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Day Trip from Paris to Champagne and Reims

Few places in the world do not need an introduction. Champagne is one of them.

We have all heard of this region and know it is famous for its sparkling wines.

But in this article, we will tell you what else it has that makes it an excellent destination for a day trip to Champagne and Reims from Paris.

In addition to visiting the great vineyards and tasting the best champagnes in the world, you can visit cities with a lot of history and great heritage.

It is no coincidence that Reims was the city chosen by the kings to be consecrated.

How to Get from Paris to Epernay?

There are several ways to get from Paris to the Champagne region. From the country’s capital to Epernay, there are 140 kilometers. If you do it by car, it takes between 1:45 and 2 hours.

If you take the train, the trip takes one hour and a half.

Let’s see how to get to Epernay from Paris.

Train

There are almost 20 trains a day linking Paris with Epernay, and the ticket price starts at 10 euros. There are different companies that make the trip: TER, Autocar, and Train Express Regional.

All depart from Paris Est station and arrive at Epernay station, which is a 5-minute walk from the Avenue de Champagne, the city’s main street.

It is convenient to buy tickets in advance to get the best prices.

Car

If you decide to drive, you have to leave Paris and take the Autoroute de l’Est and travel on the A4/E50.

You should continue along this route until exit 21, which leads to Dormans. And then you must turn right at D23E5. This route changes its name several times on the map, but if you go straight ahead, you will arrive in Epernay.

You can rent your car here at the best prices.

Champagne vineyards, France

How to Get to Reims from Paris?

Reims is the largest city in the region and is also very well connected to Paris. It takes just under two hours by car and one hour by train.

Bus

The company Flexibus travels from Paris to Reims, and the ticket costs 9,43. The trip takes 1:50 hours.

Train

Trains from the French capital to Reims also depart from Paris Est station. The price starts at 21 euros (if you book in advance). The companies that operate this route are Alleo and TGV.

Car

You must exit the A4 and stay on it for more than 100 kilometers until you see exit 22 towards Reims. There you will take the A344 road that will lead you to Reims.

Is it Possible Visiting the Champagne Region from Paris in 1-day?

As we saw, you can reach the region in less than 2 hours, so if you want to travel to Champagne from Paris in one day, you can do it.

You may not be able to see everything worth seeing, or you may be in a bit of a hurry, but you will get to see the most important and beautiful things in the region.

So a nice excursion to Reims and Champagne can be a great idea if you have a free day.

Of course, the region’s beauty makes it better to dedicate more time to it, so perhaps the ideal would be to take it as a getaway for an entire weekend.

You can stay in Reims and use this city as an HQ to get to know the surroundings. In addition, from here there are several guided tours and Reims itself deserves a good visit.

We had been to Reims a few times and stayed in the Ibis Styles Reims Centre hotel. It is a good value hotel; from there, you can walk to the center in a few minutes.

The Best Tours to Reims and Chandon from Paris

If you are traveling for a day trip from Paris to Reims, we think the best idea is to take a tour so that you don’t miss any of the must-see sights of the Champagne region.

So here we tell you what we think are the best excursions to get to know Reims and Chandon.

Moët & Chandon one-day tour from Paris

The first day trip from Paris to Champagne we have to recommend takes you to two of the most famous wineries in the world.

You will tour the only region where authentic champagne is grown. On this guided tour, you will learn about the cultivation and production techniques and taste various sparkling wines.

The expert guide will also tell you the history of the Champagne region and accompany you during the visit to the House of Moët & Chandon, the world’s largest champagne producer.

The tour also includes visiting a family estate, where you will taste more drinks and, if you wish, buy a bottle.

Reims Cathedral

In addition, the excursion allows you to visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Reims, one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture, built in the 13th century and declared a World Heritage Site.

The coronation of 25 French kings took place in this building from the beginning of the 9th century until 1825.

The transportation is a minivan leaving from Paris, so it is quite a personalized trip. So we recommend it as one of the best day trips from Paris to Champagne.

Visit Veuve Clicquot

Veuve Clicquot is one of France’s most prestigious and largest champagne houses.

It was founded in 1772 and is known for being a highly innovative winery, having created some of the industry’s most important processes and blends. It was one of the firms that propelled champagne as a high society drink.

It is now owned by Louis Vuitton but maintains the same quality and label it had in the 19th century.

The winery offers three tours, whose prices vary according to the duration and the number of glasses you want to taste.

bottles of champagne in storage

The shortest tour at Veuve Clicquot lasts half an hour. You will taste 2 glasses, have cold meats and cheese platter, visit the cellars, and be told the history of the effervescence process.

