My husband, our dog and I took a two day/two night road trip to the Champagne region of France, from Amsterdam, in August of 2019. We caravanned and stayed with our friends, and this itinerary is based on that experience. Want more visual inspiration? Check out the video of the trip!
Background: Champagne is a province in Northeast France known for its sparkling white wine; in order for a beverage to be called ‘Champagne’, it must come from this region. Not only is Champagne a large area, but there are about 300 Champagne houses. One’s trip to the area could involve one cellar tour, taking a bus tour or spend weeks driving around to all of them! While our trip was closest to the former, whichever option you choose, remember to drink responsibility and have a sober driver!
Where to stay: We chose to stay in a little village called Cumières, a ten minute drive to Épernay and thirty minutes to Reims. Our goal was to be in the countryside, and do most of our eating and drinking at the Airbnb. If your goal is to do more tasting rooms or cellar tours, it may be better to stay in directly in Épernay or Reims.
Night 1: From Amsterdam, our drive was a little over 5 hours, but if you are coming from Paris, it is about 1.5 hours. After driving past the familiar cities of Antwerp and Brussels, we started to see the beautiful rolling hills of wine country. We arrived early in the evening, so after checking into our Airbnb, we headed straight to the grocery story as most things were already closed. We went to Carrefour Epernay; and as weird as it sounds, one of our favorite activities to do in every country is going to a grocery store or market. It is a fun way to peek into the everyday culture of the area. After taking our time looking at the huge selection of Champagne, jam, cheese and bread, we gathered food for the next few days. The night ended with a walk to stretch our legs, dinner, and me having Champagne for the first time!
Day 1: After a relaxed morning walk and breakfast, we headed towards Reims to explore the town a little. We walked around the Parc de la Butte Saint-Nicaise and saw the Basilique Saint-Remi. It was then time for our wine cellar tour at Champagne Taittinger. You can buy tickets online; 17€. For me, one cellar tour was enough (while each story is going to be different, the basics are the same), and the prices can vary dramatically depending on which winery you choose. I would recommend doing at least one though, the history is interesting and you get a glass of champagne at the end.
We then headed to Épernay for lunch and a tasting. For the tasting flight, we found Champagne Janisson Baradon, friendly staff and a nicely priced flight. We then had lunch outside at the Bar Le Centre; they have a wide array of options and various Champagnes you can order as well. After lunch, we explored the town a little, including a stop at Pastry Florence and Vincent Dallet. We picked up macaroons and a few other treats.
Night 2: Another relaxing night, making dinner with friends and of course, drinking Champagne.
Day 2: After another relaxed morning walk and breakfast, it was time to head back to Amsterdam. We stopped in Bouillon, Belgium for a pit stop and lunch. We ate at the Restaurant Le Bellevue; they had a large outside area and were dog friendly. We then walked along the river, with sights of the Bouillon Castle (which you can tour). It is a beautiful city that made a great mid-way stopping point.
Things to Note:
Things in the area do close early, including the Champagne tasting rooms.
This was not meant to be a ‘sightseeing’ trip for us, but you could spend a day each exploring Reims and Épernay.
I would have liked to go to a winery that was attached to the vineyard. It looks like the towns of either Hautvillers or Ay have a few options.
Mark everything on your google maps, that way you can more easily guide yourself around the city. Google is the best pedestrian navigation app.
Other:
Planning for a trip, especially overseas, can be stressful and overwhelming. Hopefully this gave you a realistic itinerary of things to do in the Champagne region in two days. I try to do as many quick links as possible, to send you directly to the website so you can get the most accurate and up-to-date information possible (fees and timetables).
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Safe and Happy Wandering.
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