Champagne region wine tasting

Nature
The wow factor for nature - does it show nature at its best? Doesn't need to be the wildebeest migration or diving with hundreds of hammerheads. Rather make you pause as you realise just how awesome the natural world can be
7
Culture
How much does this experience showcase some of the better and finer things that us humans can offer? Sure, it can be ancient ruins and renaissance churches, but it can also be festivals or soaking up some of the great modern cities of the world
9
Fun factor/activity
Very simple - was it fun? This is usually linked in with doing some kind of activity - i mean, walking along some cliffs is nice, but paragliding from them, now that is fun. Its a vastly underrated factor in a truly great experience
9
Avoid the crowds
Big tour groups and being surrounded by loud fellow tourists can sap the life out of even the greatest of travel experiences. This score is to reflect just how much you can avoid this. But. . . The score also takes into account if the crowds actually add to the experience, such as with a party town or a bustling local market
7
World famous
How world famous is the experience?
9
unique
How hard is it to have a similar experience in other places round the world?
8
Overall TE Score
The overall travel experiences score:  fun factor + avoid the crowds + (best of nature or culture) + (best of world famous or unique). Then convert into a score out of 100
85 *What the scores mean and where do they come from
RANKING
How this travel experience ranks compared to all the other experiences on this site, based on the travel experience (te) score
20th/454
Top 5%
continent
Europe
country
France
Length of time
1-2 days
Typical daily price
This gives you a rough idea of the daily price based on 2 people travelling where they can split costs like accommodation. It excludes travel there and back, and factors in inflation the numbers in brackets show the price range for the full time of the experience (so not necessarily daily). It is a range to reflect different budget vs higher end
$90 (typically $40 - $130)
Time of year visited
July
Primary Tags
Click on any of the tags to see all travel experiences with the same tag
Restaurant recommendations Vineyards Wine
All Tags
Driving Fabulous hotel Forests Hiking Local villages Market Old town UNESCO world heritage site
Wow Factor
The wow factor reflects just how much you’re likely to say “wow”. As there’s a lot of experiences in the world, and a lot of wows, i’ve gone with a simple ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to ⭐️ score, and a separate category for the truly "gash"
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Summary

The whole Champagne experience has such a wow factor:

✅ The countryside is full of beautiful, picture-perfect rolling valleys that make for a gorgeous drive or more close-up walk through the vines themselves.

✅ The Champagne-mad streets of Epernay or “the City of Kings” Reims are full of stunning buildings.  Including Reims Cathedral, arguably only second to Paris’ Notre Damn in France.

✅ Stopping at any of the cellars ranging from small family run wineries to some of the largest and most famous in the world.

✅ And all whilst sampling and learning about how the world’s premier drink is made.

 

Spending a few days in the Champagne region is arguably the premier wine-tasting experience in the world and should, along with Paris and Provence, be right at the top of your priority list when visiting France.

 

I’ve three times, staying in Reims, Epernay and Hautvillers most recently as summer 2025 and have listed my main tips for how to get the best out of your time there.

 

The rolling UNESCO World Heritage listed countryside of rolling hills as you walk through the vineyards of Hautvillers, Champagne

 

Table of Contents

Priorities for Champagne

 

#1 Walking through the rows of vines

 

It is not widely know that you are actually allowed to walk through the vineyards within Champagne.  Considering the fame of the sites and the money these grapes bring in, it is wonderful surprise and a rarity in a wine region.    This felt magical and I’d really recommend.

 

Walking through the vineyards themselves in Hautvillers in Champagne

Walking through the vineyards just to the west of Hautvillers

 

My recommendation is to head Hautvillers, where they have a variety of beautiful waling options.  Online they have the list – What to do in Hautvillers– or just rock upo to the office in the small town and they will show you various maps like the one below, which is the longer one we did. 

 

Route map for a walk through the vineyards around Hautvillers

Route map for a walk through the vineyards around Hautvillers

 

#2 Fancy vineyard tastings

The settings are just so gorgeous and, because of the prestige, tend to be done rather well.  The Royal Champagne Hotel in Champillion with its incredible balcony and fine dining certainly ticked that box.  For something simpler, I’d highly recommend Au 36 in the centre of Hautvillers as it offers a tasting of 6 delicious champagnes with cheese, saucisson and bread.

