Champagne Day Trip from Paris: Tastings, Reims Cathedral & Lunch

4.85

(137 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll admit, I was a little nervous about waking up before 7am in Paris—especially since I’m not exactly a morning person. But when our minivan pulled up right outside my hotel (didn’t even have to find a meeting point), I just grabbed my coffee and croissant and settled in. There’s something about watching the city fade into countryside that makes you feel like you’re sneaking out for an adventure while everyone else is still asleep. The driver handed out these flaky mini-pastries that actually tasted fresh—maybe it was the air or maybe just being out of Paris for a bit.

Our guide, Jean-Luc, started chatting about the Champagne region as we rolled past fields that looked almost too green for April. He grew up around here—he pointed out the exact hill where his uncle used to work during harvest. When we stopped in Verzenay, he let us touch the vines (they felt rougher than I expected) and explained how everything changes with the seasons. There was this earthy smell—wet soil mixed with something floral—and honestly, it made me want to stay longer just standing there. At the small producer’s place, we tried three kinds of champagne; one was so dry it made me pause mid-sip. Jean-Luc laughed when I asked if people ever get tired of tasting champagne—he said only Parisians do.

Lunch in Reims was at this spot called “Au petit comptoir.” The menu was tiny but somehow hard to choose from—I ended up with fish and some kind of leek starter that I still think about. They were happy to swap things out for someone’s allergy at our table (she looked relieved). Afterward, walking into Reims Cathedral felt like stepping into another century—the stained glass by Chagall caught this weird blue light and everyone just went quiet for a second. It’s hard to explain why but it got under my skin a bit.

The last stop was Pommery Champagne Estate (the building looks more English than French if you ask me). Going down into those old chalk cellars—they’re colder than you’d guess—felt surreal, especially knowing millions of bottles are aging down there. We finished with one last glass surrounded by modern art installations, which sounds odd but somehow worked. On the drive back to Paris I watched rain streak across the window and thought about how different everything feels after a day like that—even if you’re just returning to your same hotel room.