The Ultimate Three Day Guide to Visiting Champagne

Ah, champagne. That otherworldly wine with its hypnotic bubbles, heady aromatics and je ne sais quoi.

Though the bubbles that scale the length of every glass may be the one thing that seduces us at first sight, it is in fact something else that captures our hearts and imaginations. The coolest of wine producing climates and chalkiest of lands is unique to the region of Champagne, contributing concentration, freshness, salinity and finesse.

With borders now officially open, there’s no need to live vicariously through your bountifully stocked cellar or that occupying glass of champagne. Relative ease of travel, and a new-found enthusiasm for tourism, makes Champagne the most exciting wine region to visit in 2023 and beyond.

Where, once, the edifice of Champagne’s finest Maisons stood imposingly behind firmly shut gates, many are beginning to open; even investing in visitor centres with immersive experiences. There are also more discovery opportunities, vibrant dining options, and first-rate hotels springing up all over the place.

Still, don’t expect the kind of walk-in access you would get in places like the Barossa, Margaret River or Hunter Valley – for example. Plan ahead, and with these tips, and you won’t have a problem.

Divide and Conquer

Champagne is an astonishingly large landscape to navigate, so it’s best to have a strategy. There are five main growing regions to choose from spread across 34,000 hectares reaching almost 130km between the northernmost township (Reims) and the southernmost (Troyes). What’s more, there are 319 villages spread across them.

Best to taste, rather than trek your way around Champagne with some well-planned visits and tastings in more accessible locations.

Approach your itinerary in the spirit of ‘divide and conquer’ to maximise your time. If you have three days, make the most of it by dedicating an entire day to each of the closest and most celebrated growing areas: Reims and the Montagne de Reims, the Grande Vallée, then Épernay and the Côte des Blancs.

Approach your itinerary in the spirit of 'divide and conquer' to maximise your time.

Where to Rest

The Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa

The Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, in Champillon, is the region’s newest five-star hotel - voted one of Europe’s top three – and a destination in itself. A favourite resting place for Napoleon and his generals, today’s renovation cleverly integrates top architectural design and panoramic views with the sweeping landscape of cascading vineyards into the Marne Valley.

The hotel hangs its hat on providing bespoke experiences for guests – almost anything can be arranged including visits to Maisons, bike or horse riding through the vineyards, hot air ballooning or even a crash course in understanding and tasting champagne, hosted by one of their sommeliers.

Each of the 47 rooms casts a gaze over rolling vineyards to Épernay, spaciously designed and furnished with natural materials. But before you rest your head, dine at Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Royal, headed-up by Executive Chef, Jean-Denis Rieubland (formerly of La Tour d’Argent in Paris) and the very approachable Chief Sommelier, Daniel Pires. The wine list is impressively geared to a younger generation of Champagne producers without sacrificing some better-known and favourite Maisons. Prices start at 700€ per night, including breakfast.

Résidence Eisenhower

Résidence Eisenhower, conveniently located in the heart of Reims, is another that recently opened its doors. Not so much a hotel as it is an upmarket B&B, it belongs to the owners of Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck and was the residence of General Eisenhower in the days of deliverance during World War II. This is a beautiful old mansion that has been passionately restored to capture the former glory of its French heritage. You will be warmly greeted by the Maîtresse de Maison, Annelies Pieters, who says she can ‘open doors to secret locations’. All you need to do is ask. Double rooms start at 350€ and suites at 450€ per night, including breakfast.

Day One

Reims and the Montagne de Reims

Reims is the region’s major township and the most accessible base for any trip to Champagne. It is also home to many of Champagne’s luminaries – the big Maisons. It’s completely walkable, punctuated with a fascinating history and boasting some fantastic restaurants, Michelin-starred or not.

Start your day in the Champenois way with a Pain aux Raisin or Pain au Chocolat, a take-away coffee (if you can stomach France’s taste for long-life milk) and walk. If you’re there on a Saturday, don’t miss the covered farmer’s markets, Halles du Boulingrin, famous for its specialty produce and especially good for locally made Paté en Croute, which I enjoy with porc et comté.

There is more foot traffic than road traffic around Reims any time of the day, but in the morning it is distinctly light and serene. Stroll down the multi-coloured cobblestones on Rue de Tambour then pass by Place du Forum with its historic cryptoporticus (covered passageway) centre.

Along the way be enticed by one of the quaint cave à vins – wine shops – with champagne of variegated kinds and many you most likely have never heard of. La Cave Colbert and Les Caves du Forum are two of the most intriguing, but reserve some extra time for La Boutique Trésors de Champagne. There you will be introduced to the champagnes of its 28 artisan members, better known as ‘Special Club’, representing some of the very best champagnes from each estate.

When you’ve chosen a bottle or two, walk on until you reach the Cathedral of Reims. Pause a moment, take a seat, and marvel at the awe-inspiring majesty of its Gothic super-structure under which 25 Kings of France were coronated. Across the way there’s a small restaurant called La Grande Georgette – keep this in mind for lunch or dinner – the food is good French Bistro-esque and the views even better.

By 10am, most Maisons will be ready for you. If this is your first time in Reims, a visit to one of Champagne’s UNESCO world heritage listed crayères will bring you instantly up-to-speed with the uniqueness of Champagne’s terroir. Ruinart, Taittinger, Veuve Cliquot, Pommery and Martel are all custodians of these incredible chalk mines with their cathedral-like ceilings, towering 30 meters high, excavated by engineering Romans harking back to the 4th Century A.D. Today they house millions of champagne bottles, in perfectly cool and humid conditions, during unhurried years of maturation. Taittinger’s prestige, Comtes de Champagne, finds its natural resting place here under the beautiful remains of the 13th century Saint-Nicaise Abbey.

Finish off with a flight of champagne tastings, then satisfy any hunger pains from that searing acidity with lunch at a Champenois hang-out. Au Bon Manger, Sacré Burger, The Glue Pot and Le Wine Bar may have casual menus but their attraction is the crowd they pull and inspiring wine lists with hard-to-find grower champagnes.

But if you’d rather be out of town, and a little off the beaten track, head south toward the grand cru village of Verzy. Les Faux de Verzy is a forest worth visiting for its wonderfully evocative dwarf beech trees. Here, you will also find The Perchingbar – literally a treetop bar – with sweeping views across the Montagne de Reims. Traverse the suspended bridges, take a seat on one of the swings and sip your champagne as the sun goes down.

There are also small producers, close by, with a friendly smile and an open door – so long as you have an appointment. Eric Rodez is one of the leading small growers from the grand cru village of Ambonnay, just a little further south of Verzy. Pinot noir sits at the centre of Rodez’ blends which he has used to build flavoursome and vinous wines with excellent mineral definition.

On Fridays, by appointment only, you can swing by Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche, the famed brother duo of Bérêche et Fils in Ludes. Their wines strike a masterful balance between opulence, energy and tension starting with their excellent non-vintage Brut Réserve and going all the way across their single-vineyard cuvées.

Heading north-west, on your way back to Reims, stop at Nicolas Maillart in Écueil, on the Petite Montagne de Reims. He’s known for his GQ good looks as much as his impressive old-vine fruit producing ripe and bright champagnes with loads of complexity and enthralling minerality.

Other good producers accepting appointments include Benoît Marguet in Ambonnay, Hugues Godmé in Verzenay and the cooperative, Mailly, located in the village it’s named after. But always call ahead or book online beforehand.

So, it’s the end of the day, and you’re feeling weary. Head back to Reims for dinner, where there is no shortage of Michelin-starred restaurants. Racine, L’Assiette Champenoise, Les Crayères and Le Foch are all excellent and have different takes on French fare.

Day Two

The Grande Vallée

The wines of the Grande Vallée are some of the most celebrated in all of Champagne’s history, famed for their south-facing ripe fruit character, power and elegance. Principally planted to pinot noir, there is some excellent and voluptuous chardonnay here too. Begin in Cumières, then hop onto Hautvillers, Dizy and Aӱ before finishing in Mareuil-sur-Aӱ. Here, the Marne River-lined villages offer spectacular views and an appreciation for the lay of the land.

Allocate time at Hautvillers, one of the prettiest villages in all of Champagne, with its medieval streets, charming buildings and handmade signs hanging from every house with the name or occupation of those who live there. Travellers from all over pass by to see its historically significant abbey where the monk, Dom Pérignon, worked as a winemaker.

Heading west, along the undulating landscape of endless vines and small country houses, is Aӱ. This is serious grand cru territory once coveted by Popes and Kings of France and home to Bollinger, Ayala, Deutz, Gosset and Lallier as well as some celebrated growers like Geoffroy. Many of the big Maisons source their best fruit from here, drawing on historical parcels for iconic cuvées such as Louis Roederer’s esteemed, Cristal Rosé.

Unless you are in the trade, you won’t be able to visit Bollinger, but you’ll be able to see their baby sister, Ayala, just down the road, and be taken through its cellars and a tasting. Also, Gosset, Champagne’s oldest wine house, will welcome you. I would highly recommend booking an experience at Geoffroy, which source most of their fruit from Cumières, passionately led by Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy and his wife, Karine. Try Geoffroy’s Les Houtrants Complantes, a single parcel beauty planted with lesser-known varietals. A rarity in Champagne.

