A few days in…Champagne

Day 1 – Epernay and Champagne, lots of Champagne 

Epernay is very much a one-horse town, but that horse is more richly caparisoned than any you’ve ever seen, and its mane is a foam of Champagne bubbles. It’s almost a champagne theme park, with all the major marks, the biggest names in the business, having bases here. It’s enough to stroll the city’s main street, unsurprisingly named the Avenue de Champagne, taking in the resplendent châteaux and the blooming flowers. As Imogen told us, the time was when you could wander up to any winery and have a casual tasting, but these days booking is required, often far in advance for some of the more well-known brands, all of whom welcome visitors, except Bollinger.  

There are so many Champagne makers that it can be hard to choose who to visit, so an easier way to get a feel for the various brands on offer is to go into one of the many bars. It’s also worth noting that the tourist office at one end of the Avenue de Champagne holds daily tastings, which can be a great way to try a new label. Despite the region still running largely on vineyard time (early starts and early closing with limited lunch hours), Epernay has made accommodations for the tourist trade and many places now serve food all day. In Epernay itself, Imogen recommends the restaurant Why Not?, but if you have time and transport, some of the more rural hotels and makers such as Loisium and Royal Champagne have settings and views as wonderful as their food. 

Day 2 – The trail of remarkable trees 

Having Epernay as a base puts you not only on the doorstep of Champagne’s most famous producers, but also on the edge of the Parc naturel régional de la Montagne de Reims. Despite the name, it’s not a mountainous, dramatic landscape, rather a softly hill one that lends itself very much to cycling and walking on the easier end of the spectrum. Volunteers have mapped out plenty of walking routes, such as the trail of remarkable trees, which takes you through the various forested sections of the park, or the loop up to the 33m high statue of Pope Urban II, who was born nearby. The park is criss-crossed with minor roads leading to small villages, so it is quite navigable by car to find your chosen starting point and cycling into the southern reaches directly from Epernay is also possible.  

If you find yourself in Epernay in the evening with an appetite worked up, you could do a lot worse than head for La Grillade. The restaurant, with its unassuming name and a backstreet setting that’s uninviting to say the least, is not one you’d naturally head for, but inside is a Michelin-starred dining experience that defies both and gives the day a perfect blend of countryside calm and urban sophistication. 

Day 3 – Troyes, museum and monuments 

For day three, we head out from Epernay, getting away from the glitz and glamour of “big Champagne” to explore some of the smaller towns with a more traditional feel. In Reims, an hour north on the train, you’ll find the cathedral where French kings were crowned for years after the victory of Joan of Arc, and some fine Lalique glass in the Church of Saint Nicaise, but if you’re after somewhere much quieter, head south. Troyes, 90 minutes by car or a couple of hours on the train, has some wonderful museums and galleries, but far less of a tourist scene than Epernay, giving it a more laid-back feel. It was once the centre of the cloth trade in France, which lead to many of fashion’s major names setting up business there – a legacy of which is a designer outlet village where you can find some incredible prices on some very famous labels.  

On the way out, or back, make a stop at the 33m-high monument erected just north of Sezanne to commemorate the fallen in the first battle of the Marne. It’s a slight detour from the D951 to Epernay, but worth a look and a moment of pause.  

Day 4 – Paris for a day… or more? 

If strolling the vineyards of Champagne just isn’t glamorous enough for you, adding in a day trip to Paris might take you over the line. It’s only 90 minutes on the train to the very centre of the city and all it has to offer. With trains back to Epernay running until half nine or so at night, you can make a full day of it, maybe even take in an early show, before heading home. The alternative, of course, is to make it an overnight or even two-night stopover, given that you will almost certainly be heading there to take the Eurostar home. It probably depends how much Champagne you’re carrying around with you by this point.    

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