Wine region
Champagne
Champagne is the chalk country around Reims and Épernay where three grapes become sparkling wine, and where the houses open their cellars to visitors.
An independent travel guide
The wine regions of France, planned properly
Where to go, which cellars to book and where to sleep, region by region.
Photo: Olivier Lemoine, Photo-Terroir.fr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Wine regions
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Wine region
Bordeaux
Bordeaux blends merlot and the two cabernets into its reds, and you visit its châteaux by booking, from the Médoc to Saint-Émilion.
Bourgogne
Burgundy
Burgundy is chardonnay and pinot noir country, where wines are named after the village and the plot, and most tastings are booked ahead.
Where to stay
All places to stay
Where to stay
Where to Stay in Reims: 5 Four-Star Hotels Compared
Five 4-star hotels in Reims and Bezannes, grouped by address and distance from the center, with the Paris train time, the two stations and a side-by-side table.
Where to stay
Where to Stay in Champagne: Six Hotels in Reims and Épernay
Where to stay in Champagne: six hotels in Reims, Bezannes and Dizy, with distances from town centers, train times from Paris and a table comparing tier and best use.
Where to stay
Where to Stay in Épernay: 3 Hotels by Area and Tier
Three hotels in Épernay and Dizy, grouped by address and distance from the town center, with train and car times from Paris and a table comparing tier and best-for.
Latest guides
Guide
Your First Champagne Tasting: Visits, Styles and Etiquette
What happens on a first champagne tasting in Reims, Épernay and the villages: how house and grower visits work, the label terms you will hear, how to taste and pace yourself, and what it costs.
Guide
Reims Champagne House Cellar Tours: Visits, Fees and Hours
How cellar tours work at Mumm, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Ruinart, Pommery, Lanson and G.H. Martel in Reims: formats, fees, opening days, children's rules and access to the chalk crayères.
Guide
Reims or Épernay: Trains, Houses and Fees Compared
Reims or Épernay as a base for Champagne: the trains from Paris, the houses in each town with their fees and opening days, and what else each town has, side by side.
Ready to plan your trip?
Start with a region, book one or two cellar visits, and leave time to wander.
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