Popping bubbles and exploring gems: A 40th birthday journey through the Champagne-region

JUNI 2021

WELL HELLO THERE …

For my 40th birthday, my partner surprised me with a trip to one of the most sparkling destinations on earth: the Champagne region! For one of the rare times, I didn’t plan a single detail. Normally, I dive into research weeks in advance, meticulously mapping out each stop. But this time, my partner took care of everything, and I went along for the ride, free of any expectations, a delightful change that reminded me just how enjoyable spontaneity can be.

It was an unforgettable journey where we tasted, saw, and experienced the best the area has to offer. I’m thrilled to share the towns, villages, and champagne houses we discovered, hoping to inspire you to explore this amazing region. Whether you’re a seasoned champagne lover or just looking for a sparkling adventure, the Champagne region has something to offer everyone. The best season is between May and September.

PRACTICAL WISDOM

How to choose which Champagne houses to visit?

With hundreds of champagne houses, it can be daunting to choose where to start. The Champagne region is home to both famous maisons and smaller, family-run houses, each offering a unique experience. To get a well-rounded taste of Champagne, try to visit a mix of:

  1. Big Names and Small Gems: Iconic houses like Moët & Chandon in Épernay give you insight into large-scale production and the glamour of Champagne, while smaller producers such as Petitjean-Pienne offer intimate tastings and stories of family heritage. Together, they give you a taste of both sides of the champagne world.

  2. A Variety of Grapes and Blends: The three main grapes in champagne—Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier—each bring distinct flavors and textures. Consider selecting houses known for their specialties: for instance, some specialize in Blanc de Blancs (Chardonnay-only) champagnes, while others showcase Pinot-heavy blends. This way, you can experience the diversity of the region’s terroir.

3. Personal Taste and Style: Think about what you typically enjoy in a sparkling wine. If you prefer crisp, light flavors, you might favor houses with a Chardonnay focus, while those who enjoy bolder, richer flavors should try Pinot Noir-heavy champagnes. Tasting across various houses can help refine your preferences.

Useful Resources for Planning

A few resources can be incredibly helpful for discovering the best spots tailored to your tastes:

  • Champagne Terroir: This website offers insights into lesser-known, boutique champagne houses and organizes tours that focus on authentic, small-scale producers. A great way to discover new names and explore beyond the big brands.

  • Sommeliers’ Recommendations: Wine experts and sommeliers often offer recommendations for champagne houses that balance quality and uniqueness. When visiting fine-dining restaurants, drinking a nice glass of champagne to start with, I always take a picture of the bottle to keep in my archive.

  • Tourism Websites: Sites like Visit French Wine and the official Champagne-Ardenne tourism page offer information on events, tours, and even lists of smaller producers open to the public. These platforms can help you navigate the region and find local events or tastings.

TOURIST HOTSPOTS

  • Côte des Bar: Authentic Charm and Sublime Champagnes

We began our journey in the Côte des Bar, a region south of Reims that’s often overshadowed by more famous champagne areas. But don’t be fooled—the Côte des Bar has just as much charm and quality champagnes! This region is renowned for its unique, chalky soil, which lends a special finesse to Pinot Noir grapes.

Here, we visited Christian Peligri and Philippe Fourrier, family-run estates with rich traditions and a passion for producing elegant champagnes. At Christian Peligri, we had our 1st tasting, they offer a variety of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Our personal favourite was the Brut Réserve, an assemblage of 100% Chardonnay, at €15/bottle. We also enjoyed a refined selection at Philippe Fourrier, where the champagnes’ fruity, full-bodied taste captured the region's character. Here we bought the Brut Réserve an assemblage of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay at € 15,80/bottle and the 100% Pinot Meunier € 19,90/bottle.

  • Troyes: History and Charm

Our first overnight stay was in Troyes, a charming city full of timber-framed houses, cobblestone streets, and Gothic churches. Troyes is the historical heart of Champagne and an absolute must-visit for history and architecture lovers. The Mercure Hotel, where we stayed, offered every comfort and was centrally located, perfect for exploring the city on foot. We dined at the most popular Italian restaurant of the city, Caffé Cossi.

  • Épernay: The Avenue de Champagne

After a day in Troyes, we travelled to Épernay, the true capital of champagne. This city breathes champagne, and along the famous “Avenue de Champagne” are legendary houses like Moët & Chandon, where we took an extensive tour and tasting. The cellars at Moët & Chandon are iconic, with kilometers of tunnels filled with bottles aging to perfection. Some other iconic names to consider, when exploring the heart of Épernay are : Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger, Mercier, De Castellane, Boizel, …

We stayed at Domaine Sacret, a 3* B&B in Ay, at only 4km from Epernay. The B&B is directly connected to a small champagne house, offering tastings to it’s guests. Ay is a nice village with some good restaurant options and home to some top houses like Bollinger, Deutz, Ayala and Billecart-Salmon! We dined at Avarum.

