Champagne route through France

Champagne is one of the most famous, cherished, and consumed beverages in the world. We owe the discovery of this delicious sparkling wine to Pierre Pérignon, a Benedictine abbot who discovered “by chance ” what is considered by many to be the king of wines. So, in order to learn all about champagne, we cannot think of a better way to do so than to travel to France.

Specifically, we’ll go to the Champagne region, east of Paris. Let’s start our champagne route through France!

Reims

Touring this region of France, unknown to most tourists, is a fundamental task to enter the exciting world of champagne. The landscape, full of fruit-laden vines that blend perfectly with the medieval-looking villages that abound in the Champagne region, is one of the major attractions for any visitor.

The first stop will be in Reims, the largest city in the region. In addition to its history, as it was the place where all the French kings were crowned, Reims has imposing buildings of great architectural value such as the cathedral of Notre Dame or the famous Porte de Mars, an ancient Roman triumphal arch from the 3rd century AD. Did you know that Reims has three World Heritage buildings?

In this beautiful setting, we’ll take a closer look at champagne, as Reims is home to prestigious champagne houses with cellars that can be visited. Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot, Maison Lanson, Maison Ruinart, or the iconic Mumm cellar are some of the ones we encourage you to visit if you want to become a real champagne connoisseur.

What’s more, in each of them you’ll also be able to learn the specifics of the champagne-making process, such as the grapes used, the type of bottle, or the maturation process.

Épernay

We leave Reims behind now and move on to Épernay, the capital of the Champagne region. This beautiful town surrounded by vineyards is home to more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) of cellars that store thousands and thousands of bottles of this so-called liquid gold. Épernay is home to some of the most famous champagne cellars in the world, such as Pol Roger, Perrier-Jouët or Moët & Chandon.

All you have to do is stroll along the luxurious Avenue de Champagne, where you can learn about the most surprising stories and facts about the town and its links to champagne. Did you know that Napoleon was one of the first and best customers of Moët & Chandon?

If you don’t know how to get to Épernay, we recommend you book an excursion to the Moët & Chandon and Taittinger cellars, two of the most renowned champagne houses in the world.

Hautvillers

Let’s visit the tomb of Dom Pérignon! This charming village with a wine-growing soul is a must-see during any champagne tour in France. In Hautvillers, specifically in the Abbey of Saint-Pierre, lie the remains of Dom Pierre Pérignon, a Benedictine monk who in this same abbey improved the quality of the wines produced by the abbey – King Louis XIV himself enjoyed these wines!

Despite not having such major wineries as Reims or Épernay, in Hautvillers we encourage you to visit the small local wineries to discover the charm of family businesses, which preserve the hard work of the vineyard and the production of champagne in the most traditional way possible.

Troyes

Welcome to Troyes, a medieval city with a wall in the shape of a champagne cork! The Champagne route through France will take us to the medieval city of Troyes, a real pearl in the Champagne region. Here, not only can you admire 16th-century houses that maintain the half-timbering typical of the French countryside to perfection, but you can also enjoy the many vineyards and local wineries that produce champagne masterpieces. This is town is definitely one of the best-kept secrets in the country.

Côte des Bar

Last but not least, we travel south to visit Côte des Bar, a town that owes its reputation to the champagne produced here. The town is surrounded by hillsides full of vineyards where, no matter what time of the year you travel, you can learn about the winegrowers and their work both in the fields and in their cellars – the perfect finishing touch to our champagne route in France!