There is so much to see and do in Champagne, but most people just hop on a train to Reims or Epernay and visit the beautiful chalk cellars of the big champagne houses. They only see the bling bling side of champagne. Only learn the history of a specific house. And they only see where the bottles age, and it is often impersonal. You wouldn’t really need me as a guide for that (although I could certainly add a lot of value).

 

I try to encourage people to include a visit to the vineyards and the production cellars of small growers. You get to meet the person who grew the grapes and made the champagne and see ALL the steps involved in making champagne, not just the ageing process. The vineyards in the hillsides, cellars and houses were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2015, so if you leave out the vineyards, you a leaving out an important piece of the puzzle!

 

If it is your first trip to Champagne, and you only want to spend one day in Champagne, I would recommend combining a visit of a small champagne house in the hillsides in the morning, a nice lunch with a view of the vineyards, a visit of a big champagne house in Reims or Epernay in the afternoon, with some sightseeing of course. 

 

All of my excursions are customised based on your interests. Let me know as much as possible about your interests and needs when you write me: are you a history-lover? A foodie? A wine-nerd? An art or architecture-lover? