Discover Champagne in half a day in a Van
Description
I was born in Epernay, in the heart of this Champagne cradle where the maternity ward was called Auban-Moet, built in 1893 thanks to donations from the Moët & Chandon family. Children born in this place receive a drop of Champagne from their first breaths! Such a baptism opens a way of life, so I chose to reach the chalk hillsides to work there and develop a certain sensitivity to nature and the vine. A whole story of skies, landscapes and people that I cannot keep to myself. Welcome to the land of Champagne!!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Head for the famous Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, historic heart of the divine beverage. Here were born the Great Houses! Estates such as Moët et Chandon, Perrier-Jouët or Pol Roger, De Venoge ... have competed in architectural audacity and magnificence to give Champagne its letters of nobility. They are in tune with the reputation of the wine that ages in their cellars. With a park of 110 km of cellars and no less than 200 million bottles under the cobblestones, this Avenue is considered the richest in the world! Discovery by van.
Along the way we will head towards the charming village of Hautvillers, the cradle of Champagne. Located on a hillside, it offers a breathtaking view of the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs! Leaning against the nearby forest, nestles a Benedictine Abbey whose intendant-cellarer in 1668 was called Dom Pérignon! Born in 1639 in St Menehould in the Marne, he is one of the monks who participated in improving the quality of wine in our region. His discovery of the blending of different grape varieties and different vintages ensured his posterity. Behind the enclosed garden of the Abbey, the view is breathtaking over the "grand cru" and "premier cru" vineyards of the Champagne Appellation. The ideal place to discover the whole cycle of the vine as well as the hard "handmade" work of the Champagne winegrower. Isn't it "Good wines without good grapes"
A beautiful visit to an independent winemaker who, through his family history and centuries, will reveal his cellars and part of the secret of his wine. The meeting of its garden winemakers and their champagnes is always a unique and unforgettable moment because they are the owners of 90% of the 34000 hectares covered by the Champagne Appellation. By this act they are the origin, the memory, the family tradition and the struggle sometimes! They are the heart of the land. The tour is over: The final touches will sparkle in our Champagne flutes for 3 commented tastings as well as some tips to succeed your food and Champagne pairings! Find out more about Small Group of 8 Day Trip in Champagne - https://www.viator.com/en-FR/tours/Reims/Private-Day-Trip-to-Champagne-small-group-of - 8/d5049 - 315190P1?mcid=56757
The end of the afternoon will be devoted to the visit of a second independent winegrower who, through his family and centuries-old history, will reveal his cellars and part of the secret of his wine to you. The meeting of its gardener winegrowers and their champagnes is always a unique and unforgettable moment because they are the owners of 90% of the 34,000 hectares covered by the Champagne Appellation. By this act, they are the origin, the memory, the family tradition and the fight sometimes! They are the heart of the terroir. The visit is over: The final touch will sparkle in our Champagne flutes for 3 commented tastings as well as some tips for successful food and Champagne pairings!
A stop on one of the most beautiful viewpoints of Champagne and its 3 wine-growing regions. Discovery of the "grands crus" and 1er crus "vineyards classified as UNESCO heritage.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(16)
A nice and personal tour with Angelique, a real local. Knew a lot about the history of champagne houses and the region. Would anyone recommend this personal tour,
Angelique is an incredible guide. A native of Epernay she was able to share many fun stories about the region. The tour was family friendly and she went out of her way to make sure my two young daughters were also engaged. The champagne we tasted was fantastic and it was great to try champagne from more boutique domains. If you are going to Champagne, look no further, she is the best!
Angélique, our guide / chauffeur for the afternoon, hails from Epernay, and is clearly in the right occupation! She was wonderful - she took the trouble to learn the names of all 8 passengers / guests, and kept us updated throughout the tour (from1:30pm to after 6:00 pm), in a most informative and entertaining way. She spoke mainly in English (our group included customers from the UK, Germany, Colombia and Singapore). We visited two small champagne houses 20 or so minutes south of Reims (in Dizy and in Chaumuzy) for tastings and tours (of each house), as well as the Abbaye Saint-Pierre at Hautvillers, in which the tombs of Dom Pérignon and Dom Ruinart are to be found. Angélique uses a Nissan van with reasonable space for her to drive up to 8 adult passengers - as well as ample space in the boot / trunk for those passengers’ purchases to be conveyed back to Reims. Angélique was kind enough at the end of the tour to drive my party of 4 back to where our car was parked (perhaps 10 mins away from the Reims rail station) so that we did not have to find a different way to get the many kg of champagne & bottles back under our own steam at the end of the tour. PS: Angélique and one of the champagne house owners also provided useful restaurant recommendations for dinner after the tour. (We eventually chose the “Petit Comptoir” bistro in Reims - if you want to book you need to do it by telephone).
Angelique was entertaining and extremely knowledgeable about the region. Her history working in the champagne industry really showed as she was able to share anecdotes and trivial gems about the region and its people. You could tell she loves her home region and wants to share it with her guests. A great day out.
We did a half day tour with Angelique. We visited 2 excellent small champagne houses in the villages surrounding Epernay. It was great to visit these smaller family-run houses as a change from the more commercial champagne house tours in Epernay. Angelique was a great host and would highly recommend.
Angelique was a lot of fun and very knowledgeable about wine making and history in Epernay and beyond. We booked the trip to see and taste champagnes from family run vineyards; this tour did not disappoint! Book this experience now!
We had a very entertaining time with Angélique. With a lot of expertise she offered us a very personal tour away from the well-known cellars. I can only recommend them at any time.
I gifted this tour to my parents, and they absolutely loved every moment of it. Angélique took exceptional care of them, offering a truly unique experience thanks to her deep knowledge of the region, wonderful sense of humor, and warm hospitality. Even though my parents didn’t know much about Champagne before, they returned with a lot appreciation for it—and a newfound understanding as well. If you’re in the area and looking for a memorable and personal experience, I truly recommend this tour—100%!
Merci Hazal, I received your parents with pleasure and interest . Introducing people from the world to Champagne is my 1st mission ! I'm so glad they appreciated your gift. Yakinda gorüsuüruüz .
i highly recommend this tour as our guide shared her emmense knowledge of Champange with us as we enjoyed tastings at two different houses. It was a great day for us.
So much fun. A wonderful afternoon. We had a great time with Angelique. She was energetic and knowledgeable on champagne.
Merci Kathy, always happy to welcome the whole world in Champagne