The one-hour tour is for those who are more interested in the company’s history and the winery. You’ll learn more of that history, but you’ll only taste one glass.

On the one-and-a-half hour tour, in addition to learning about the history of Veuve Clicquot, you will participate in an oenological workshop where you will learn about the elaboration of the cuvées, and you will make one BLIND TASTING of their iconic Yellow Label Brut cuvée and a unique vintage cuvée.

Tour to Reims from Paris with Champagne Tasting

This tour offered by Civitatis takes you to discover the countryside and vineyards of the Champagne region and the city of Reims.

In Champagne, they take you to know two other very important wineries: Mumm and Mercier.

At Mumm, you will have a guided tour to learn about the champagne-making process and taste one of the best sparkling wines in the world: Mumm Cordon Rouge.

From there, the tour departs for Reims, where you will visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral and have free time to walk around the historic city center and have lunch in one of the many restaurants near the Place d’Erlon.

Champagne glass

Then, you will travel to Épernay. Enjoy the ride! You will see the beautiful French countryside, with its forests and vineyards.

And in the afternoon you will visit the village of Mutigny. You will visit a small winery, where you will taste two glasses of champagne and learn the sabrage technique.

Don’t you know what sabrage is? The French have a very crazy technique for opening champagne bottles, which consists of giving them a sabrage. It will leave you with your mouth open.

Private Visit to Dom Perignon from Paris

If you want a more exclusive experience, you can take this private tour to the Dom Perignon cellars.

You can be picked up in Reims or Epernay. Then they take you to see the private cellars they have at Moet & Chandon, where the bottles of Dom Perignon are aged.

You will learn about its unique production process and the history of Don Perignon.

Bottle of Dom Perignon with a candle

Did you know that Pierre Pérignon was a Benedictine monk who lived between 1638 and 1715? Pierre is believed to have invented the method of making champagne.

Legend has it that when the monk first drank the bubbly wine, he shouted, “Come quickly, I’m drinking the stars!”.

You, too, will be able to taste two glasses of this wine that contains the stars.

Then you will visit the Abbaye Saint-Pierre d’Hautvillers. St. Peter’s Abbey is the former Benedictine monastery where Don Perignon lived.

And although historians disagree on whether the monk created the method, they are almost all convinced that it was in this abbey where the technique for producing champagne was born.

Visiting the Village of Hautvillers

If you visit Hautvillers, in addition to visiting the church, you can stroll through the village.

Walking up the old streets, a few meters from the church, you will have an incredible view of the entire Marne valley and the city of Epernay.

Unfortunately, the abbey is owned by Moët et Chandon, so it is open to the public only when an event is organized by the company or through exclusive visits.

champagne barrel in Hautvillers

You can also walk along the banks of the Marne Canal. Or you can do it by bicycle. You will find some very nice churches and a beautiful bridge along the way.

As it is less touristy, it breathes a more authentic life. You will be able to visit small wineries and eat local food.

Is the Champagne Region Worth Visiting?

Definitely yes. If you have an extra day to see something outside the French capital, a day trip to Champagne and Reims from Paris is an excellent alternative.

As we told you, the region has excellent scenery, a super exciting history, World Heritage Sites, and great gastronomy.

In addition, it is the only region in the world where real champagne is produced. What more do you need?

5 Must-Visit Places in Epernay

Before you go, I’ll share with you our 5 favorite places in Epernay… in addition to all the ones we already told you about.

1- Stroll along the Avenue de Champagne

On this street, you will find the mansions of the main champagne brands, which is why it is considered the most expensive street in the world.

2 – De Castellane

This champagne house was founded in 1895 and houses a museum of the champagne tradition.

You can walk through miles of subway cellars and see the label room, where there are over 5,000 bottle labels from different eras. You can also climb the tower and contemplate the Avenue de Champagne.

3- City Hall and gardens

The architecture of the building is striking, but the real jewel is its gardens, which the Bühler brothers designed, creators of the best gardens in France during the 19th century.

4 – Château Perrier

This mansion was built for the eccentric Charles Perrier in the mid-19th century. Perrier was the director of the Perrier-Jouët winery and, at the same time, the mayor of Épernay.

And while the house is extraordinary, its history is not far behind. During World War II, the Renaissance-style building was occupied and used as barracks by the British, the Germans, and the United States Army.

5 – Jardin Botanique de la Presle

At 15 kilometers from Epernay, we find this botanical garden, which has several exotic spices brought from remote places and a collection of local flora. It also has a collection of more than 500 types of roses.

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