Visiting Champagne? Our Champagne Wine Travel Guide shares a brief history of the region, terroir, where to sip, eat and stay on different budgets.
Champagne is one of the most famous wine regions in the world. The iconic sparkler that bears the name of the French territory it hails from has been intrinsically linked to European royalty from the 17th century onward. Champagne’s reputation as an ultra-premium destination is not without merit, but there are also surprisingly accessible experiences. We include both here for to help you plan your visit to Champagne.
WHERE IS CHAMPAGNE?
The Champagne region is in northeastern France, about 90 miles east of Paris.
BEST TIMES TO VISIT CHAMPAGNE
For mild weather, lush vineyards, and fewer crowds, head to Champagne May through October. For almost no crowd, head over to Champagne in August. September-October is harvest season, so it’s an exciting time, but it will also be busy.
GETTING TO CHAMPAGNE
Fly into Paris, and then take one of the country’s excellent trains from Paris to Champagne-Ardenne TGV. It takes just a little over 2.5 hours, and the scenery is outstanding. There are 15 trains a day. To get from CDG Airport to either of the two central Paris train stations, take the RER B train, which runs every 10 minutes from Terminal 2 and 3. Or hire a driver in advance or take a taxi, but ensure it’s a licensed taxi with a fixed rate. (Your hotel should be able to help arrange a driver for you if you ask in advance.)
TOP GRAPE VARIETIES IN CHAMPAGNE
Champagne is generally a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. This trio has been widely considered to be the three that offer the best balance of sugar and acidity, while simultaneously being capable of complementing Champagne’s sparkling essence.
While Pinot Noir accounts for 38%, Chardonnay occupies 31%, and Meunier scoops up 31% of the acreage under vine in Champagne, there are other grapes that are permitted for use in blends. All Champagnes are blends by law.
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Meunier
- Arbane
- Petit Meslier
- Pinot Gris
- Pinot Blanc
- Chardonnay Rosé: It made its return after being rediscovered in 2025.
- Voltis: A fungus-resistant hybrid grape approved in 2021 to combat climate change, it is permitted at a maximum of 10% of any blend.
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
Winemaking in Champagne dates back to at least the first century, when evidence of domestic viticulture took root. The region first became connected to royalty when Clovis captured the city of Reims, and had himself crowned king on Christmas Day in 496.
For 15 centuries, until the tradition came to a screeching halt during the French Revolution, French kings were crowned in Reims. But for millennia, the wines that emerged from Champagne were still wines (no bubbles!).
It wasn’t until the 1600s, when cold winters in the region halted fermentation, only to restart in the Spring, and bubbles were serendipitously created. Because bottles exploded due to the intense internal pressure of the CO2, Champagne earned the initial nickname, “the devil’s wine.” (If you’ve ever noticed how thick and heavy Champagne bottles are, the thicker glass is there to withstand the added pressure.)
The Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon is often credited with “inventing” Champagne, but evidence suggests that while he planted vines there and improved the grape-blending techniques that are foundational to the sparkling wine’s great success in often very challenging climatic conditions, he died in 1715, before the practice of purposefully encouraging a second fermentation in the bottle had taken root.
Ruinart is recognized as the first established house devoted specifically to Champagne production alone. It opened its doors in 1729. Royals began taking notice, and in 1745, Moët & Chandon began the long tradition of serving wine to royal courts, in this case, the court of King Louis XV.
TERROIR
The concept of terroir, like Champagne, was invented in France. Terroir is the cumulative effect of the soil, climate, topography, and human touch that together influence each plot of grapes, and each vintage, and can be tasted in the glass.
In Champagne, which is defined by a cool, continental climate with oceanic influences, short growing seasons, and moderate sunlight, grapes ripen slowly, preserving their bright flavors, freshness and structure.
The soil is chalky, the result of ancient marine fossils. The well-draining soils store water and release it slowly, which means excess rain and periods of drought aren’t generally a problem.
The terrain is gently sloping, which enhances drainage and offers opportunities for sun exposure and shading.
The human influence happens with decisions made in the field at harvest time, and in the cellar, with blending across both grapes and vintages. Champagne is one of the few regions in the world where it is common to drink nonvintage Champagne, a tradition that came about because the climate is so variable there. Being able to rely on back vintages during catastrophic harvests has saved many a Champagne house over the century, and offered incalculable pleasure to the millions of people who enjoy Champagne every year.
If you do find a Champagne with a special vintage labeling, that often confers prestige (and cost!), and signifies a truly spectacular harvest and bottle.
Sip in More of Champagne
Champagne Pairings That Elevate the Everyday
Explore Champagne’s ultimate talent – being one of the most food-friendly wines in the world. Champagne pairings that make every day a celebration.
Understanding a Champagne Label
To help decode your next Champagne label we’ve pulled together a list of Champagne labeling terms to help you sip in your wine education.
What’s the difference between Prosecco and Champagne?
Prosecco vs Champagne? Aren’t they the same? Not at all. We’ve broken down the difference between Prosecco and Champagne for you in our Wine 101 series.
Can Champagne Be Made Outside of France?
Calling all bubble lovers! Here’s an American wine history lesson on how it is legal for a few U.S. wineries to label their sparkling wines as Champagne.
Ultra-Premium Champagne Journey
If you’re ready to indulge your Champagne wishes and caviar dreams, there are few places to do so like Champagne. Just make sure to alert your bank to a pending raft of charges. This is your higher-end itinerary for visiting Champagne.
WHERE TO SIP
A Guided Taste of Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon & Ruinart
While the monk himself may not have invented Champagne, the label that bears his name certainly popularized the Champagne lifestyle.
Because Dom Pérignon and other truly premium estates are so historic and private, it’s best to book an experience through a private tour company, like Tours in Champagne. A full day experience starts around $1,500, and includes a complete historical immersion into the birth of Champagne, Dom Pérignon’s legacy at his home in the village of Hautvillers, cellar tours of both Moët & Chandon and the UNESCO-listed Ruinart, a tasting of Dom Pérignon and Dom Ruinart’s prestigious cuvées, paired with a gourmet lunch.
WHERE TO EAT
Michelin-starred cuisine is clearly de rigueur.
Dine at the three-star L’Assiette Champenoise in Tinqueux outside of Reims, a family run restaurant perched in a five-star hotel. Chef Arnaud Lallement focuses on modern, prepared with passion, with a focus on locally grown and produced products. A rare blend of true technical precision, elegance, and emotion is served.
Don’t miss Restaurant Le Parc at Domaine Les Crayeres, a restaurant for gourmands in a classic French chateau in Reims. Chef Christophe Moret has created a temple to haute gastronomy in a majestic setting that reflects the French passion for living beautifully. The cuisine here is refined and elegant, but warm and inviting.
WHAT TO DO
To get a taste of history, and if you haven’t gotten your fill of Champagne yet (is that even physically possible?), head to Ruinart, with some of the most fascinating chalk cellars in the world. These chalk “cathedrals” were mined in the fifth century to make houses, and they are foundational to the terroir and taste of Champagne. The Ruinart family was the first house in Champagne to utilize these caves as cellars for the Champagne in the 1700s.
A guided tour includes an exploration of the caves, or crayéres, 40 meters below the earth, showcasing history, and also savoir-faire. The stunning chalk quarries in the UNESCO World Heritage Site cover 8 kilometers, and it’s where the house stores its bottles for aging. (The caves also offered locals a safe haven during the bombings of World War I.) Visitors will get to sip on two cuvees following the tour.
From the chalk cathedrals to the Reims Cathedral, which was founded in 1211! This Gothic masterpiece a must-visit for all, and I would highly recommend a guided tour to get the full download of history: 25 kings of France were crowned here, the cathedral sustained devastating bombing during World War I (it was reconstructed by the Rockefeller foundation in 1938), with both medieval touches, it features stained glass windows by Marc Chagall and Imi Knoebel, and generally serves as a moving testament to art and time.
WHERE TO STAY
Domaine Les Crayeres is a 5-star hotel in Reims offering fine dining (see above!), easy access to dozens of Champagne houses (the concierge can often book private tours unavailable to the general public), and a fairy tale chateau setting.
A More Accessible Champagne Journey
Taste France’s Favorite Champagne
The French seem to know some things about taste, and as it happens, they have consumed one Champagne more than any other for decades. The hard to spell, easy to enjoy Nicolas Feuillatte in the trendy Côte des Blancs region, was founded in 1976, and is utterly modern in style and flavor, offering accessible luxury, bright flavors, and crisp textures. Book a tasting and cellar tour starting around $25, or a seriously educational two-hour blind-tasting workshop, starting around $75.
Dig Into History + Classic Champagne
Taittinger in Reims offers a two-for-one experience, with a prestigious tasting, and a historic exploration of UNESCO-listed series of crayéres built on the ruins of a 13th century abbey, with remnants of graffiti from World War I, and 3 million bottles of Champagne. The Champagne house served as an underground village for families who needed to escape bombardment during World War I, with many examples varying in levels of taste and quality. Tastings and cellar visits start around $45.
Toast to the Widow
Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, best known as Madame Clicquot, was widowed at age 27. Instead of throwing up her hands, she made the unconventional decision over her husband’s business in the early 1800s, and managed to change the course of Champagne history in the process. Ponsardin transformed a small house into a global juggernaut, invented the riddling table (which nixes sediment and makes Champagne more visually appealing), created the first vintage Champagne, and pioneered the practice of rosé Champagne production. Tours and tastings, which offer tours of the ancient chalk pits and her historic riddling racks, start around $40.
EAT
You can grab a burger if you time your tasting at Veuve Clicquot right—there’s a stellar one at Café Clicquot. And if you’ve never tried pairing French fries and Champagne, prepare for a sizzling gastronomic experience.
Polychrome at Taittinger offers a gastronomy + Champagne experience starting at around $70.
At night, head to the trendy, intimate Glue Pot in Reims for great music, organic grower Champagnes, and a laid-back and tasty pairing menu.
DO
Dying for a (free!) experience that will still steep you in history and joie de vivre? Wander down the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, and behold the historic maisons of Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger and Moët & Chandon. (Many shops also offer tastings for around $10 a pour).
Check out the Hautvillers Village, aka the Cradle of Champagne, close to Épernay, where Dom Pérignon is buried in the Abbaye Saint-Pierre Church. The streets are walkable and charming, filled with picturesque signs, stores, and reasonably priced tasting opportunities.
The Reims Cathedral, founded in 1211, is a Gothic masterpiece. A must-visit for all, and I would highly recommend a guided tour to get the full download of history: 25 kings of France were crowned here, the cathedral sustained devastating bombing during World War I (it was reconstructed by the Rockefeller foundation in 1938), with both medieval touches, it features stained glass windows by Marc Chagall and Imi Knoebel, and generally serves as a moving testament to art and time.
STAY
For a comfortable, but reasonably priced stay in the middle of Reims, with an indoor pool and on-site café, try the Best Western Premier Hotel de la Paix.
Kathleen Willcox writes about wine, travel and culture from her home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She is keenly interested in sustainability issues, and the business of making ethical drinks and food. Her work appears regularly in Wine Searcher, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Industry Advisor and many other publications.