Champagne Day Trip from Paris: Reims or Épernay by Train

A Champagne day trip from Paris works by train. The TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est reaches Reims in 46 minutes, and direct trains reach Épernay in 1 hour 20 minutes. Champagne houses in both towns run cellar visits with a tasting.

The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since July 4, 2015. The listing covers the historic hillsides, the avenue de Champagne in Épernay and the Saint-Nicaise hill in Reims.

This page covers the trains there and back, what fits into one day, when the houses open, how their visits work and what they cost.

Getting there

The fastest option is the direct TGV INOUI from Paris Gare de l'Est to Reims-Centre, at 46 minutes. It runs 13 times a day, with fares from €15 ($16), and the last train leaves Paris at 9:28 p.m.

Direct trains from Paris Gare de l'Est to Épernay take 1 hour 20 minutes, and the shortest trip takes 1 hour 13 minutes. Paris has 17 trains a day to Épernay, the first at 6:36 a.m. and the last at 9:36 p.m., with fares from €11 ($12).

Between Reims and Épernay

The TER Ligne des Bulles links Reims and Épernay about every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the ride takes about 30 minutes. It stops at Rilly-la-Montagne, Germaine, Avenay-Val-d'Or and Aÿ-Champagne. For more on the line, see Reims to Épernay and Aÿ.

Trains back to Paris

Up to 16 trains a day run from Reims to Paris. On the October 26, 2026, timetable, the last TGV INOUI leaves Reims at 7 p.m. and reaches Paris Est at 7:45 p.m. A later TER leaves Reims at 7:41 p.m. and reaches Paris Nord at 10:13 p.m.

For fares, stations and changes in detail, see Paris to Reims by train and Paris to Épernay by train.

Driving

Épernay is 140 km from Paris, about 1 hour 30 minutes by car, or up to 1 hour 45 minutes in traffic. Reims is on the A4-E50 Paris–Strasbourg freeway, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris.

Part of Reims is a Low Emission Zone. You need a Crit'Air sticker to drive in it, or you risk a fine.

What fits in one day

The Épernay tourist office's plan for both towns starts with an early train to Reims. You see the cathedral and a champagne house in the morning and have lunch in the city center. A short train then takes you to Épernay for the afternoon on the Avenue de Champagne, and you return to Paris in the evening.

The tourist office also says a single day gives only a brief introduction to both towns.

In Reims

Reims-Centre station is in the city center. Notre-Dame Cathedral opens every day from 8 a.m., and entry is free. Its doors close at 7:30 p.m., or 7:15 p.m. on Sundays and feast days, and entry stops 15 minutes before closing. On Sundays until noon, you can enter only the narthex.

The cathedral's facades carry 2,303 sculpted figures. Its towers are open only on guided tours, at €9 ($10), and you must book online. From February 15 to May 5 and September 9 to November 15, tours run Tuesday to Saturday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. From May 6 to September 8 there is an extra 5 p.m. tour. There are no tower tours from November 16 to February 14.

The Palais du Tau, next to the cathedral, is closed for renovation. The Basilica of Saint-Remi is about 20 minutes' walk from the cathedral.

Pommery, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Ruinart and G.H. Martel stand on the Saint-Nicaise hill. Mumm is at 34 rue du Champ de Mars.

In Épernay

The Avenue de Champagne is 1.5 km long and a 5-minute walk from the station. The tourist office is at 7 avenue de Champagne, Moët & Chandon at 18 and Mercier at 68.

The wine museum, the musée du vin de Champagne et d'Archéologie régionale, is at 13 avenue de Champagne, 10 minutes on foot from the station. From April 1 to October 31 it opens 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closes on Tuesdays. From November 1 to March 31 it opens 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, and closes on Mondays and Tuesdays.

On the avenue, walk-in means tasting at a bar, boutique or caveau without a booking. Cellar visits usually still need a reservation, and some places close between noon and 2 p.m. in low season.

When to go

Champagne houses in Reims and Épernay receive visitors all year, and several open on fewer days in winter.

Mumm opens every day from May 1 to October 31, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. From March 1 to April 30 and November 1 to December 21 it opens Thursday to Monday. From January 15 to February 28 it opens Thursday to Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Veuve Clicquot runs visits from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from April 7 to June 28 and from September 1 to November 1, 2026, and every day from June 29 to August 30. From November 4, 2026, to January 3, 2027, it opens Wednesday to Sunday. It closes on May 1, December 25 and January 1.

