Discover Reims, visit the Maison de Champagne Veuve Clicquot. Head to Epernay in the heart of the vineyard to admire the Champagne Avenue and Hautvillers. Be welcomed at a typical Champagne House (Le Clos Corbier) and appreciate an animated Champagne masterclass. In the afternoon, be immersed in the authenticity of a family grower.
Meet your expert guide at 9.20 am in front of the tourist office of Reims centre train station and start the day with the discovery of Reims city centre.
Drive by “Notre Dame de Reims”, one of the first monuments to be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Absorb the historical atmosphere of the city, home of the coronation of more than 33 kings of France. Drive through the famous Champagne Avenue in Epernay, capital of Champagne, where some of the most prestigious estates are based : Pol Roger, Perrier Jouët, Moët& Chandon, Boizel…
Thereafter, enjoy a full tour in the underground cellars of the prestigious Grande Maison de Champagne Veuve Clicquot* as a first introduction to the Champagne making process and explore the cellars deep under ground. Finish the visit by savouring two of their emblematic cuvees.
Enjoy a moment in the vineyards, with breathtaking views on the UNESCO world’s heritage vines of Champagne and acquire knowledge about the particularities of our “terroir”. You will then discover the village of Hautvillers, birthplace of Champagne. Get to enter the church where the famous monk Dom Pérignon is buried.
Be welcomed in Mareuil-sur-Ay at a typical Champagne House (Le Clos Corbier). After a Champagne quiz, train your nose to identify the different aromas and flavours that can be found in Champagne through an olfactory workshop. Get competitive as you get to identify blindly 3 different Champagnes from boutique wineries all while eating some local snacks.
Immerse yourself into the French lifestyle with a traditional lunch which consists of homemade regional specialties paired with a variety of Champagnes.Savour local local produce like baguette, pâté croute, regional cheeses, pink biscuit, Ratafia… (the lunch can be adapted to allergies or specific diets).
After lunch it’s time to explore the charming hillsides of the Champagne region as you drive to your next Champagne house visit. You’ll be invited for a peek-behind-the-scenes of a family-run Champagne house, spending the afternoon alongside a Champagne producer. Visit the press, tank room, cellar and learn about the tools and expertise of a small Champagne maker. Stroll down the cool cellar corridors and glance at the immense quantity of Champagne bottles slowly maturing. Enjoy several Champagne tastings of their best–seller “cuvees” and find the best value in Champagne!
Appreciate several tastings of their own production and acquire tasting knowledge with these rare Champagnes!
After a day full of experiences and precious souvenirs, your guide will drop you off, in front of the tourist office of at Reims centre train station at 6.00 pm.