 

Au 36 in Hautvillers with its cheese and wine pairing tasting menu

Au 36 in Hautvillers with its cheese and wine pairing tasting menu

 

Ticking the Fancy Box and visiting somewhere like The Royal Champagne Hotel in Champillion, with its incredible balcony and fine dining

Ticking the Fancy Box and visiting somewhere like The Royal Champagne Hotel in Champillion, with its incredible balcony and fine dining

 

#3 The major champagne house tours

They are just done so well and the natural caves they store the wine in are incredible to explore.  250km of them and enough for 1 billion bottles.  We visited GH Mumm and Tattinger, and both were fantastic.

 

The vast multi-level caves in Tattinger, Champagne

The vast multi-level caves in Tattinger, Champagne

 

Sampling the various chamagnes within the Tattinger Winery

Sampling the various chamagnes within the Tattinger Winery

 

The storage of the champagne bottles in G H Mumm

The storage of the champagne bottles in G H Mumm

 

#4 The smaller champagne house tours

What they lack in scale, they tend to make up for in enthusiasm.  I visited a variety in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Hautvillers and Ay Champagne, all were lovely.

 

#5 Reims itself

The city centre really is beautiful with its gardens, plazas and markets.  Plus Reims Cathedral is truly magnificent – second in France only to Notre Damn.

 

Reims Cathedral

Reims Cathedral – a real masterpiece

 

#6 Driving through the rolling-countryside

Its just so bloody beautiful and ,with its low rolling valleys and UNESCO World Heritage listing, one of the highlights of the overall trip.  Best bet is just to get lost and stumble across some pretty village, but if looking for a specific target I would suggest Aire de pique-nique “Les Tuileau” for a nice spot.

 

Aire de pique-nique "Les Tuileau" for a nice picnic spot in the middle of the Champagne countryside

Aire de pique-nique “Les Tuileau” for a nice picnic spot in the middle of the Champagne countryside

 

Where to stay in the Champagne region

 

Typically people make a choice between staying in the city of Reims, the smaller Epernay or out in a far smaller village within the vineyards.  They offer different experiences:

 

1. Reims – city-vibe done really well with insane cathedral and many famous champagne houses.  In France, Paris might be the capital but Reims is known as the City of Kings, as every king after Clovis in 496 and up to Charles in 1825 was crowned in the city’s Cathedral, and the king of wines. So, you’re in the city known as “the wine of kings and the King of wines” and the beautiful city centre and cathedral that comes with that.  Plus, you have the benefit of many of the world’s most famous wineries – Tattinger, GH Mumm, Veuve Clicquot – within walking distance.

 

The surprisingly pretty and green vibe of central Reims with its parks

The surprisingly pretty and green vibe of central Reims with its parks

 

2. Epernay – more small town feel with more champagne focus.  Epernay is far to the south of Reims and much more of a winery-vibe living up to its reputation as the Capital of Champagne.  Moet & Chandon within the town and plenty of very close champagne houses to explore.  The recent renovations work make the main street a joy to walk through.

 

One of the various champagne houses and giant barrels found in Epernay

One of the various champagne houses and giant barrels found in Epernay

 

3. Staying in the countryside / a small village – ambiance of rolling hills and peaceful days.  The Champagne region is stuffed with beautiful little villages with effortless restaurants and bursting with lesser-known champagne houses.  You will have plenty of choices throughout the region.

 

The central Cafe of Hautvillers - effortlessly wonderful food, and the wine list ain't bad either

The central Cafe of Hautvillers – effortlessly wonderful food, and the wine list ain’t bad either

 

After doing all 3, I would recommend option #3 staying in one of the smaller villages as the overall Champagne experience is really about the vineyards and having those quiet late evenings is magical there.  Specifically, I would highly recommend Hautvillers – it has a heap of Champagne Houses in the village (including Moet Chandon and Dom Perignon); nice restaurants such as Cafe d’Hautvillers and Au 36; easy walks through the nearby vineyards; dead quiet at night and easy drive to both Reims and Epernay.