Round out your time in Aӱ with a little gastronomy at its foothills. Instant Terroir is a fabulous and relatively new restaurant where Executive Chef, Alexandre Fortuné (who has lived in Melbourne), delights with modern French cuisine and panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards. I found the champagne list particularly good, inclusive of tiny producers and hard-to-find bottles.

See out your Grande Vallée tour with a drive through the picturesque neighbouring village of Mareuil-sur-Aӱ, home to Billecart-Salmon, Philipponnat and wonderful growers, R.Pouillon. The village is famous for producing powerful wines from single vineyards - namely Clos Saint-Hilaire and Clos des Goisses - especially the latter, with its impressively steep 5.5 hectares of chalky soils and warm exposition overlooking the Marne canal. If you have time, a visit to meunier specialists, Billecart-Salmon, will not disappoint.

At the end of the day, head to the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, just a stone’s throw away, and take a seat at Le Bellevue Restaurant for a bistro-style meal with sweeping views. Try the sole meunière with lemon and capers – one of their specialities.

Day Three

Epernay and the Côte des Blancs

Épernay may not technically be in the Côte des Blancs but it’s close enough to make the most of your time in both. This is Champagne’s other sweet spot, with its quintessentially French countryside cobblestone roads, boulangeries, quirky boutiques and green spaces. It’s around 35 minutes south of Reims, just over the river in the Côteaux Sud d’Épernay.

Walk the entire length of its stunning Avenue de Champagne if for no other reason than to marvel at the grandeur of its famous renaissance and classically designed Maisons, stoically residing behind gilded gates. As you walk, consider that underneath the streets, there are 110km of chalk cellars containing millions of champagne bottles, all slowly maturing.

Whilst some Maisons have firmly shut gates, many are open, though you won’t be treated exclusively. Moët et Chandon, Boizel, de Venoge and Mercier are some of the big names offering tours, but if you prefer something more intimate, skip these and opt for biodynamic pioneers, Leclerc Briant, located just a short drive away from Avenue de Champagne. Perrier-Jouët is another worth visiting along the esplanade. Their newly launched, Le Cellier Belle Époque, is the town’s most beautiful destination where you can taste different House cuvées, signature cocktails and culinary creations.

Continue your walking tour of Épernay, passing by the Hôtel de Ville (city hall), Le Jardin de l’Orangerie owned by Moët et Chandon, and L’église Notre-Dame on your way to collecting a souvenir bottle of champagne or two. Wine retailer, Le 520, has one of the most extensive collections of champagne in the world with a catalogue spanning more than 30 pages.

Then take a seat at Épernay’s popular watering hole, Sacré Bistro, where the locals go. Choose champagne by the glass or bottle from an impressive wine list and snack on delicious tapas like tempura de poulet and rillettes de crabe or lunch from a more substantial casual menu.

This afternoon, head east out of town and plunge into the chalky, salty depths of Champagne’s finest terroir for chardonnay – the great Côte des Blancs – just 10 minutes from Épernay. The growing area is extensive, stretching from Chouilly in the north to Vertus in the south, some 17km apart.

A visit here will teach you so much about the uniqueness of champagne. Its famously chalky white slopes are extraordinary, often with little or no topsoil.

In the north, visit Vazart-Coquart located in Chouilly where the terroir imparts roundness with a lovely line of mineral acidity. Just a little further down in Cramant the profile changes to a creamy, silky texture. Top producers include Philippe Glavier, Voirin-Jumel and Diebolt-Vallois.

Next village over, Avize, has power and structure but also balance. Here, Jacques Selosse is on the agenda for many champagne lovers but you’ll be hard-pressed to get an appointment. Opt instead for a drink or light bite at his fantastic restaurant, Les Avises. Oger, with its minerality and rich fruit, is home to a young husband and wife team at Domaine Vincey who are doing extraordinary things with single cru bottlings. Heading south, to Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, there is a strict line of acidity and strong saline presence. Pierre Péters is its famous inhabitant whose blanc de blancs are majestically crafted and some of the best in the area. And finally, in Vertus, where the terroir is more opulent and juicy, it’s worth the drive to Larmandier-Bernier, one of the finest producers in the Côte des Blancs.

By now, you’ll be in the mood for food. Make your last night memorable with dinner at La Grillade Gourmande back in Épernay. It’s the best place in town and a Francophile’s dream. This Michelin-starred restaurant is frequented by Champagne’s most important people who return for its traditional French cooking and warm family-run hospitality.

As you dine, look around and take it all in. As F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, too much of anything is bad, but too much of champagne is just right. I’m guessing you will be back.

Words by Sara Underdown.

Images supplied by various producers and tourism offices as well as the Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa and Residence Eisenhower.

Originally published by The WINE Magazine (December 2022 Issue).