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Wine Tastings Tours and Cooking Vacations In Champagne, France
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French Food & Wine Tours in Champagne
“I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” – Coco Chanel
Champagne is the queen of bubblies, and one of the most recognizable wines in the world, and Champagne country is the perfect destination for a food and wine tour of France. There a many rules that govern whether a wine can be classified as Champagne, including the provenance of the grapes and the fermentation method used – and you’ll learn all of these details as part of your fabulous champagne tastings during your culinary vacation!
Lying just an hour and a half from Paris, Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to any trip to France. After exploring the glories of Paris neighborhoods or other regions, head to the rolling vineyards of Champagne and its quaint villages for a slice of French life. Champagne is part of the French administrative region called the “Grand Est,” and it is as abounding in history as it is in winemaking, with majestic French cities such as Reims, with its famous Gothic cathedral.
Your food and wine tour of Champagne will include accommodations in Reims, as well as numerous winery visits and tastings and cultural tours. You’ll round out your stay with a hands-on cooking class!
Please note that in the event a particular winery is not available on a particular day, similar wineries will be proposed.
French Cooking & Wine Tasting Tour Highlights
Our fabulous wine tours in Champagne include multiple visits to Champagne houses and tastings. Highlights of this tour include:
- Visits of Moët & Chandon and the Montagne de Reims vineyards
- Stop at Dom Perignon’s Abbey
- Semi-private tour of Reims, including the Cathedral
- Family wineries
- One hands-on cooking class
In addition to our set Champagne wine tours, we can create customized wine tours in France including:
- Hands-on cooking classes featuring regional French gastronomy
- Champagne wine tours and wine tastings
- Cultural excursions
- Market visits and tastings
Because of its long history of dedicated and extraordinary wine production, our culinary vacations and wine tours of Champagne are some of our best options for serious wine lovers!
Itinerary
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Day One
- Arrive in Reims on your own and taxi to your 4*, centrally located hotel, home for your food and wine tour in Champagne, France.
- Dinner on your own in one of the city’s many fabulous restaurants.
- Overnight.
Day Two
- Pick-up in the morning. Your day will start with a shared small-group tour in the vibrant City Center, a place full of charm, layers of unique history and regional culinary delights.
- Guided small group tour and tasting at world famous Grande Maison de Champagne Veuve Clicquot (Visit included with 4 glasses of Champagne). The House was founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot that became famous thanks to Madam Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. You will learn about this visionary young widow who built an empire and became a legend in her time “la Grande Dame of the Champagne region”. For a while, take a dip into the heart of this House, its heritage, its savoir-faire. And discover its unique chalk-cellars and the making-process of Champagne. (*If for some reason Veuve Clicquot is unavailable or closed for an event, an appropriate substitution will be made.)
- Next, have a guided small group tour of the Cathedral of Reims. A Unesco World Heritage Site, the 13th-century Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral is one of Europe’s most important Gothic structures. You will be captivated by the unique stained glasses and the exceptionally rich statuary – over 2,300 statues, among which the famous “Smiling Angel.” It is here that King Clovis was baptized around AD 498, giving birth to the Kingdom of the Franks and starting a long-lasting tradition: all of the Kings of France, except two, were crowned here!
- Lunch on your own in Reims
- Then your small group tour will continue when you leave the city and drive through the Grand Cru vineyards on the Mountain of Reims, where the Scenic Route of Champagne winds its way between fields of barley, vineyards, forests and picturesque villages such as Verzy, Verzenay and Mailly. The realm of the Pinot Noir varietal, the Mountain of Reims, is known for its special “terroir” that gives Champagne much of its power and character. We’ll take a tranquil, picturesque pause in such a vineyard to take it all in with our own five senses.
- Head to a Champagne Grower’s Family Domain: in the heart of the Champagne’s Vineyards, you will be welcomed at a beautiful Champagne Grower’s Family Estate. More than 4000 family winemakers contribute to the prestige of Champagne, keeping the Tradition alive from generation to generation with a common goal: the true expression of Champagne.
- The lovely afternoon will finish with another tasting of different Champagne wines.
- Drop off is around 5:30 PM at the Reims Centre Train Station forecourt.
Day Three
- Meet this morning at a central meeting location and depart on your full day private tour.
- Driver along the Scenic Route du Champagne, which meanders among the vineyards and the picturesque villages. The countryside is lined with beautiful Grand Cru villages like Ay, Hautvillers, Bouzy, Le Mesnil, Vernezay, all nested in an ocean of vineyards.
- Next, enjoy sightseeing along the famous Avenue de Champagne: Epernay is internationally known as the “Capital of Champagne”. Epernay’s stunning main street appears like an exhibition of opulent mansions housing the most illustrious Maisons de Champagne: Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouet, Mercier, etc. Not to mention the 100km of tunnels under the pavement!
