A Champagne day trip from Paris: Reims, Épernay and the great houses

Reims or Épernay?

Reims is the bigger city. It has the Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned, a UNESCO site with windows by Marc Chagall, and famous houses such as Taittinger, Pommery, Ruinart, Mumm and Veuve Clicquot, whose cellars are about 4 km from the center.

Épernay is smaller and sits among the vineyards. Its Avenue de Champagne is lined with houses such as Moët & Chandon, Pol Roger and Perrier-Jouët, all within a short walk. On the way, the hilltop village of Hautvillers, where the monk Dom Pérignon lived and is buried, has some of the best views over the vines.

The two towns are about 40 minutes apart by car, so with your own driver you can easily see both in one day.

Booking the champagne houses

• Prices: a cellar tour with a tasting costs roughly €30–100 per person, depending on the house and the program.
• Book ahead. The big Reims houses rarely take walk-ins in high season. Slots usually open a few weeks in advance, and English tours fill first.
• Tours last about an hour, led by the house’s own guides, often in groups of 10 to 15.
• Bring a layer. The cellars are deep underground and cool all year.

Your day with a private driver

With a private driver, the day follows your taste: the great names, a small grower, or both.

• From your door. Pickup at your Paris hotel in a Mercedes with an English-speaking chauffeur, water and Wi-Fi on board.
• A typical day: Reims Cathedral, two champagne houses in Reims or Épernay, lunch, then the Champagne road and Hautvillers.
• Houses booked for you. For example Veuve Clicquot, Mumm, Pommery or Taittinger in Reims, or Moët & Chandon, Mercier or Boizel in Épernay. We can also help with a lunch reservation.

Prices are per car, not per person. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before, see our cancellation policy.

For a group of seven with the house visits included, €2,290 comes to about €330 each, with your own car and your own choice of houses. Staying the night in Champagne? A one-way transfer from Paris to Reims costs from €390 per car.

When a private driver makes the most sense

Other ways to get to Champagne

If you prefer another option, these are the main alternatives.

• The TGV to Reims leaves Paris Gare de l’Est many times a day and takes about 45 minutes, from around €20 one way when booked early. Reims station is central; you will need a taxi for the houses outside the center.
• The train to Épernay takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, but there are only a few direct trains a day. Seeing both towns in one day by train is difficult.
• Small-group tours from Paris usually include 2 or 3 champagne houses and lunch, for roughly €230–325 per person, with a fixed program and less choice of houses.

Tips from our drivers

• Book the houses first, then plan the day around your tour times.
• Eat before the second tasting. Lunch between the two visits makes the afternoon much more pleasant.
• Leave room in your suitcase. Bottles go in checked luggage, not in your carry-on, and check your customs allowance before you buy a case.
• Harvest time is special. The grape harvest usually runs from late August to September; the vineyards are busy and beautiful.
• Don’t skip the cathedral. Even 30 minutes inside Reims Cathedral is worth it.

FAQ