A Beginner's Guide to the Champagne Region of France
While it can be difficult to find a reason to leave Paris even for just a few hours, the Champagne region is one of the best day trips you can take from the City of Lights; you can spend the day trying out all sorts of French bubbly and still make it back to the capital for your late-night reservation at Septime. The trip from Paris to Reims, one of the three main cities in Champagne (the other two are Epernay and Aÿ), is surprisingly easy—just 45 minutes by high-speed train or two hours driving. Like in many other French wine regions, you'll want to plan ahead by making reservations at wineries and tasting rooms, and deciding how you'll safely get from destination to destination once you've had a glass or three of wine. Read on to learn more about when to visit, where to stay, and most importantly, where to taste wine in the Champagne region.
This article has been updated since its original publish date.
Many Champagne houses are closed to visitors during the busy harvest season, which typically spans from late September to October (though climate change is pushing harvest earlier each year). Sarah Iwicki, Europe travel specialist at luxury travel advisory Scott Dunn, encourages travelers to visit the Champagne region between May and June for a quieter experience when the vineyards are lush and green. Late summer is also optimal: 'July is busier with great weather, while August tends to be quieter as many Champenois take their vacations, with little vineyard maintenance happening,' she notes. Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of the region's famous bike paths, as well as join outdoor tastings that many producers and restaurants offer once temperatures rise.
While hotels are typically able to help arrange cab services, Iwicki suggests renting a car to make getting around Champagne as seamless as possible. Weather permitting, cycling is another popular pastime in the region, and many local businesses offer bicycle and e-bike rentals. The Bureau du Champagne USA suggests choosing between Facil-e-Bike, Pedal 'n' Pop, and My Vintage Tour Company.
If you're taking the train from Paris, the city of Reims is a convenient base to call home in the Champagne region. With stunning views of the Saint‑Remi Basilica and the Reims Cathedral Domaine Les Crayéres offers 20 intimately appointed suites perched at the top of Saint Nicaise, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Decorated in early 20th-century classical French style, no room is the same; expect unique wallpapers, embroidered linens, and subtle design touches that transport you back to the time of Louis XIV—without feeling cheesy. The cellar also features over 1,200 bottles of Champagne, so you can still taste from producers that don't make it into your itinerary.
Roughly forty minutes south in charming Epernay, Loisium Champagne is a modern oasis complete with a Finnish sauna, steam baths, and heated outdoor pool. It's the ideal balance for those looking to offset winery visits with a spa treatment or two, and many of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies facing the surrounding forest, for a true nature experience. Also in Epernay, the rooms, restaurants, and 15,000 square-foot spa at Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa overlook the bucolic surrounding vineyards. Don't sleep in and miss the breakfast buffet, which includes a decadent spread of cheeses local to the region, as well as classic fare like eggs, muesli, and of course, a by-the-glass Champagne list with which to start off your morning.
Avoid the temptation to cram as many tastings as possible into each day, and hold yourself to one visit in the morning, and one in the afternoon. The majority of Champagne houses require reservations in advance for tours and tastings.
In Aÿ, the newly opened Champagne Lallier tasting room (bookings by reservation only) is a design maven's dream come true, complete with interiors from renowned architect Elodie Sire. The cellar tour starts in an antechamber that guides through the various steps of making Champagne (from harvest to bottling) and also explores how the house's approach to winemaking has evolved over the past century. Nearby Champagne Billecart Salmon prefers to keep its tour groups intimate, so it's worth making a reservation well in advance; once you're there, expect a stroll through a vineyard, as well as the opportunity to taste vintages tailored to your specific tastes. At Champagne Bollinger, explore the cellars and learn about the house's history dating back to the 1820s.
Time permitting, it's also worth visiting a larger Champagne house. In Reims, the cellars of Champagne Tattinger are once again open after an 18-month renovation, with tailored tours including the Instant Gourmet experience, which features an especially creative canape and Champagne pairing. And Champagne Ruinart has unveiled their new visitor's center, Le Pavillon Nicolas Ruinart, which features a bar, a terrace, and an extensive boutique that you can peruse after a tour of their cellars installed in cavernous chalk cathedrals.
In between tastings and spa stops at your hotel, consider making a stop at the Pressoria museum in Ay, which offers visitors a crash course to the terroir of Champagne, as well as the winemaking process and the region's history. Or maximize your time outdoors by tackling one of several hiking tours around the region.
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
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