- Founded in 1743 by Claude Möet, within 40 years the house became the most popular international brand in the world. Its history is linked to some famous figures such as The Marquise de Pompadour and Napoleon 1st. This Champagne has also been present for many important historical events, among which King Edwards VII’s coronation, the Cannes Film Festival, the 120th anniversary of the Liberty Statue, etc… It is probably the most famous Champagne brand around the world. You tasting will include 2 glasses of Champagne
- Lunch on your own in Epernay.
- Next head along the Marne Valley on a journey through the vineyards to learn about another prestigious figure: Dom Pérignon, who finalized the process of making Champagne. He highly contributed to the fame of Champagne and is now buried in the church of the former Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers.
- Head to another domaine for a visit and tasting. Learn about the Lemaire family vineyards, an estate that started with just 12 Hectares but now exports all over the world. This family is proud of their ecological credentials and use only marine algae to protect their vines, negating the need for pesticides. The grapes are selected and harvested by hand, with only first press used in production. Vinification uses non malo-lactic fermentation methods to ensure a better quality of Champagne with its own natural acidity. The Champagne has an inherent sweetness allowing for the addition of only a very low dosage of cane sugar.
- Return to Reims and drop off around 5:30 pm.
- Dinner on your own and overnight.
- (Please note: Visits are subject to availability.)
Day Four
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Enjoy a private cooking class this morning at a local cooking atelier. Your instructor is a chef and pastry chef who worked in major hotels and restaurants in England and Canada before returning to his hometown of Reims. In 2016 he opened his culinary workshop and started teaching his guests and new friends about French gastronomy and oenology during hands-on, friendly cooking classes. Learn about seasonal products, chef’s techniques, and local wines during your class and the lunch that follows.
- After lunch, visit the boutique of the Maison Fossier, a biscuit-maker since 1756. The Maison Fossier has preserved centuries of tradition, including the Biscuit Rose de Reims, one of the city’s most famous products. Enjoy a tasting of the biscuits.
- Finally, one last champagne tasting! The Champagne House was created by Pol Auguste in 1887. Passed down from generation to generation, it has kept the name of its creator. Their boutique is a stone’s throw from Place d’Erlon and the Cathedral. Come meet them and taste their Champagnes!Au revoir!
- Head to Reims central station. Au revoir!
Champagne Foodie Trip Details
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Included in Your 3-Day Champagne Tour
Accommodations3 nights in a 4* hotel in Reims
Food & Beverages- Daily breakfast
- 1 lunch
- Winery visits and wine tastings
Classes & InstructorsYour hands-on cooking class will be at a cooking atelier run by a chef with years of experience working as both a chef and a pastry chef. Enjoy a relaxed but informative hands-on class preparing an authentic and seasonal French meal.
Excursions- Semi-private wine tours in France as per itinerary
- Stop in Hautvillers and Dom Perignon’s Abbey
- Semi-private tour (max 8 people) of Reims including the Cathedral and the Grandes Maisons de Champagne (entrance fees and tastings included)
- Tour day 4 with visit of the Maison Fossier & biscuit tasting
Transfer DetailsTransfers are not included, as your hotel is an easy taxi ride from the Reims train station. Alternately, private transfers can be arranged on request.
Accommodation Information
The 4* La Paix hotel is situated in the heart of Reims, a stone’s throw from the Cathedral and the shops. It combines French cultural heritage with modern design in a fluid and light atmosphere. It also has a restaurant, bar, and indoor swimming pool.
Exterior at the La Paix hotel in Reims, home for your wine tour of champagne country
Bedroom at the La Paix hotel in Reims, home for your wine tour of champagne country
Double room at the La Paix hotel in Reims, home for your wine tour of champagne country
Bathroom at the La Paix hotel in Reims, home for your wine tour of champagne country
Swimming pool at the La Paix hotel in Reims, home for your wine tour of champagne country
Restaurant at the La Paix hotel in Reims, home for your wine tour of champagne country
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Champagne Wine Tour Sample Pricing & Dates
Visit France on Champagne tours and discover what makes this sparkling wine so famous throughout the world.
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Champagne Tour Pricing
See moreUS$2940 per person based on double occupancy
Pricing based on specific dates requests: please inquire!
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!Please inquire for single supplement, upgrades, or for discounted pricing for groups of 4 or more.
Champagne Wine Tour Dates
See moreOur wine tours Champagne France are generally available any dates you choose for a minimum of 2 people. Please note tours cannot happen on Sundays, depending on your arrival date, the order of activities for your wine tour in France may be modified.
2025
Available year round. Please inquire for availability.
We Can Help Plan The Best Champagne Tours in France!
Whether you need help with your flights, additional nights or tours in France, transportation, or more, we are always here to help you plan the best Champagne tour.
We might not be able to pack for you, but there are many things we can help with to make your France wine tours in Champagne that much better.
