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Day trips from Paris — Champagne

Champagne from Paris — Reims and Épernay with your private chauffeur

Reims, Épernay, the Avenue de Champagne and the cellars of the great houses — an hour and three quarters from Paris. You taste, I drive. I collect you at your hotel in the morning, the visits and tastings are reserved in advance, and you are back in Paris for dinner.

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Sunlit Champagne vineyards rolling towards a village church near Épernay
From Paris
≈ 1 h 45
Distance
145 km · 90 mi
Format
Full day
Best time
April to October · harvest in September
Vehicle
Mercedes E-Class or V-Class

A day in Champagne, the way I usually plan it

A typical outline — the houses, the order and the pace are adjusted with you. The cellars are reserved before departure: you walk in at your time, no waiting.

8:00
Pick-up at your hotel

We leave Paris eastwards on the A4. Water, chargers and WiFi on board; the vineyards appear after about an hour and a half.

9:45
Reims — the cathedral

The coronation cathedral of the kings of France, and the Chagall windows. A short walk through the city centre before the first cellar.

11:00
First house — cellar visit and tasting

One of the great Reims houses: Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Pommery… Chalk cellars thirty metres underground, then a tasting. Reserved in your name.

13:00
Lunch in Reims or in the vineyards

A table reserved — a bistro in Reims, or a restaurant among the vines on the road to Épernay.

15:00
Épernay and the Avenue de Champagne

Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, the grand houses side by side. Then a smaller grower in Hautvillers or Aÿ for a different kind of tasting, if you wish.

17:00
Return to Paris

Back at your hotel around 7 pm. You may sleep on the way; that is the point of having a chauffeur.

Why go with First Class Concept

— You taste, I drive. Every glass is yours; the road home is my concern.
— Door-to-door from your Paris hotel, with the car waiting at each house — no train to Reims, no taxi between cellars.
— Reservations handled: cellar visits and tastings are booked in advance through our concierge service, in your name, at your time.
— The pace is yours: linger at a tasting, add a grower, skip the cathedral — the itinerary is adjusted live.
— Mercedes E-Class for up to 2 passengers, V-Class van for up to 6 — and room in the boot for the bottles you bring back.
— A written quote within 2 hours, all inclusive. No surprises on the day.
Champagne bottles ageing on riddling racks in a chalk cellar
In the cellars — Reims

Champagne — your questions

How far is Champagne from Paris by car?

Reims is about 145 km east of Paris — roughly 1 hour 45 minutes door to door. Épernay is another 30 minutes south through the vineyards. Leaving around 8 am gives you a full day and a return in Paris by early evening.

Which champagne houses can we visit?

In Reims: Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Pommery, Mumm, Krug among others. In Épernay: Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, Mercier. I also recommend one smaller family grower in the villages for contrast. The choice is yours; I advise on which ones suit your taste and the day of the week.

Do the houses need to be booked in advance?

Yes — nearly all cellar visits and tastings are by reservation, and the most sought-after houses fill up weeks ahead, especially from May to September. Several close on Sundays or in winter. I handle the reservations for you through our concierge service once the date is set.

Can the chauffeur join the tastings?

No, and that is the whole point: you taste freely, I stay with the car and bring you home safely. For the same reason, I would never recommend driving yourself on a Champagne day.

When is the best time to visit Champagne?

April to October for the vineyards in leaf; the harvest in September is the liveliest moment of the year. Winter is quieter and some houses close, but the cellars themselves are at a constant 10–12 °C all year round. I will tell you what is open on your date.

How much does a private day in Champagne cost?

There is no price grid: every proposal is written for your date, your group size and the houses you choose. You receive a written, all-inclusive quote within 2 hours — vehicle, chauffeur, fuel, tolls and waiting time included. Tastings and lunch are paid on site or added on request.

Shall I plan your day in Champagne?

Tell me your date, the houses you dream of, and whether it is a first visit or a return. I will come back with a written proposal within 2 hours.

Plan my Champagne day trip