Visit Champagne and all its appellations

At a glance

Trip Summary

On day two, visit two of your favourite Champagne Houses in Reims for a tour and tasting. Subject to your dates of travel / availability, options include Taittinger, GH Mumm, Pommery, Lanson, Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot. Walking distances to the Champagne Houses can be up to 25 minutes, therefore you may prefer to ask your hotel to arrange a taxi for you on the day. Please note that some of these Houses (particularly Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart) are very popular, therefore early booking is essential. In the evening, a three course Champagne tasting dinner will be served in a cosy restaurant located ten minutes’ walk from the main square. Each course will be accompanied by a different glass of Champagne.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your way to Reims train station for a short, scenic train ride through the vineyards to Epernay. Here, check into your Superior room at the 4* Hotel Jean Moet.

Around midday, you will be picked up at your hotel by a pre-booked and pre-paid taxi and you will be taken to the picturesque village of Cramant where a comparative tasting session of three single varietal Champagnes will take place in a quaint tasting boutique in the village. Platters of cheeses and charcuterie will also be served. After lunch your taxi will then return to take you further into the vineyards. Here, you will visit a small, family-run producer of Champagnes to enjoy a tour of the fascinating Champagne making process from press to bottle, and tastings of their Champagnes, including a vintage Champagne. After returning to Epernay, an extensive tasting session of six Champagnes will be arranged for you in a cosy Champagne boutique located a few minutes’ walk from the hotel.

On day four, meet your English-speaking driver/guide at a central departure point in Epernay for a full day tour as part of a small group (maximum eight people). During the course of the day, your guide will regale you with tales and anecdotes of the history of Champagne and its vineyards, introducing you to the particularities of the region. You will start the day in style with a tour and tasting at the world-famous Moët and Chandon estate. You will also stop at the famous hilltop village of Hautvillers where your guide will take you on a tour of the village, visiting places such as the Church where Dom Perignon is buried. After such an enlightening morning, you will then be taken to a beautiful private mansion for a unique Champagne tasting masterclass. As well as having the opportunity to taste the three principal grape varieties, a light lunch will also be served. In the afternoon, you will visit a small family-run Champagne House and after a tasting session of their Champagnes, you will enjoy a traditional French aperitif. You will be taken back to Epernay  at the end of the day. In the evening, a three course Champagne tasting dinner will be served in a highly-regarded restaurant in the centre of Epernay. Each course will be accompanied by a different glass of Champagne.

After breakfast and check out on day five, you will be met at the hotel by a private chauffeured vehicle, which will accompany you to Troyes (you will need to take your luggage with you today). On the way, stop at a local Champagne House in the Côte de Sézanne where you will enjoy a full tour of the estate and an extensive tasting session of the estate’s Champagnes. The Côte de Sézanne is largely dominated by Chardonnay, the area produces less acidic and more aromatic Champagnes, this is due to the soil which has significant amount of clay as opposed to the chalky soils found in the Côte des Blancs. Upon arrival in the picturesque medieval city of Troyes, check into your Superior room at the 4* Hotel le Champ des Oiseaux. The remainder of the afternoon and evening will be free for you to do as you please. We would be more than happy to suggest a restaurant and reserve you a table for dinner if required.

After breakfast on day six, your chauffeur will return and accompany you throughout the day on a private basis. Today you will visit the Côtes des Bar and learn all about the Champagne made in the Aube region. Aube producers are famous for thinking outside the box and breaking the mould when it comes to traditionally accepted Champagne making methods.  For example, although Champagne in the Marne is made from three grape varieties, there are more than three varieties permitted in Champagne and the Aube producers like to experiment with this. You will firstly be taken to a local Champagne House, where you will enjoy a full tour of the estate, followed by a tasting session of their Champagnes and a light lunch. In the afternoon, you will be taken to a second estate for a tour and extensive tastings. In the evening, a delicious three course dinner paired with Champagne will be served in a restaurant in the city centre.

After a leisurely breakfast on day seven, check out of the hotel.

Region Map

Outline Itinerary

Day Three

• After breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your way to Reims train station.
• Take a short, scenic train journey through the vineyards to Epernay.
• Upon arrival, check into your Superior room at the 4* Hotel Jean Moet.
• Around midday, you will be met at your hotel by a taxi who will take you to the village of Cramant. Here, a tasting session of three Champagnes with a light lunch will be arranged.
• You will then be taken to a small family-run Champagne House, where you will enjoy a tour of the estate followed by a tasting session of their Champagnes.
• You will be taken back to your hotel at the end of the day.
• A tasting session of six Champagnes will then be arranged in a cosy tasting boutique in the town centre.
• We would be pleased to reserve you a table for dinner if required.

Day Four

• After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide at a central departure point in Epernay, who will accompany you throughout the day as part of a small group. Your tour day will comprise of:
• Tour and tasting at Moët and Chandon.
• A stop in the hilltop village of Hautvillers for a tour of the village including the Church where Dom Pérignon is buried.
• A light lunch with local delicacies and Champagne.
• An entertaining Champagne masterclass.
• A tour and tastings at a small family run Champagne House.
• In the evening, a three course dinner with three different Champagnes will be served in a highly-regarded restaurant in the city centre.

Day Five

• After breakfast, check out of the hotel.
• You will be met by a private chauffeured vehicle, which will accompany you to Troyes.
• On the way, stop at a local Champagne House in the Côte de Sézanne for a tour and tastings.
• Upon arrival in Troyes, check into your Superior room at the 4* Hotel le Champ des Oiseaux.
• The remainder of the day and evening will be free to do as you please.
• We would be more than happy to suggest a restaurant and reserve you a table for dinner if required.

Day Six

• After breakfast, your chauffeur will return and accompany you throughout the day. Today, you will be taken to the Côtes des Bar appellation. Your tour day will comprise of:
• A tour, tasting and light lunch at a local Champagne House.
• A tour and tasting at a second estate in the Côtes des Bar.
• In the evening, a three course dinner paired with Champagne will be served in a local restaurant in Troyes.

Final Day

• After a leisurely breakfast, check out of the hotel.

(ii) The outline itinerary is indicative and is subject to minor changes depending on supplier availability. Availability cannot be guaranteed until we have received a confirmed booking, together with the deposit payment (or payment in full where the dates of travel are in less than 60 days). If the named accommodation / visits are not available, we will endeavour to find suitable alternatives of a similar grade; this may be subject to a supplement or a rebate depending on the price available.

Package Prices

• These prices are per person and based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin or double room.
• These are realistic guide prices, based on travel in standard season (usually April to the end of October). Discounts often apply for travel out of season (usually November to the end of March) or if there are more than two of you travelling together. Please let us know your preferred travel dates for a definitive price.
• Although we propose specific hotels as part of our standard packages, we enjoy excellent relationships and preferential rates at the majority of the hotels in each of our featured destinations. Therefore if you would prefer to stay in a different hotel, this can be arranged. Please contact us for the relevant supplements/discounts.
• Other room grades are available at most of the hotels that we work with. Just let us know which hotel you prefer and we will send you the relevant supplements for the various room grades.
• Single supplements and extra night prices are available upon request.

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