Wine Tours · Tour
Private 3h30 Champagne Tour from Épernay: Aÿ-Champagne, Hautvillers, One Family Grower
A private half-day of 3 hours 30 from Épernay, the capital of the Champagne vineyards, aimed at the best-known Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages on the UNESCO-listed hillsides of the Marne Valley, where Pinot Noir dominates. In Hautvillers, the Cradle of Champagne, the guide leads a tour of Dom Pérignon's church and the vineyard. The route then reaches Aÿ-Champagne and its Grand Cru vines. One independent family grower is visited for the production site and a commented tasting of 3 Grand Cru or Premier Cru champagnes, with the main Champagne spirits and aperitifs poured in additional tastings. Stops at the best viewpoints over the vineyard explain how it is managed. The Avenue de Champagne in Épernay is covered too.
What's included
- Private transportation
- Visits and tastings of 3 Champagnes Grand Cru/Premier Cru
- Additional tastings of the 3 essential Champagne alcohols and aperitifs (Ratafia, Fine, Marc)
- Private passionate Guide/chauffeur
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- Pick up in the perimeter of 6kms (3.7 miles) around Epernay
Itinerary
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Pl. de la Gare, Épernay
Pl. de la Gare, 51200 Épernay, France
In front of Épernay train station, near the city center.
7 Av. de Champagne, Épernay
7 Av. de Champagne, 51200 Épernay, France
In front of the Épernay Tourist Office, near the city center and Champagne Moët & Chandon.
Avenue de Champagne
The Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, capital of the Champagne vineyards, is part of the UNESCO-listed Champagne sites. It is considered the most expensive avenue in the world, with its Champagne houses, mansions and 100 kilometers of cellars holding 200 million bottles. A commentary covers the history of the mansions and production buildings that have belonged for centuries to houses like Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët and Pol Roger.
Abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers
Hautvillers is known as the Cradle of Champagne. A private tour of the church covers the grave of Dom Pérignon, called the spiritual father of Champagne, and the guide tells his story, including whether he really invented champagne.
Hautvillers
Also in Hautvillers, a stop on the historic Champagne hillsides (UNESCO World Heritage) gives the widest view over the Marne Valley, where Dom Pérignon carried out his winemaking experiments. It is a good spot for photos. A family of independent growers is visited next: press, winery and cellar, with the champagne-making process explained. A commented tasting follows, 3 different Grand Cru or Premier Cru champagnes*. *Depending on season and availability, this visit may take place in a Côte des Blancs village or in Aÿ-Champagne.
Ay-Champagne
Aÿ-Champagne, on UNESCO-listed hillsides with famous Grand Cru vineyards, was the main center of the Champagne industry in the 16th century. The kings of France had their own presses there, and champagne was once called Wines of Aÿ. Part of the historic village and its vineyard, mainly Pinot Noir, are covered, with talk of vine work, grape varieties, terroir and sustainable viticulture. The route stops in front of the headquarters of houses such as Bollinger, Deutz and Ayala. Beyond the champagnes, the tour adds three Champagne spirits and aperitifs: Ratafia, Fine de la Marne and Marc de Champagne from the Goyard Distillery, the oldest in Champagne.
Mareuil-sur-Ay
The route passes through Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, a Premier Cru village in the Marne Valley, also on the UNESCO-listed hillsides and mainly planted with Pinot Noir. Smaller Champagne houses are based here, among them Billecart-Salmon and Philipponnat. A stop at the Mont du Gruguet viewpoint, in the vines, shows the Côte des Blancs, kingdom of Chardonnay Grand Cru, and the villages and vineyards of the Marne Valley, where champagne was born.
Mutigny
The route crosses Mutigny, a small wine-growing village above Aÿ-Champagne. A church from the early 16th century overlooks the vines.
Pl. de la Gare, Épernay
Pl. de la Gare, 51200 Épernay, France
7 Av. de Champagne, Épernay
7 Av. de Champagne, 51200 Épernay, France
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Up to 9 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
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- Guiding available in: en, fr.
Reviews
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