What to Do in Épernay: The Avenue de Champagne and Our Must-Sees
Nicknamed the capital of Champagne, Épernay is easily explored in a single day. Kilometres of cellars lie sleeping beneath its streets, and its most famous avenue lines up the greatest houses.
The Avenue de Champagne, the heart of the town
This is Épernay’s must-see: a few hundred metres bordered by grand mansions and prestigious houses, beneath which millions of bottles are resting. You can stroll along it on foot and push open the door of a house or two for a tour and tasting.
The houses to visit
Several houses open their doors along the avenue and nearby. Some offer impressive cellar tours. To get a feel for the styles and choose your favourite, take a look at our directory of houses — you’ll find each one’s town, founding year and flagship cuvée.
Insider tip: book your tours in advance, especially at weekends. A tour includes the tasting; don’t get back behind the wheel if you’ve been tasting.
Going down into the cellars
The key experience remains the cellar tour: cool galleries, an explanation of the traditional method, and a tasting. We explain it all in our guide to cellar tours.
Around Épernay
Épernay is the ideal base for exploring the wider vineyard:
- the Marne Valley and its slopes (see the vineyard and terroirs);
- the Côte des Blancs, the kingdom of chardonnay, just to the south;
- Reims and its chalk pits, about thirty minutes away.
Planning your day
To get here from Paris, get around, and know when to go, follow our guide to planning your visit. And if you’d like to extend your trip, browse our ideas for stays and weekends.
