France is hardly short on romantic origin stories, nor competition over which region can claim to have invented sparkling wine.
The most famous tale, however, belongs to Dom Pérignon, the Benedictine monk who worked at Hautvillers Abbey from 1668.
“Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!” he said, upon first tasting it. Slightly far-fetched, sure, but the association has certainly stuck – and more than three centuries later, Champagne remains the drink of choice when there is something worth celebrating.
It is also a drink that has always carried a certain sense of rarity – and that may only become more pronounced. This summer, Champagne set its lowest commercialisable yield in modern times, following another year of volatile weather and pressure on yields. So, perhaps there has never been a better time to go to the source. But being home to 16,460 growers, 410 houses, and 120 cooperatives, it can be difficult to know where to initially base yourself when planning a trip to Champagne.
For visitors, the region divides between Reims, where many of the grand maisons have their historic cellars, and Épernay, home to the famous Avenue de Champagne. Beyond them, the vineyards stretch across the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, and Côte des Blancs, where smaller growers and increasingly bespoke experiences offer a different way to understand the region.
[See also: On The Rosé Road Again: A Guide to Wine Tourism in Provence]
The best restaurants in Champagne
Champagne is not short of exceptional dining, but among the miles of vineyards, perhaps two addresses stand out brightest: Le Parc Les Crayères, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant at Domaine Les Crayères in Reims, is particularly well suited to a grand Champagne dinner, with a cellar of almost 900 references. In nearby Tinqueux, Assiette Champenoise is the most decorated restaurant in the region, currently holding three Michelin stars under chef Arnaud Lallement.
However, if sipping on a glass of bubbly is the closest you want to get to sampling the local cuisine, make a reservation at Racine in Reims. Chef Kazuyuki Tanaka holds two Michelin stars for a menu that draws on Japanese techniques used on French recipes.
The best hotels in Champagne
Résidence Eisenhower occupies a restored private mansion in Reims where General Dwight Eisenhower stayed in the final days of World War II; today its eight rooms and suites retain the character of the original residence.
Perched above the vineyards in Champillon, Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa is the region’s polished countryside retreat, with 47 rooms and suites, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a spa that measures over 16,000 sq ft.
For a more intimate stay, Manoir Henri Giraud puts guests at the heart of its namesake Champagne estate, with just five rooms and suites at the foot of the Aÿ-Champagne vineyards. Stays can include private estate tours and tastings, Champagne-paired dining, and the unusual Craÿothérapie treatment, which uses Champagne chalk in body wraps and baths.
Related article: The Most Beautiful Wineries to Visit in France
The best Champagne houses to visit
Moët & Chandon
A visit to Épernay is hardly complete without descending beneath the Avenue de Champagne. Moët & Chandon, founded in 1743, now has over 17 miles of underground cellars beneath the town, where its wines mature in the cool chalk tunnels. For a more exclusive experience, the house offers private visits and its À la Volée experience, which includes a demonstration of traditional disgorgement and tastings of two vintages aged for 14 years.
Taittinger
In Reims, Champagne Taittinger’s Saint-Nicaise site offers tours through its Gallo-Roman chalk cellars, almost 60 ft below ground. The Instant Gourmet experience adds five seasonal canapés created to accompany Prestige Rosé and Brut Millésimé, making it a particularly good choice for visitors who want to understand Champagne as a food wine as well as an aperitif.
Ruinart
Ruinart’s newly designed Pavillon Nicolas Ruinart provides a more contemporary take on the traditional cellar visit. The space-age-looking pavilion includes lounges, a Champagne bar, boutique, and terrace, with bespoke experiences designed around the house’s cuvées and rare vintages. Visitors can pair the experience with a descent into Ruinart’s famous chalk crayères.
Perrier-Jouët
For a combination of Champagne, gastronomy, and Art Nouveau, head to Perrier-Jouët’s Cellier Belle Époque on the Avenue de Champagne. The terrace is surrounded by flowers and greenery, while the house’s historic Maison Belle Époque offers a five-course gastronomic experience, with each course paired with a Perrier-Jouët cuvée.
Pommery
Pommery offers one of the more visually striking cellar visits in Reims. Descend 116 steps to reach the house’s Gallo-Roman crayères, almost 100 ft underground, where contemporary art installations sit alongside historic bas-reliefs carved directly into the chalk.
What to do in Champagne
Cruise the vineyards aboard Coquelicot
For a slower way to see the region, board Belmond’s Coquelicot, a private luxury barge that cruises through Champagne’s waterways. The experience combines time aboard the boat with curated visits, wine tastings, and culinary experiences with Ruinart, allowing guests to explore the vineyards at an altogether more leisurely pace.
For Brune, that slower pace is part of the appeal. “The true luxury of Champagne is not only what you see but the pace at which you discover it,” he says, adding that private visits to Champagne Salon and lunches at Krug are among the experiences that can reveal a more hidden side of the region.
Meet the smaller producers
The grand maisons may dominate most Champagne itineraries for good reason, but a visit to a smaller grower can give a different perspective on the region. Producers such as Lelarge-Pugeot offer an opportunity to explore biodynamic viticulture and individual terroirs, while private visits to growers throughout the region can provide a more intimate introduction to Champagne than a large-scale cellar tour.
This is also where a private guide can make a difference. Rather than simply moving between the most famous names, a specialist can arrange visits to family-run estates and tastings that would otherwise be difficult to access.
Learn to sabrage
The theatrical art of opening a Champagne bottle with a sabre is one of the more entertaining (and perhaps risky) ways to bring some ceremony to a tasting. Reims-based Champagne specialist Laura Villanueva offers private, bespoke experiences through Travel & Champagne, including sabrage in front of Reims Cathedral.
Explore Aÿ-Champagne
Just outside Épernay, Aÿ-Champagne makes an easy addition to a vineyard itinerary. The Grand Cru village as it is home to historic producers including Bollinger and Ayala, while the surrounding hillsides form part of the region’s Unesco-listed landscape. It is also the birthplace of René Lalique, whose origins as the world-famous glassblower can be explored through the village’s heritage trail.