In addition to the well-known names, we also visited smaller champagne houses in the region like Paul Sugot (Avize) and Petitjean-Pienne (Cramant), where we were warmly welcomed and received passionate explanations about their production processes. It’s often these intimate, smaller tastings that make the most impact: you get a unique insight into the craftsmanship and love that goes into each bottle. My personal favorite of this trip is Petitjean-Pienne. Never expected to find such a nice small champagne house in the middle of a residential area. No authentic cellars here to visit, but a cool glass of excellent bubbly on the terrace of their private residence. We bought 4 bottles of their Coeur de Chardonnay Brut at €18,30/ bottle and 2 bottles of their rosé at €21,30/bottle. A very fine not too tart champagne with plenty of bubbles. Paul Sugot was a house we only decided to visit on the spot. No high expectations when entering the garage and taking a seat in the red leather sofa while waiting for the tasting. But it must be said the Blanc de Blancs and the Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru tasted phenomenally good. Both are hidden gems, I love to return to.

  • Hautvillers: Birthplace of Champagne

    Hautvillers is a charming village nestled among vineyards and has stunning views. From Epernay, you'll be there in no time! Although often overshadowed by its larger neighbours, Hautvillers is worth a visit. The nice thing about Hautvillers is that here are only smaller Champagne houses where you don't have to make an appointment or reservation. Hautvillers
    is a special village, as it is the birthplace of Champagne. The story goes that Champagne was invented here by the French Monk Dom Pérignon. Dom Pérignon is the inventor of the second fermentation in the bottle.

Statue of Dom Perignon at Moët & Chandon (Epernay) , not in Hautvillers.

  • Reims: The Cathedral and Grand Champagnes

Our final stop was Reims, famous not only for its impressive cathedral but also as the historical heart of French monarchy. The Notre-Dame de Reims is a marvel, both architecturally stunning and rich in history: for centuries, French kings were crowned here. The cathedral's towering facade and its magnificent stained-glass windows create a powerful, almost ethereal atmosphere.

Reims is also synonymous with some of the most prestigious champagne houses in the world. In addition to sampling some boutique producers like Jean-Pierre Gauvain, Jean Milan, and Crépaux Fils, we couldn’t leave without a visit to one of the renowned grandes maisons—Pommery-Vranken, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot, and Mumm. These houses each bring a legacy of craftsmanship that has made champagne an enduring symbol of elegance and celebration.

Our visit to the legendary cellars of Mumm was especially memorable. Descending into the cool, dimly lit caves, we saw rows upon rows of bottles aging gracefully, nestled in chalky walls that hold centuries of tradition. Our tasting at Mumm was a highlight, with each pour telling its own story—from their iconic Brut Cordon Rouge with its crisp, vibrant notes to the more refined vintages, each sip reflected Mumm’s devotion to the art of champagne.

Our last night we stayed at the Novotel in Reims and we went for diner to Brasserie Le Jardin in the beautiful domain Relais & Chateaux “Les Crayères”. They also host the ** Michelin restaurant “Le Parc”.

Tasting the diversity of styles—from light and refreshing champagnes to rich, full-bodied blends—reminded us of what makes the Champagne region so unique. Every producer, terroir, and grape variety brings a new flavor to the table. With a few extra bottles of Blanc des Blancs Grand Cru carefully packed in our trunk, we left Reims feeling enriched by its culture, history, and, of course, its extraordinary champagne. It was the perfect end to our journey.

I am toying with thoughts of working out a tour and hearing around to see who among us friendly couples would like to accompany us. For us Belgians, this region is not far away and could easily be planned in a weekend. Following champagne houses are already on my radar: Legras & Haas, Jacquesson, Krug, Ayala, Robert Moncuit, Lehmann, Ruinart, Lallier, Guy Michel, Pertois-Lebrun, Eric Taillet, Arlenoble, Bonvalet, Charles Mignon, Guiborat, Leclerc Briant. Any other recommendations are most welcome, you can drop them at sulit.travel@ooutlook.com

GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT

To end with I would like to share some nice hotels in the region for you to consider, and for me to select from for our next visit:

Troyes

  • La Maison de Reina ****

  • Mercure Troyes Centre ****

  • La Licorne Hotel & Spa MGAllery *****

    Epernay

  • Les Chambre du Champagne Collery **** (4,5km)

  • Loisium Wine & Spa Hotel Champagne **** (7km)

  • Les Suites du champagne de Venoge ****

  • Le 25bis by Leclerc Briant ****

  • Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa ***** (6,5km)

    Reims

  • Golden Tulip Reims **** (1,5km)

  • Continental Hotel ****

  • L’ Ecrin des Vignes *** (14km)        

  • La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection *****

  • Chateau de Sacy ***** (14,5km)

WOULD YOU LIKE A TABLE?

Here is an overview of restaurant recommendations. Please note I only visited the ones mentioned in the text above, and in italic below. The other selection is based on the reviews of food experts.

Troyes

  • Caffe Cosi

  • Claire et Hugo

  • Le Petit Basson

  • Pomofour

  • Pierre & Clement

  • Restaurant Chez Daniel's

  • La Table de François

  • Bistro DuPont

  • Atelier Savoir et Saveur

 Epernay

  • Sacré Bistro

  • La Grillade Gourmande

  • La Table Kobus

  • L’Oben

  • Symbiose

  • Le Theatre

  • La Cave a champagne

 Reims

  • Le Jardin Les Crayères

  • La Grande Georgette

  • Le Foch

  • L'ExtrA

  • Au Cul de Poule

  • Nonna

  • Arbane

  • Racine

  • Le Millénaire

“Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!"
– Attributed to Dom Pérignon upon first discovering champagne