Wine Tastings Tours and Cooking Vacations In Champagne, France

Champagne is just an hour from Paris, making it an easy and perfect addition to any culinary tour of France. Come and taste the award-winning wines on wine tasting tours, savor delicious French dishes and cheeses, and gorge yourself on French pastries. All while exploring one of the most picturesque regions in France.

Day One

• Arrive in Reims on your own and taxi to your 4*, centrally located hotel, home for your food and wine tour in Champagne, France.
• Dinner on your own in one of the city’s many fabulous restaurants.
• Overnight.

Day Two

• Pick-up in the morning. Your day will start with a shared small-group tour in the vibrant City Center, a place full of charm, layers of unique history and regional culinary delights.
• Guided small group tour and tasting at world famous Grande Maison de Champagne Veuve Clicquot (Visit included with 4 glasses of Champagne). The House was founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot that became famous thanks to Madam Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. You will learn about this visionary young widow who built an empire and became a legend in her time “la Grande Dame of the Champagne region”. For a while, take a dip into the heart of this House, its heritage, its savoir-faire. And discover its unique chalk-cellars and the making-process of Champagne. (*If for some reason Veuve Clicquot is unavailable or closed for an event, an appropriate substitution will be made.)
• Next, have a guided small group tour of the Cathedral of Reims. A Unesco World Heritage Site, the 13th-century Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral is one of Europe’s most important Gothic structures. You will be captivated by the unique stained glasses and the exceptionally rich statuary – over 2,300 statues, among which the famous “Smiling Angel.” It is here that King Clovis was baptized around AD 498, giving birth to the Kingdom of the Franks and starting a long-lasting tradition: all of the Kings of France, except two, were crowned here!
• Lunch on your own in Reims
• Then your small group tour will continue when you leave the city and drive through the Grand Cru vineyards on the Mountain of Reims, where the Scenic Route of Champagne winds its way between fields of barley, vineyards, forests and picturesque villages such as Verzy, Verzenay and Mailly. The realm of the Pinot Noir varietal, the Mountain of Reims, is known for its special “terroir” that gives Champagne much of its power and character. We’ll take a tranquil, picturesque pause in such a vineyard to take it all in with our own five senses.
• Head to a Champagne Grower’s Family Domain: in the heart of the Champagne’s Vineyards, you will be welcomed at a beautiful Champagne Grower’s Family Estate. More than 4000 family winemakers contribute to the prestige of Champagne, keeping the Tradition alive from generation to generation with a common goal: the true expression of Champagne.
• The lovely afternoon will finish with another tasting of different Champagne wines.
• Drop off is around 5:30 PM at the Reims Centre Train Station forecourt.

Day Three

• Meet this morning at a central meeting location and depart on your full day private tour.
• Driver along the Scenic Route du Champagne, which meanders among the vineyards and the picturesque villages. The countryside is lined with beautiful Grand Cru villages like Ay, Hautvillers, Bouzy, Le Mesnil, Vernezay, all nested in an ocean of vineyards.
• Next, enjoy sightseeing along the famous Avenue de Champagne:  Epernay is internationally known as the “Capital of Champagne”. Epernay’s stunning main street appears like an exhibition of opulent mansions housing the most illustrious Maisons de Champagne: Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouet, Mercier, etc. Not to mention the 100km of tunnels under the pavement!
• Founded in 1743 by Claude Möet, within 40 years the house became the most popular international brand in the world. Its history is linked to some famous figures such as The Marquise de Pompadour and Napoleon 1st. This Champagne has also been present for many important historical events, among which King Edwards VII’s coronation, the Cannes Film Festival, the 120th anniversary of the Liberty Statue, etc… It is probably the most famous Champagne brand around the world. You tasting will include 2 glasses of Champagne
• Lunch on your own in Epernay.
• Next head along the Marne Valley on a journey through the vineyards to learn about another prestigious figure: Dom Pérignon, who finalized the process of making Champagne. He highly contributed to the fame of Champagne and is now buried in the church of the former Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers.
• Head to another domaine for a visit and tasting. Learn about the Lemaire family vineyards, an estate that started with just 12 Hectares but now exports all over the world. This family is proud of their ecological credentials and use only marine algae to protect their vines, negating the need for pesticides. The grapes are selected and harvested by hand, with only first press used in production. Vinification uses non malo-lactic fermentation methods to ensure a better quality of Champagne with its own natural acidity. The Champagne has an inherent sweetness allowing for the addition of only a very low dosage of cane sugar.
• Return to Reims and drop off around 5:30 pm.
• Dinner on your own and overnight.
• (Please note: Visits are subject to availability.)

Day Four

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Enjoy a private cooking class this morning at a local cooking atelier. Your instructor is a chef and pastry chef who worked in major hotels and restaurants in England and Canada before returning to his hometown of Reims. In 2016 he opened his culinary workshop and started teaching his guests and new friends about French gastronomy and oenology during hands-on, friendly cooking classes. Learn about seasonal products, chef’s techniques, and local wines during your class and the lunch that follows.
• After lunch, visit the boutique of the Maison Fossier, a biscuit-maker since 1756. The Maison Fossier has preserved centuries of tradition, including the Biscuit Rose de Reims, one of the city’s most famous products. Enjoy a tasting of the biscuits.
• Finally, one last champagne tasting! The Champagne House was created by Pol Auguste in 1887. Passed down from generation to generation, it has kept the name of its creator. Their boutique is a stone’s throw from Place d’Erlon and the Cathedral. Come meet them and taste their Champagnes!Au revoir!
• Head to Reims central station. Au revoir!