Champagne and Wine Tours in the Champagne region of France

Provider: Experience Paris
Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France

Phone: 00 33 1 45 51 53 80

Holiday / Activity Overview:

Champagne is part of the region Champagne-Ardenne, and only about 45min by fast train from Paris through lovely farms, vineyards, chateaux, typical 'champenois' timber-framed churches and pretty villages. The region, rich in history and culture, is perfect for leisurely strolls, vineyard hikes, fine food and sampling the king of all wines that is used for so many celebrations and joyous occasions, Champagne.

Epernay, Reims and Chalons-sur Marne are the three towns most associated with the great Champagne Houses who give tastings and tours of their cellars. Epernay dominates the industry with its Rue de Champagne and premier producers: Moet et Chandon, Perrier Jouet, and Pol Roger.

Visit the cellars of some of the most world renowned champagne producers such as: Moet & Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, Tattainger or Mumm and a few lesser known growers as well. We can organize special tastings, private visits, balloon and helicopter rides, and a visit to the Hautvillers home of Dom Perignon.

We operate tours throughout the year as the region offers beautiful scenery all year round. There is always activity and things to see or do in the vineyards, such as tasting the grapes, helping with the harvest, seeing the different techniques of pruning or in the Houses themselves, the first fermentation, management of the new and reserve wines, blending, second fermentation, degorgement and needless to say, tastings!

Our Tasting Tours

We concentrate our tours to the three main Champagne Vineyard regions: the Montagne de Reims, the Vallee de la Marne and the Cote des Blancs. During our tours we present the entire process of creating the magic that is Champagne, the legends, traditions and culture behind it. We visit both large and small producers and arrange tastings which show you the difference between either regions, specific producers or grape varieties.

We will pick you up at your hotel in Reims or Epernay at 9:30 or Reims TGV station departing Paris at 8:57am and arriving Reims City Center at 9:42 if coming from Paris, which is only 45 minutes away.

We organise lunches at local restaurants that range from small traditional brasseries to Michelin star gastronomic venues. Also, on occasion and subject to weather, we organise gastronomic picnics in the vineyards.

We offer a wide variety of options such as:
> Half day private / semi-private tours
> Full day private / semi-private tours
> Scheduled Vineyard Day Tours
> Private Discovery Tour
> Sommeilier's Choice

If you have your own idea as to what you'd like, talk to us - we can help.

Pricing information

The following will help to give you an idea of the prices, however, prices vary depending on which vineyard(s) we visit and whether such things as lunch are included in the package or not. Please contact us to discuss what you're looking for, or to find out about all the various 'standard' options we offer.

Champagne Tours
Scheduled Classic Day Tours
Paris Champagne Cruise
Scheduled Vineyard Day Tours

Prices
111€ pp
45€ pp
169€ pp

About the local area:

The Champagne wine region is a historic province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term "Champagne" exclusively for wines that come from this region located about 100 miles (160 km) east of Paris. The viticultural boundaries of Champagne are legally defined and split into five wine producing districts within the administrative province-the Aube, Cote des Blancs, Cote de Sezanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallee de la Marne. The towns of Reims and Epernay are the commercial centers of the area.

Located at the northern edges of the wine growing world, the history of the Champagne wine region has had a significant role in the development of this unique terroir. The area's close proximity to Paris promoted the regions economic success in its wine trade but also put the villages and vineyards in the path of marching armies on their way to the French capital. Despite the frequency of these military conflict, the regions developed a reputation for quality wine production in the early Middle Ages and was able to continue that reputation as the region's producers began making sparkling wine with the advent of the great Champagne houses in the 17th and 18th century. The principal grapes grown in the region include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted grape in the Aube region and grows very well in Montagne de Reims. Pinot Meunier is the dominant grape in the Vallee de la Marne region. The Cote des Blancs is dedicated almost exclusively to Chardonnay

How to Get Here:

The Champagne region is a mere 45 minutes by train from Paris and offers a perfect day trip. Alternatively let us organise accommodation for you in Reims and stay over a day or two.