 

Some interesting Champagne Facts 🤓

 

One of the highlights of visiting a place like this is getting to learn about just a whole new world of all things Champagne.  Every tasting opens up crazy details and some of the tours are wow-factor just for the sheer amount of intense thought that has been put into this drink.  Here are a few favourites I picked up along the way:

 

1. Champagne must be from Champagne… except in the US which, because it grandfathered the clause in 2006, allows any US vineyard before 2006 calling their product champagne to continue.  For example, you can have Californian champagne. This is also true for the likes of Sherry, Port, Burgundy, Bordeaux … a Californian Bordeaux 🤪🤪🤪.

 

2. Only 3 grapes account for >99% of Champagne plantings – Chardonnay (white), Pinot Noir (red), Pinot Meunier (red) all roughly equally split… which means champagne is primarily made with red grapes, not white 🤷.

 

3. Around 75% of production falls within the “non vintage brut” category -a  general mixture of the 3 grapes above.  Then 5%-8% are Blanc de Blancs (all white grapes), 3%-5% Blanc de Noir (all red grapes), 10%-12% (rose) and 5% Prestige Cuvee (the fancy stuff).

 

4. The bottles tend to be stored in natural caves under Champagne – 250km of them, enough for 1 billion bottles, and so extensive the French used them to hide not just wine from the Germans in WW2 but also Jewish people, shot down pilots and resistance fighters during WW2.

 

How does it rank compared to other wine regions?

 

I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited many of the major wine regions of the world.  Its a daft high standard, but I’d put Champagne top.  Here would be my top 5:

 

#1 France’s Champagne – the world’s premier drink, done superbly well and with the outrageous benefit of being able to freely walk through the vines.

 

#2 South Africa Winelands – very underrated wines, in often outrageously-well done stellar vineyards and with some of the most beautiful mountain backdrops of any vineyards in the world. See the individual travel entry of South Africa’s Winelands for more tips

 

#3 Argentina’s Mendoza – booming deep red wines, easily accessible by cycling through the flat vineyards and with the dramatic backdrop of the Andes’ 6961m tall Aconcagua.  Wine tasting and cycling around the vineyards of Mendoza.

 

#4 Portugal’s Duoro Valley – I can’t think of anywhere else in the world that combines vineyards, steep hill sides and rivers like the Duoro.  When you combine it with the relatively low tourist numbers yet only an hour from the ports of Porto, its one of the premier wine experiences. Wine tasting around Pinhao in the Duoro Valley.

 

#5 Italy’s Chianti region – some of the most picture-perfect countryside (think rolling hills from Gladiator), world famous Sangiovese wines and within easy reach of the world-class Tuscan sites of Florence, Sienna and Pisa. Mama mia!  Tuscany – Renaissance Towns and Chianti Wine Country.

 

 

Duoro

Experiences Nearby

The below map shows experiences nearby with a colour that reflect the Overall Score of those experiences

Wine and other tasting experiences around the World

Driving the Alsace Wine Route
⭐⭐

Wine tasting around Pinhao in the Duoro Valley
⭐⭐⭐

Cycling and drinking craft beers around the Chico Circuit in Bariloche
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cycling around Kyoto and sampling whiskies in the Suntory Distillery
⭐⭐

Wine tasting in the Barossa Valley
⭐⭐

Soaking up the views and the rum near the Gros Pitons of St Lucia
⭐⭐

Sampling whiskies and hiking around Speyside
⭐⭐⭐

Driving from Bariloche to Mendoza
⭐

Sampling wines in Saint Emilion
⭐⭐⭐

Eger – wine tasting in the Valley of the Beautiful Women
⭐

Driving down the West Coast of Scotland – Glencoe, Oban, Skye and the Harry Potter Bridge
⭐⭐⭐

The Rioja Wine Region
⭐⭐

Score Detail

The scores above are the real point of this site.

Over 20+ years and 100+ countries, I’ve tried to rank the world’s best travel experiences — from genuinely mind-blowing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to the properly gash.

Every one of the 500+ places on this site has both a Wow Factor rating and a more analytical Travel Experience (TE) score based on the things that actually make travel memorable.

If you're curious about the thinking behind it, head to the About page.

Otherwise, explore the map above or on the Home page and see which places truly deliver maximum wow.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *