Other than the obvious fact that Champagne, France is home to my favorite beverage, the list of why I choose to visit the region year after year is so much more that what's in my glass! I often get asked for a list of my recommendations for people when visiting the region, so I figured it was now time (on the heels of my recent visit last week where I posted everything to my "Travel" Instagram stories: @wedrinkbubbles) to finally do a blog post so everyone has all my favorites in one place. Of course you know you can email me anytime with more specific questions, but for starters here is my list of favorites below (links included) to make planning a visit to the region a little easier.
LIST OF ALL MY FAVORITES...
Gowers to Visit:
-Lucien Collard
-Michel Laval
-Michel Gonet
-Geoffroy
-D. Massin
-Pierre Gimonnet
-Gaston Chiquet
Bigger Houses to Visit:
-Ruinart
-Billecart
-Pommery
Restaurants:
-Le Jardin at Château Les Crayères
-Glue Pot
-Le Coq Rouge
-Chez Max
-Sacre Bistro
-Hotel Restaurant Las Avises
-Royal Champagne Hotel Terrace
Tips:
-I think a stay of 3-6 days is ideal (6 days if you're a total fanatic about champagne like myself so you can hit all 4 regions *map below).
-Flying into Paris and taking a direct train into Reims is the easiest way to get there.
-I absolutely love the town of Reims. It is so charming and the people are absolutely lovely, not to mention there are lots fantastic restaurant, hotel and AirBnb options in the town. However, keep in mind, most wineries you visit will be a 30 minute or so drive. Otherwise, staying near Épernay is pretty central to the vineyards. There are great B&Bs and boutique hotels in the area.
-Hiring a driver is a great idea if the whole group plans to indulge in the experience! I also recommend renting a car while you visit as everything is so spread out and you may want to explore.
-Make dinner reservations. The locals eat out quite a bit and the good places fill up fast.
-I recommend limiting yourself to 2 wineries a day. I usually only do 1 to allow the freedom to add fun things that come up last minute or to have the time to linger at a cool current experience when one pops up.
