Food & Champagne Experience from Epernay (Private tour)
Description
Playful workshop to discover the different aromas of Champagne and its 3 emblematic grape varieties : Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay. 15 commented tastings (9 Champagnes Grand Cru/Premier Cru plus the famous wines, alcohols and aperitives of the region) in gastronomic pairings with local dishes and products are planned in order to discover the gourmet secrets of the Champagne region. During the visit of 4 authentic Champagne places selected for you, more than 15 flavors will awaken your taste buds ! Commented passage in the famous "Avenue de Champagne" of Epernay, called “the most expensive Avenue in the world” with its 200 million bottles in the cellars. Discover the famous Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages and vineyards around Epernay in the historic hillsides of the Marne Valley listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO and the Côte des Blancs. Visits to 3 families of independent Champagne winegrowers/producers with explanation of the Champagne making process.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The workshop, experiences, tastings and visits are planned in famous vineyards and villages typical of Champagne around Epernay the Capital of Champagne : Aÿ-Champagne, famous for its Pinot Noir Grand Cru and its prestigious Houses such as Bollinger and Deutz, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ where Billecart-Salmon, Philipponnat are located, Oger in the Côte des Blancs and Monthelon. In order to better understand all the gourmet pairings selected for you during this day, you'll start at a producer with a playful workshop to discover the aromas of Champagne and then rediscover them during the tasting of different Champagnes. If you successfully pass the olfactory and taste test, we'll give you a Champagne knowledge certificate! You will taste during the day 9 Grand Cru/Premier Cru Champagnes blended or single varietals Champagne as Blanc de blancs, Blanc de noirs and discover non-dosed natural Champagnes, extra brut, brut, dry, rosé, from very old vines, vintages, single plots or aged in oak barrels.
During the tour, in addition to Champagnes, you'll discover the 3 famous Champagne alcohols : several Ratafias will be tasted but also Fine de la Marne and Marc de Champagne from the Goyard Distillery. Ratafia is a sweet wine made from the same grape varieties as Champagne. A treasure that is still relatively unknown outside of the Champagne region because it is not widely exported, it offers an unrivalled range of flavours and aromas that you will discover with us. You'll be a fan for sure! Fine and Marc are Champagne brandies that are very popular as digestives. All the tastings will be commented and have been selected in harmony with typical dishes. In Ay, you'll also discover in a Champagne bar and food the Coteaux-Champenois, famous Champagne wine with a Controlled Designation of Origin (CDO) which can be red, white or rosé. The Coteaux-Champenois will accompany foie gras and snails for the more adventurous, otherwise sea bass rillettes with truffle, scallops or white pudding.
In the famous village and vineyard Grand Cru of Aÿ-Champagne,, a stop is also planned in the heart of the vineyard to understand the work of the vine, the grape varieties, this exceptional terroir and sustainable viticulture. The village of Aÿ was the main center of the Champagne industry in the 16th century. The kings of France had their own wine presses here and the wines of Champagne used to be called “Wines of Aÿ”. The vineyard predominantly planted with Pinot Noir is classified as Grand Cru at the highest level of the Champagne Appellation.
Lunch is then planned at a winemaker's where you will taste his Grand Cru and Premier Cru Champagnes, as well as different Ratafias (including a unique one in the world produced from one of the forgotten grape varieties of Champagne) paired with a mixed platter of charcuterie and cheeses with specialties of the region such as Jambon de Reims, the exceptional local cheeses such as Chaource and Langres but also cured ham, duck rillettes with Ratafia, duck breast, accompanied of course by the unmissable traditional French baguette. The sweet touch will be brought by a chocolate filled with ratafia and a dessert based on a famous sweet culinary specialty of the region: the Biscuit Rose of Reims.
In the morning during this gourmet tour, you will discover the Marne Valley and its historic hillsides listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO where Champagne was born. In the afternoon, on the road to the third winegrower, we will drive through the famous Côte des Blancs, kingdom of the Chardonnay Grand Cru of Champagne ant its famous villages Cramant and Avize.
During the visit to this third family of Champagne independent producers for several generations in one of the villages most renowned for its Chardonnay Grand Cru, we will talk again about the Champagne making process during a visit to the press, winery and cellar. Here, at snack time, you will taste other Grand Cru Champagnes accompanied by Biscuits roses of Reims from the Biscuiterie Fossier in the original recipe dating from 1756 and in the form of a crunchy macaroon. The day will end with a typical French surprise discovery, trust us, you will love it !
