3 Days in Champagne, France

Champagne, France is pure, fairytale magic and just a 5 hour drive from Amsterdam. The charm is mystifying and you will leave with more bottles than you ever expected. In fact, I am buzzed off a bottle of Brut Reserve now typing this on a train to Paris. Checklists for Epernay, Hautvillers and Reims can be found at the bottom of the page in case you don’t care about us or reading in general.

Getting There

We left after the work day, so we broke up the drive by sleeping in a B&B in Charleroi, Belgium, about 3 hours away.

The following morning, we just had 2 hours to go.

It is also quite easy to take the train, but you can’t fill your boot with boxes of bubbly.

Day 1: Epernay

Where to Stay

Le W Appart Vintage - Excellent location on the Avenue de Champagne. You can park for free on/around Rue des Gouttes d'Or.

Tastings

The first taste of bubbly was enjoyed while posted up at the bar of Perrier-Jouet. We ordered a glass of the classic Brut Reserve, one of their special cocktails, and a cheese board cause we basic.

We bought our first bottle, then wandered down the Avenue de Champagne, admiring the endless Champagne houses until we were ushered into Les 3 Domaines. They are a boutique that serves Champagne from Vincent Testulat, P Boivin and Janisson-Baradon.

Properly buzzed, quick sandwiches from a patisserie were a must before our final tasting. Honestly a must at any time. Actually, you don’t need an excuse, just do it.

Boizel was recommended by our friends, who recommended to our other friends, who all confirmed we had to prioritize this house. That was a mouthful. Anyway, the tour was fascinating and our first introduction to how Champagne is made and cared for. The most important takeaway took place during our tasting when a small group of twenty-something girls on a day trip from the Paris fashion school asked me if I also worked in fashion. I remind Luke of this every day. I guess the Champagne was also cool because we bought quite a bit. It is a family-run house (they all claim to be), but this one wasn't pretentious and maintained a high quality. They notably produce a 0g sugar Champagne that is surprisingly delicious, which is difficult to accomplish.

Our dinner reservation wasn't until 8pm, so we killed time at Le Pub playing pool and drinking Guinness with French locals. (Not recommend if you want to remember dinner).

Where to Eat

Le Grillade Gourmande is a bit blurry for me, so I’ll replay what I’ve pieced together based on photos and Luke’s recollection. By the way, you should definitely eat here and make a reservation as they were fully booked!

We over ordered as always….started with champagne and escargot, a salad for balance, 1/2 liter of red wine with the T-bone steak for 2 (yolo), then crème Brule and a poached pear in wine with cinnamon ice cream. You would think we never ate again but you would be wrong. Cheers!

Day 2: Epernay & Hautvillers

We were supposed to spend the day on bikes riding through vineyards and enjoying lunch at Veuve Cliqout. But they cancelled on us "due to weather" AKA not staffed because it was a sunny day. So we pivoted and ended up having the BEST. DAY. EVER. Ok maybe not ever, but it was pretty awesome.

We slept off the heavy French food and Guinness/Champagne combo, then started the day at a larger Champagne house: Champagne de Castellane. The tour exceeded my expectations. It's hard to know what you're going to get with a house that is more commercial, but they did an excellent job and the guide was super friendly. The tasting was also nice, but you can buy the bottles at a better price in Amsterdam. The 360 view over Epernay from the tower is absolutely worth the climb as well.

Café Le Progrès:

Excellent lunch spot at a classic brasserie off the main round-a-bout. Great service, tasty salads and perfect for relaxing and people watching.

After lunch, we grabbed some delicious coffees at Kitsch Café before our quick jaunt to Hautvillers.

Hautvillers

Just a 10 minute drive from Epernay, Hautvillers (not pronounced "hot-villers" as I quickly learned) is famously the site of Dom Perignon's grave and the humble, yet lovely Abbey in which he is buried. I was worried it would be a touristic town, but it was much less busy than Epernay, had more affordable prices at the Champagne houses and, dare I say, was even more charming.

Tastings

G. Tribaut: Delicious wine, as confirmed by the trunk of this man's car, and a beautiful view of the vineyards.

Dagonet et Fils: An unpretentious, unassuming house up the hill from G. Tribaut. You can just walk in and ask for a tasting without a reservation. The owner does not speak English, but we now excel at miming and this works well. His Champagne is out of this world and at an incredible price - do not miss if you go to Hautvillers.

Fedyk: We followed a large cat (felt right) down an alley into a terrace overlooking the vineyards. The rosé and brut were both delightful.

What to Do

Antique shopping at Cave et Jardin
Buy bottles and souvenirs at La Maison des Champard'ises
Enjoy a snack and wine tasting at Au 36
Visit the abbey that is home to Dom Perignon’s tomb

Epernay

When you return to Epernay, stop at the local shop 520 and wander the isles of Champagne, French spirits and local cheese and meats.

La Sardaigne:

Needing a slight break from heavy French food, we found La Sardaigne in the same block as the majority of the restaurants. Filled with both locals and tourists, the Italian restaurant was able to squeeze us in without a reservation. There is a beautiful view of the cathedral, and we highly recommend their pizza and tiramisu!

Day 3: Reims

We started the day at Moet…well, first I needed a new rapid test. Luke was already vaxxed so he mosied in for a glass while I experienced the most intense test of my life and had to wait in the parking lot by myself. Anyway, it was pretty good. Fun to say we had a glass there but it's just priced for the brand and not the quality.

We visited the local crepe stand then a bakery that had the longest line because carbs.

Tastings

On the way to Reims, we stopped at Herbert Didier, which was recommended by some friends. We will never forget how warm and welcoming it was. It's a small Champagne house with a B&B attached (would definitely stay here next time), and we chatted with Heidi in their garden the entire time. Didier was actually there at a picnic table with his family. At one point, he brought out a bottle with a simple “2002” etched in chalk and happily poured us a glass. We toured the small cave and bought 3 bottles.

Pommery: This was both the most fascinating and most commercial tour we experienced. We did the self-guided walking tour in the endless cellars 30 ft. below ground. Self-guided is really all you need because their app is clear and well done. We also included La Villa Demoiselle in our visit and enjoyed a different Champagne on the terrace. Overall, this was one of our favorites because the history is so interesting.

Where to Stay

Best Western Premier: Hotel de la Paix - Ideally located in walking distance to many restaurants and the Cathedrale Notre-Dame.

What to Do

We were only in Reims for one day. This day fell on a Sunday, so unfortunately there was quite a bit closed.

We grabbed drinks at L’Apostraphe and sat outside on the buzzing Place Drouet d’Erlon passing the time people watching.

Our dinner reservation was at Brasserie Excelsior, one of the few places actually open on Sunday from our list. The steak was not impressive, but I went big and ordered the seafood tower, which was completely excessive and so so good.

Took an after dinner stroll down the Les Hautes Promenades.

End the night at the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Reims for their evening light show. Be sure to check if they are putting this on while you are visiting because it is so moving and impressive.