In Champagne in winter, the vines are dormant and several champagne houses in Reims and Épernay receive visitors on fewer days a week. In December the vines have shed their leaves, and growers stop pruning from mid-December to mid-January.
This page covers which houses open from November to March and on which days, what a winter visit costs, and the December and January events in Reims and Épernay. For the wider region, see Champagne.
Getting there
The direct TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est reaches Reims-Centre station in 45 minutes. Direct trains from Gare de l'Est to Épernay take 1 hour 20 minutes, and the drive from Paris to Épernay is 140 km, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
| Option | From | To | Time | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TGV | Paris Gare de l'Est | Reims-Centre | 45 min | 0 |
| Train | Paris Gare de l'Est | Épernay | 1h20 | 0 |
| Car | Paris | Épernay, 140 km | 1h30 | — |
Reims has two train stations: Reims-Centre in the city center and Champagne-Ardenne TGV in Bezannes, linked to Reims by tram. Reims is 30 minutes by TGV from Paris Roissy (Charles de Gaulle) airport.
The TER Ligne des Bulles links Reims and Épernay about every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with stops at Rilly-la-Montagne, Germaine, Avenay-Val-d'Or and Aÿ-Champagne. The last train from Épernay to Paris leaves at 7:49 p.m.
For timetables and fares, see Paris to Reims by train, Paris to Épernay by train and Reims to Épernay.
When to go
Pommery, G.H. Martel and Taittinger receive visitors all year, while Mumm, Veuve Clicquot and Mercier open on fewer days in winter. The Reims tourist office lists Vranken-Pommery, G.H. Mumm, Charles de Cazanove, Lanson and G.H. Martel & Co among the houses open in January.
November and December
Mumm opens Thursday to Monday from November 1 to December 21, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Veuve Clicquot opens Wednesday to Sunday from November 4, 2026, to January 3, 2027, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and closes on December 25 and January 1.
Mercier, in Épernay, opens every day until November 15, then Wednesday to Sunday from November 18 to December 27. It closes on December 25 and 31, opens on December 28 and 29, and closes for the year from the evening of December 30.
January to March
From January 15 to February 28, Mumm opens Thursday to Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. From March 1 it returns to Thursday to Monday. Mercier reopens on April 6.
In the 2025–26 winter, Veuve Clicquot closed from December 28, 2025, until April 7, 2026.
In January in Reims, temperatures average between 0°C and 7°C, rainfall is about 42 mm, and days last about 8 hours 41 minutes on average.
December and January events
The Reims Christmas market fills the Promenades Jean-Louis Schneiter with wooden chalets from late November through December, about a one-minute walk from Reims-Centre station. The 2025 edition ran from November 26 to December 28, with 150 chalets of regional specialties, crafts and gifts, and a 50-meter Ferris wheel on Place d'Erlon. The Reims tourist office ranks it the third-largest Christmas market in France, after Strasbourg and Colmar.
The 26th Habits de Lumière takes place in Épernay from Friday, December 11, to Sunday, December 13, 2026, organized by the City of Épernay with the Avenue de Champagne Committee. The festive evenings on the avenue de Champagne, with illuminations, video-mapping, live music and fireworks, run on Friday and Saturday only.
On the Saturday morning, starred chefs and local houses and growers give the free Habits de Saveurs tasting demonstration, and children compete in the Concours des P'tits Pâtissiers in the afternoon. On Sunday, more than 500 vintage vehicles parade through the town. The full program is due in mid-November at habitsdelumiere.epernay.fr.
The Saint-Vincent festival for the winegrowers' patron saint falls on the Saturday before January 22. Growers in each village give thanks for the previous harvest and ask the saint to watch over the coming year, and hundreds of participants in traditional costume gather in the streets.
Late January in Reims brings the start of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique and the FARaway festival. In the Aube, Troyes hosts the Bulles Enchantées giant baubles at Christmas; see Troyes.
Visiting the estates
Each house below takes bookings for winter visits that include a tasting.
Pommery, in Reims, is open all year, seven days a week: Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It closes on December 25 and January 1 and 2. Its Villa Demoiselle closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on other days. Tours run in English and French.
G.H. Martel & Co, in Reims, opens every day all year from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., by reservation only.
Taittinger receives visitors for tastings in its historic Reims cellars all year round. Book online, by phone on +33 3 26 85 84 33 or by email.