A commented passage is also planned in the very famous "Avenue de Champagne" in Epernay, the capital of the Champagne vineyards, where the superb properties and production buildings of the Champagne Houses Moët & Chandon, Perrier Jouët, Pol Roger, etc. are located.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Viator gives you a non exhaustive list of possible pick ups, if your accommodation is not there, please check that your place is in the perimeter of 6kms (3.7 miles) around Epernay. If it is further in distance, we will not be able to pick you up at this place. In case of any doubt, you can contact us before to book. If you want a pick up in Reims or in the surrounding villages another tour on sale allows it. For your information Reims is 40 min. drive from Epernay. Depending on the weather/season and the number of people in your group, we will choose the most suitable vehicle from our fleet of different cars : Electric E-Mehari Jeep car, Premium Van and Minivan. Our Electric red E-Mehari car is a crossover, if you have difficulty getting into slightly raised vehicles tell us.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Public transportation options are available nearby
Reviews(28)
Our day with Philippe was amazing. His knowledge of Champagne, and the Champagne making process was astounding. We learned so much and more importantly, really enjoyed his company throughout the day. The aroma workshop was lots of fun as were the amazing food pairings. Tracy and I had a truly memorable experience, and I would recommend this tour to absolutely anyone interested in Champagne, food, or the history of the region. Thank you so much for making our anniversary trip such a memorable experience.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I’m delighted to hear that your day in Champagne was such an enjoyable and memorable experience. It means a lot to know that the explanations about the region, the Champagne making process and the tasting workshop helped you discover Champagne from a new angle. I’m also very happy that you loved the aroma session and the food pairings — they truly are a fun and delicious way to deepen the experience. Sharing this special anniversary moment with you both was a real pleasure. Thank you again for your trust and your recommendation. I would be delighted to welcome you back to Champagne anytime for more discoveries!
This was by far the best tour we took. Marine was an amazing tour guide and she answered all of our questions and even managed to find answers to some of our more odd ball questions. We did an English tour and she helped explain some French to us as we were confused by some of the grammar. The champagne and food were amazing. We really enjoyed trying the smaller houses. It seems like the smaller houses have more of a variety of smells and flavors than the larger houses. We were stuffed at the end of the tour and could hardly finish the final tasting. We really enjoyed the exercise at the beginning that has you identifying scents. It really helped me express what I did and didn’t like in champagnes. This helped me in the tastings we did on our own to pick champagnes I’d really enjoy trying.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! ✨ I’m so happy you enjoyed discovering Champagne and the art of pairing with me. It was such a pleasure meeting you — your curiosity and great questions made the experience truly special for me as well. I actually learned a few things from you too, which was really lovely! 🍾 I’m delighted that you appreciated exploring the smaller Champagne houses, the aroma exercise, the tastings and the (lot of) food— it’s always amazing to see how these moments help guests better understand and enjoy the incredible diversity of Champagne. Thank you again for choosing us for your Champagne adventure. I hope to see you again someday for another glass (or two!) in Champagne. 🥂 — Marine
This was an excellent tour. We had been in contact beforehand to indicate our desire to learn, at a higher level, about the process of making champagne, particularly the influence of terroir and the rationale around the blending process. Our needs were fully met and included both vertical and horizontal tastings to help us understand the various influences on champagne production. Our guide was knowledgeable and the champagne houses we visited, very welcoming.
Thank you for this 5-star review Roger and it was a shared pleasure to meet your expectations during this private day around Epernay in the most famous vineyards of Champagne, discovering its Champagnes and its Terroir in perfect harmony with numerous culinary tastings. All the riches of Champagne no longer hold any secrets for you :) Looking forward to seeing you again for other unforgettable experiences!
Great day with our knowledgeable guide, Mathiis. Enjoyable tour in comfort. An excellent way to explore the Champagne region.
Thank you for your review! It was a pleasure, hope to see you soon! ☺️
Matthis was fantastic! It all started with him helping us when we could not find our way from the parking lot by coming around and picking us up. We loved all the stops but really like Hautvillers. We like the small wineries. Matthis was very personable by asking everyone about themselves and what they liked. Matthis was also a great host - he noticed the details by helping without being asked. Our recommendation is to give him a raise to be sure he continues being one of the best tour guys we ever had. The Riddles - Jeannie and Joe.
Thank you very sincerely, and I'm delighted to read your wonderful comment. It was a great pleasure to show you the vineyards of Champagne and to listen to you! I hope to see you soon in Champagne!
Perfect day with lots of good champagne, beautiful views and our guide Matisse was really engaged, nice and knowledgeable.
Bonjour Anna, it was a pleasure to show you the Champagne region with me, thank you for your lovely comment. See you soon in Champagne! :)
Don't take this tour! The '9' tastings were at just 2 wineries, both very poor quality. The retail price for a bottle of the champagnes we tasted was just E20. Given the tour price of over $300 per person and the hype in their viator description, I expected high quality vintages. Not the sparkling grape juice we tasted. The lunch was even worse. It was pre-made in a jar that the restaurateur heated. Absolute garbage, especially considering the many great restaurants in the region. The tour literally left a bad taste in our mouths!
This is the first review that is so disrespectful and false that I have read, I have more than 100 5-star reviews at the highest, you taste Champagne classified Grand Cru and hight quality vintages the lunch is typical French with local farm products ...
An outstanding tour from beginning to end. Our guide Mathis had superb knowledge of the region and the champagne production process. We are a group of 3 couples who regularly travel together across the world and this was one of our favourite experiences. The tour offers the perfect balance of tastings, cellar tours and cuisine.
We are delighted to read your lovely review! It was a great pleasure for us to help you discover our special region, and we hope to see you soon in Champagne.
The region is so beautiful and our guide was the best! He made the whole experience and we would do it again with him as our guide.
We are delighted to know that you enjoyed the region and the tour with Matthis ! Thank you for your review :)
Great tour. Mathias was a great guide - very knowledgeable about the area and champagne making process - and very engaging! Just the amount time.
Thank you for Matthis! He told you everything you needed to know about Champagne :) We hope to see you soon!
