a more lively location with more things to do. The focal point of such pomposity was Reims’ resplendent Gothic cathedral, begun in 1211 on a site occupied by churches since the 5th century. This museum is so outstanding that it’s worth planning your day around a two-hour tour. ©Max Coquard - Best Jobers. If you choose to stay in Reims, Hotel Cecyl is a good budget hotel option with a very central location. Champagne Dom Caudron is a cooperation of small growers that offers tours. Visiting Champagne. This zone makes the fullest bodied Champagnes, often intended to age. And lastly, Pierson-Cuvelier also comes highly recommended. Stops en route include Cramant (of giant Champagne bottle fame), Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Our theme websites. You’ll find famous champagne houses here to visit, but also museums, nightlife, etc. Fun things to do in Champagne If you are looking to avoid the crowds, November can also be a good month to visit the champagne region. if there is no legal age for consuming alcohol in your country, you must be an adult. The Alsatian Wine Route. Half-timbered houses – some with lurching walls and floors that aren’t quite level – line many streets in the old city, rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1524. (In France, the legal age to drink wine and beer is 16, for spirits and liquor it's 18.) The fall harvest begins in late September and that’s when the champagne houses are at their busiest, both on the production side and the tourism side. Champagne Salmon is another great option. Champagne arouses the senses: the eyes feast on vines parading up hillsides and vertical processions of tiny, sparkling bubbles; the nose breathes in damp soil and the heavenly bouquet of fermentation; the ears rejoice at the clink of glasses and the barely audible fizz; and the palate tingles with every sip. I hope all of this information helps you plan a perfect trip to the champagne region. Wine lovers visiting Paris often choose to take a day trip to Reims for Champagne tasting. Champagne prices are higher than at a simple vigneron, starting at €20.50 for the Brut Tradition. This 100km route, planted almost exclusively with white chardonnay grapes (the name means ‘hillside of the whites’), begins along Épernay’s majestic av de Champagne and then heads south to Sézanne and beyond. This makes combining a visit to the Champagne region with a few days in Paris a perfect option! Whether you are a huge champagne fan or are just looking for an interesting part of France to visit, I would say visiting Champagne is well worth it! The two most obvious places to stay when visiting Champagne are Reims and Epernay. Explore. The museum can only be visited by tour; these are available in French and English. There is an €8 charge for the tour, but it is worth it. This is the beautiful street lined with some of the most famous champagne brands, or ‘champagne houses’ as they call them. © 2021 Lonely Planet. The Champagne region of France is a year-round destination, however, it is at its prettiest and best during the months of May to October when the vineyards are lush. The town also makes an excellent base for exploring the Champagne Routes. My two favorite champagne tours were with Veuve Cliquot in Reims and Mercier in Epernay. More. Mercier takes you on a train through their cellars, which is a fun experience! Many of the Champagne houses in Épernay, Reims, and the surrounding area offer guided visits of their caves and facilities. It had a huge success during the universal exhibition in 1889. And then move on to some of the smaller champagne producers. Of special interest are (from southwest to northeast) rue de Vauluisant, rue de la Trinité, rue Champeaux and rue Paillot de Montabert. Haute-Marne countryside days to experience the highlights of the main, world-famous houses... Organic Champagne to drink wine and beer is 16, for spirits and liquor it 's 18 )... 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