G.H. Mumm runs all its tours on foot in 1 hour 30 minutes, and its boutique follows the same days as the visits.
Moët & Chandon, in Épernay, opens from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visits without a booking are possible, but places are limited and the house recommends booking online. The Épernay tourist office names it as a house open for cellar visits on Sundays.
Ayala, in Aÿ, runs visits and tastings by reservation from Tuesday to Saturday.
On the avenue de Champagne, walk-in means tasting at a bar, boutique or caveau without a booking; cellar visits usually still need a reservation.
During Habits de Lumière, cellar visits are booked directly with the houses. For booking terms and cancellation rules, see Booking Champagne House Visits.
What it costs
Entry-level winter visits with a tasting cost €25–48 ($27–52). Mercier's The Founder, a 45-minute visit, is €25 ($27), and Moët & Chandon's The Imperial Moment, 1 hour 30 minutes, is €48 ($52).
In Reims, G.H. Martel starts at €28 ($30) and charges €10 ($11) for children. Mumm's Cordon Rouge Experience costs €30 ($32), the Pinot Noir Celebration €42 ($45) and the Vintage Grand Cru €60 ($65). Pommery's 45-minute Brut Royal visit costs €30 ($32) self-guided or €36 ($39) guided, and its 2-hour Henry Vasnier visit €55 ($59) or €65 ($70).
Veuve Clicquot's 1-hour Brut Yellow Label visit costs €36 ($39), and its 4-hour La Grande Dame €260 ($281). Taittinger's Instant Rosé costs €40 ($43); children aged 7 to 17 pay €25 ($27), and children under 7 visit free.
In Épernay, Moët & Chandon's Signature visit costs €65 ($70). Mercier's guided Bubble Talk is €45 ($49), and teenagers aged 10 to 17 pay €12 ($13). In Aÿ, Ayala's 30-minute introduction, a tasting of two champagnes without a cellar tour, costs €30 ($32).
At Habits de Lumière, the avenue de Champagne evenings, Habits de Saveurs, the P'tits Pâtissiers contest and the vehicle parade are free with no ticket. The Accords mets et vins workshops, bookable from late November, cellar visits, and drinks and food at the houses are paid.
Before you go
- Some houses reduce their opening days in winter, and the Reims tourist office strongly recommends booking visits in advance.
- In low season, some walk-in tasting places in Épernay close between noon and 2 p.m.
- Champagne cellars are cold all year: Pommery's stay at 10°C, Taittinger's at 8 to 12°C and Mercier's at 10 to 12°C, and Mumm asks visitors to dress warmly.
- Spit as you taste, and choose a designated driver if you are driving.
The main Reims tourist office, at 6 rue Rockefeller on the corner of the cathedral square, opens from November 25 to January 8 Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 7 p.m., and Sunday until 5 p.m. The Hautvillers tourist office opens Monday to Saturday from November 1 to April 14 and closes on Sundays and public holidays; see Hautvillers.
Winter is also the season to see the faux de Verzy, the twisted beech trees of the Verzy forest in the Montagne de Reims Regional Natural Park, whose trunks and branches show without leaves. The trail is marked and protected, and visitors cannot walk up to the trees.
Frequently asked questions
Are champagne houses open in winter?
Several are. Pommery opens every day except December 25 and January 1 and 2, G.H. Martel opens every day by reservation, and Taittinger receives visitors all year. Mumm and Veuve Clicquot open on fewer days, and Mercier closes from the evening of December 30 until April 6.
Which houses can I visit in Reims in January?
The Reims tourist office lists Vranken-Pommery, G.H. Mumm, Charles de Cazanove, Lanson and G.H. Martel & Co as open in January. From January 15 to February 28, Mumm receives visitors Thursday to Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
When is Habits de Lumière in Épernay in 2026?
The 26th edition runs from Friday, December 11, to Sunday, December 13, 2026. The avenue de Champagne evenings, with illuminations, video-mapping and fireworks, take place on Friday and Saturday, and more than 500 vintage vehicles parade through Épernay on Sunday.
What should I wear for a winter cellar visit?
Dress for the cold both outside and underground. January temperatures in Reims average between 0°C and 7°C, and the cellars stay cool: 10°C at Pommery all year and 8 to 12°C at Taittinger. Mumm asks visitors to dress warmly.
