Together with our friends, Carol and Juergen Keller, we explore The Champagne region. Here is a sample of the tours we offer in this area.
Champagne in northern France, is one of the most famous French wine regions, producing arguably
the most famous and iconic wine, called by the same name, ‘Champagne’.
Champagne was the first wine region to produce sparkling wine in any quantity and is synonymous with luxury and the finest quality. The champagne industry as we know it today was born in the early 19th century, started by Veuve (Widow) Clicquot, although there are so many legends about who discovered Champagne, and who invented the bottle whose shape we associate with this delicious wine!
Veuve Cliqout developed the model for making sparkling wines around the world, but today champagne represents just 1 in 12 bottles of sparkling wine sold. The region’s top Champagne houses have become major global luxury brands and visiting Champagne is one of the top-rated wine tourism experiences in the world.
The whole region of Champagne, with its three champagne towns of Reims (often spelt Rheims in
French), Epernay, and Aÿ, its hillsides and vineyards, its Champagne houses and its cellars, was
awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2015.
Champagne houses, growers & cooperatives:
Approximately 320 villages are approved to produce champagne and the vineyards here are some of
the most expensive in the world. All of the villages are classified in a ranking called the ‘échelle des
crus’ – or the ‘cru ladder’ – so Premier Cru, Grand Cru etc.
The famous ‘champagne houses’ – or ‘les grandes marques’ and ‘grandes maisons de Champagne’,
who represent 90% of all global champagne exports, own about 10% of the vineyards and are
located around Reims and Epernay. In addition to using their own grapes they purchase grapes from
all over the region and use them to create their own distinctive styles of champagne.
The rest of the vineyards are owned by about 16,000 champagne ‘owner-growers’ who sell their
grapes to the big houses, and many of them also produce their own champagnes to sell directly in
France. There are also champagne cooperatives which take the grapes of local growers and provide
a pressing and winemaking service for them.
Reims:
Reims is the capital of the Champagne wine industry, an old university city and one of the great
historic cities of northern France. The old city is dominated by the 13th century Notre Dame
Cathedral, one of the great gothic cathedrals of northern France, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It has been restored to its former glory when former kings and queens were crowned here.
The cathedral, with its beautiful stained glass windows and gothic portals and sculptures, notably
the ‘Smiling Angel’, is really worth a visit, as is the Palais du Tau cathedral museum, the Roman
Triumphal Arch and the Basilica of St Remi. It’s a bustling town and good to explore, soak up the
history, the atmosphere and the fabulous wine and food scene!
Epernay:
Epernay lies just fifteen miles south of Reims, on the southern edge of the Natural Regional Parc de
la Montagne de Reims, in the heart of ‘Champagne country’ and justifiably competes with Reims for
the title ‘capital of Champagne’. Epernay is a small town and can be easily visited on foot. Make sure
you walk down the famous ‘Avenue de Champagne’, with its magnificent mansions occupied by the
celebrated Champagne Houses and enjoy soaking up the ambiance and at least one glass of
champagne and some local gastronomy! See here for exploring the villages around Epernay
Day 1:
After checking into the hotel you will spend an afternoon in Epernay and visit to the famous Moët & Chandon champagne cellars
Explore Epernay: Stroll down the world-famous ‘Avenue de Champagne’ – a must when visiting Epernay and just a short walk from your accommodation
This is the most prestigious street in the Epernay (and all of the Champagne region) and is home to a succession of splendid castles and mansions , among them the headquarters of major champagne houses and the Museum of Champagne Wine and Regional Archeology .
The most famous Epernay Champagne houses and the best champagne cellar tours in Epernay include Moët & Chandon, Mercier and Pol Roger. We will visit one of Epernay’s most famous global brands – Maison Moët & Chandon Explore Champagne’s largest network of underground wine cellars and enjoy a guided tasting of two of these iconic champagnes.
Day 2: Epernay champagne tasting & explore Hautvillers – the birthplace of Champagne
After breakfast, we will head of for a tour and tasting in Epernay at Maison Gosset Champagne (Approx 20 minutes walk from accommodation), the oldest family-run winery in Champagne, known for its consistent top quality dry champagnes
We will then transfer to Hautvillers, known as the ‘Birthplace of Champagne’. It was here, in the ancient Benedictine abbey of Hautvillers, that the monk Dom Pérignon discovered the champagne-making process in the 18th century. Dom Pérignon’s tomb rests today in the chancel of the Saint-Sindulphe abbey church.
This will be followed by lunch at Le Chai des Moines
After lunch we will have a walking guided tour of Hautvillers to discover this beautiful and historic Champagne village, followed by a champagne tasting at Champagne Jean-Philippe BOSSER
Dinner at the hotel
Day 3: Visit beautiful Reims and the Maison Pommery and Veuve Cliquot champagne cellars
Today we will visit Maison Pommery Maison Pommery, one of the oldest and most prominent champagne houses and most wellknown champagne brands in the world.
We will visit Halles Boulingrin (the famous daily market in Reims) where you can immerse yourselves in this wonderful Reims market, famous for local sausages, meats, cheese and other delicatessen. Enjoy a traditional lunch at Brasserie Boulingrin – an institution in Reims – famous for steak/frites, oysters and cod mornay!
After lunch, we will arrive at Veuve Cliquot, a little bit out of the city centre, where we will enjoy a wonderful tour and tasting. Experience the historic cellars of Maison Veuve Cliquot and discover the unique savoir-faire behind the House’s iconic champagne, Brut Yellow Label – which you will also get to taste!
A tour of Reims follows when we visit the beautiful and famous Reims Notre Dame Cathedral Visit the famous Reims Notre Dame Cathedral (and also the Tau Palace and the Saint Remi Abbey if you wish – jointly recognised in 1991, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The cathedral is a masterpiece of gothic architecture, is larger than Notre Dame in Paris and was the site of the coronations of 30 French Kings between the 11th and 19th centuries.
Day 4:
Today we visit Alfred Gratien champagne house in Epernay (Approx 20 minutes walk from accommodation)
Alfred Gratien is a small to medium family Champagne house in Epernay, dating back to 1864. Their wines are respected around the world as top gastronomy wines and feature on the wine list of many top dining establishments.
Later travel to the nearby Champagne village of Champillon for lunch at ‘Le Bellevue’ Restaurant, Hotel Royal Champagne, known for its excellent food and probably the best view in the Champagne region from the beautiful terrace.
After lunch, we travel to Reims to visit the sights of Reims you didn’t have time to visit yesterday. Then we visit Taittinger champagne house and cellars Taittinger – one of the world’s most famous, iconic Champagne brands and is located on the site of Saint-Nicaise Abbey, built by Benedictine monks in the 13th century.
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