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i 🍷 Vineyards & tastings
Champagne cellars and houses: tours and tastings
Visiting Champagne means going underground. The houses have dug or reused kilometres of cellars in the chalk where the wine develops its sparkle: in Reims, the crayères (chalk cellars) of the Saint-Nicaise hill occupy former Gallo-Roman and medieval quarries; in Épernay, the cellars stretch beneath the Avenue de Champagne. Since 2015, the historic hillsides of Hautvillers, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the Saint-Nicaise hill and the Avenue de Champagne have been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name “Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars”. The vineyards extend as far as the Aube, at Les Riceys.
To choose, think of three distinct experiences. A tour of a major house, in Reims or Épernay, is by reservation, according to each house’s own calendar, and ends with a tasting. A stroll along the Avenue de Champagne or through the lanes of Hautvillers is free and leaves you at liberty to drop in on a grower. Finally, the vineyard itself can be discovered at the Verzenay lighthouse, with its museum and panoramic view, or on the trails around Les Riceys. Book ahead, especially at weekends, and sort out who is driving: tastings are for adults only.
How to choose?
If you are coming without a car
The Reims chalk cellars are served by bus from the station (“Salines” stop) and the Avenue de Champagne is a 5-minute walk from Épernay station.
🍷 Champagne Cellars, Reims🍷 Avenue de Champagne, Épernay🍷 Champagne Tasting in Épernay
If you are on a tight budget
A stroll along the avenue, the village and church of Hautvillers and the trails of Les Riceys are free; only the tastings are paid.
If you are travelling with children
The Verzenay lighthouse (101 steps, reduced child rate) appeals to all ages, and some houses in Reims welcome children, with grape juice at Taittinger.
If you are passionate about wine and terroir
Hautvillers, where Dom Pérignon worked, and Les Riceys, the only commune producing three AOCs including Rosé des Riceys, round off a tour of the major houses.
🏘️ Hautvillers🍷 Les Riceys🏙️ Épernay & the Avenue de Champagne
ComparisonData taken from each listing, checked against official sources
| Place or activity | When | Time needed | Who it suits | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champagne Cellars, Reims📍 Marne (51) | All year round, according to each house’s own calendar (online booking) | — | Mainly adults; some houses welcome children (grape juice at Taittinger, free for under-7s) | Reims station (TGV from Paris-Est), then bus 4, 5, 11 or 17 to the “Salines” stop for the Saint-Nicaise hill |
| Avenue de Champagne, Épernay📍 Marne (51) | All year round; Soirée Blanche on 14 July, Habits de Lumière in December | 1 hour’s walk; half a day with a cellar tour and tasting | All ages for the walk; tastings for adults only | Épernay station 5 minutes’ walk away; underground car park with 402 spaces, first hour free |
| Champagne Tasting in Épernay📍 Épernay · Marne (51) | All year; Soirée Blanche on 14 July, Habits de Lumière in December | From 30 min (workshop) to half a day; a full day for the avenue and the museum | Adults for tastings; cellar tours suitable for families at some houses | Épernay station 5 min on foot; 402-space underground car park in the town centre (first hour free) |
| Hautvillers📍 Marne (51) | All year round; the vineyards are liveliest from spring to the grape harvest | 2 hours for the village and church; a full day with a walk and tastings | All ages; sloping lanes | 6 km from Épernay (SNCF station); A4 exit 23 towards Épernay; Jard Kiedrich car park |
| Épernay & the Avenue de Champagne📍 Épernay · Marne (51) | All year; Soirée Blanche on 14 July and Habits de Lumière in December | 1 hr for the avenue on foot; half a day with a cellar tour and tasting | Adults and wine lovers; tastings for over-18s only | Épernay railway station 5 min’s walk away; 402-space underground car park, first hour free |
| Verzenay Lighthouse📍 Marne (51) | Open daily from April to September; reduced hours the rest of the year (see the official website) | About 1 hr 30 min | All visitors; climb of 101 steps to the viewing platform | Car: Verzenay, about twenty minutes from Reims; car park linked to the lighthouse by a footbridge |
| Les Riceys📍 Aube (10) | All year; spring and autumn for walks in the vineyards | Half a day for the three villages; a full day with a cadole trail and a tasting | All ages; wine lovers and walkers | By car, about fifty kilometres south of Troyes; no railway station in the commune |
Map: Champagne cellars and houses: tours and tastings
When to go?
- JanPossible
- FebPossible
- MarPossible
- AprPossible
- MayPeak season
- JunPeak season
- JulPeak season
- AugPeak season
- SeptPeak season
- OctPossible
- NovPossible
- DecPossible
Peak season Possible Off season
📅 The cellars can be visited all year round, according to each house’s calendar. To see the vineyards in full swing, come between spring and the grape harvest, whose dates are set each year; in 2026, it began as early as August.
Tips & insider advice
- Book your tour online
Each house has its own calendar and time slots; weekends and summer fill up quickly.
- Tastings for adults only
The houses serve champagne to adults only; check when booking whether children are allowed on the tour.
- Come by train
Reims and Épernay stations put the cellars within reach by bus or on foot, and save you driving after a tasting.
- Choose a sober driver
For Hautvillers, Verzenay or Les Riceys, a car is often necessary: decide who will skip the tasting.
- Venture beyond the big houses
Wine villages such as Hautvillers or Les Riceys let you meet growers and walk among the vines.
- Time it for major events
The Avenue de Champagne comes alive for the Soirée Blanche on 14 July and for Habits de Lumière in December.
Frequently asked questions
Which champagne cellar should I visit in Reims or Épernay?
In Reims, the major houses on the Saint-Nicaise hill offer tours of their crayères, former chalk quarries. In Épernay, the houses on the Avenue de Champagne offer cellar tours followed by a tasting. All are visited by reservation, according to their own calendar: check each house’s website.
Do you need to book to visit a champagne house?
Yes, it is strongly recommended: tours run in time slots booked online on each house’s website. A stroll along the Avenue de Champagne, on the other hand, is open to all and free.
Can you visit champagne cellars with children?
Yes, depending on the house: some welcome children, such as Taittinger in Reims, which serves them grape juice and admits under-7s free. Tastings remain for adults only. The Verzenay lighthouse, with its vine museum and panoramic view, makes a good family outing.
Can you visit Champagne without a car?
Partly. Reims (bus from the station to the “Salines” stop) and Épernay (the avenue is a 5-minute walk from the station) are easy to visit by train. Hautvillers is 6 km from Épernay; Verzenay and Les Riceys, which has no station, are easier to reach by car.
Information checked in October 2026. Opening hours, prices and conditions may change: check the official website before you travel.