21 August 2022

Top 10 things to do in Champagne France without a car

We visited the Champagne region in France without a car. We flew to Paris and took the train from the airport to the train station in the city Reims. Reims is located in the Champagne district.


Top 10 things to do in the Champagne region, without a car

1. Stroll around in the beautiful city of Reims.
We stayed in the centre of the city at the Best Western Premier Hotel de la Paix. It was an ordinary hotel with a great location.
Make sure you book a hotel with air condition if you travel during the summer.  




2. Visit the Champagne houses in Reims. There are many you can visit for a tasting and or a wine cellar tour. Some also show their production.
I recommend that you reserve the tastings and the wine cellar tours in advance. 

My recommendations are:
  • Pommery. They have daily tastings and a nice shop to buy some souvenirs to bring back home. I bought some lovely Champagne glasses.
  • Champagne Lanson, https://www.lanson.com/index-en.php 
  • Champagne Mumm, https://www.mumm.com/fr-fr/
  • Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin - Visitors Center, https://www.veuveclicquot.com/en-au/practical-informations
  • Champagne Louis Roederer, https://www.louis-roederer.com/fr
  • Champagne Taittinger, https://www.taittinger.com/en
  • Champagne Krug, https://www.krug.com/



3. Visit the Cathedrals in Reims. There is a free light show in the evenings close to one of the Cathedrals.




4. Visit the wine cellars. Reserve a wine cellar tour or two.
Picture from one of of the wine cellar tours





5. Visit the one of the Champagne production sites and the wine yards. You can book a tour in advance.

6. . Take a taxi and go to the nearby town Epernay. We stayed at a lovely small luxurious hotel that had a wonderful garden. The name of the hotel is Au Jeu de Paume, address; 8 Rue du Paulmier. https://www.aujeudepaume.fr/
This hotel was such a nice place to rest after a day on the Avenue de Champagne (the Champagne street).
Make sure you book a hotel with air condition if you travel during the summer. 

7. Visit the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. There is a street with a lot of the famous Champagne houses. You can visit them for a tasting. I recommend you to reserve the tastings in advance if you have any favorites you would like to visit.
You can visit for example Moët & Chandon, Pol Roger and Eugène Mercier. 
My favorites after the tastings were 
  • Moet et Chandon, https://www.moet.com/en-int
  • Mercier, https://www.champagnemercier.com/en/legal
  • Champagne Boizel - Atelier 1834, https://www.boizel.com/en/
  • Champagne Collard-Picard, https://www.champagnecollardpicard.fr/en
  • Paul-Etienne Saint Germain, https://www.pauletiennesaintgermain.fr/en/home-champagne-paul-etienne-saint-germain/

8. Take a taxi from Epernay and make a short trip to HAUTVILLERS - the village of DOM PÉRIGNON. This village is the birthplace of Champagne. It is a beautiful small village. You can take a lovely walk, and eat a nice lunch in one of the restaurants and visit the shops. https://en.reims-tourisme.com/visites-guidees-d-hautvillers-village-de-dom-perignon/hautvillers/fmacha051v50iktc


9. Cheese tasting. Buy french cheeses in the supermarket or a food shop and arrange your own cheese tasting, or go to a restaurant and ask them for a selection of their best cheeses.

10. You are very close to Paris so I suggest you end your trip with a day or two days in Paris. Walk around in the beautiful city, and do not miss the Seine and the Eiffel tower. 







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