Mercier opens daily from April 6 to November 15 and Wednesday to Sunday from November 18 to December 27. It closes on December 25 and 31, and its annual closure starts on the evening of December 30.

Moët & Chandon opens every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Champagne de Castellane opens every day.

The harvest starts from mid-August onwards, on a date set each year, and lasts two to three weeks. It is done entirely by hand, with around 120,000 seasonal workers. In 2026, picking became widespread from August 17, the earliest harvest recorded in Champagne.

Épernay's Habits de Lumière festival runs December 11 to 13, 2026. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the Avenue de Champagne has illuminations, video-mapping, music and fireworks, and a vintage vehicle parade follows on Sunday.

Visiting the estates

Most champagne houses require advance booking for guided tours and tastings, especially on weekends, public holidays and in summer. Each visit below includes a tasting. For booking terms house by house, see Booking champagne house visits.

Reims

G.H. Mumm runs all its tours on foot in 1 hour 30 minutes. The Cordon Rouge Experience includes one tasting, and the Pinot Noir Celebration and Vintage Grand Cru Experience include two. Under-18s must stay with an adult.

Veuve Clicquot starts its tours at 1 rue Albert Thomas. The Brut Yellow Label and blended rosé tours last 1 hour, and One Quality, The Finest lasts 1 hour 30 minutes.

Taittinger, at 9 place Saint-Nicaise, takes bookings online, by phone on +33 3 26 85 84 33 or by email. Visits last 35 to 55 minutes, and public visits run in French and English.

Épernay

Moët & Chandon runs tours throughout the day. The Imperial Moment, Signature and Grand Vintage visits each last 1 hour 30 minutes. You can visit without a booking, but places are limited and the house recommends booking online.

Mercier offers The Founder (45 minutes, one glass), Mercier Duo and Golden Bubbles (1 hour each, with an audio guide), and Bubble Talk and Tell Me More About Vintage (1 hour 30 minutes, with a guide in French or English). Same-day tours can't be booked online: call +33 3 26 51 22 22. Tasting at the visitor center without a tour needs no reservation.

Champagne de Castellane has closed its cellars to the public for now, but its tower tours still run. The Guided Tour of the Tower takes up to 10 guests for 60 minutes and covers the museum, the tower and an exhibition, with a glass of Brut Croix Rouge. Tours run from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Book by email or on +33 3 26 51 19 11.

What it costs

A standard visit with a tasting costs €20–90 ($22–97) at the houses below.

• Champagne de Castellane: €20 ($22) for the tower tour with one glass, €30 ($32) with two champagnes, and €60 ($65) for the 1 hour 30 minute Heritage Tour for up to 6 guests.
• Mercier: €25 ($27) for The Founder, €30 ($32) for Mercier Duo, €35 ($38) for Golden Bubbles and €45 ($49) for the guided tours. Teens aged 10 to 17 pay €12 ($13), and under-10s go free.
• G.H. Mumm: €30 ($32) for Cordon Rouge, €42 ($45) for Pinot Noir Celebration and €60 ($65) for Vintage Grand Cru.
• Maison Pommery: €30 ($32) self-guided or €36 ($39) guided for the 45-minute Brut Royal visit, and €55 ($59) or €65 ($70) for the 2-hour Henry Vasnier visit.
• Veuve Clicquot: €36 ($39) for Brut Yellow Label, €60 ($65) for the blended rosé tour and €80 ($86) for One Quality, The Finest.
• Taittinger: €40 ($43) for the Instant Rosé visit.
• Moët & Chandon: €48 ($52) for The Imperial Moment, €65 ($70) for Signature and €85 ($92) for Grand Vintage.
• Ruinart: €90 ($97) for its 2-hour visit of the crayères, limited to 12 people, with two cuvées.

Entry to Reims cathedral is free. The Épernay wine museum costs €10 ($11), and it is free for under-13s and for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.

Before you go

• Book guided cellar visits ahead. The Reims tourist office says booking with the houses is essential, and they are in high demand in high season.
• The last train from Épernay to Paris leaves at 7:49 p.m., earlier than the last train out of Paris.
• Reims has two stations. Make sure your ticket goes to Reims-Centre in the city, not Champagne-Ardenne TGV in Bezannes, which is linked to Reims by streetcar.
• The cellars are cold: Taittinger keeps its cellars between 8 and 12°C and Mercier between 10 and 12°C. Bring a warm layer.
• Spit as you taste, and choose a designated driver if you are driving.

For the rest of the region, see Champagne and Hautvillers.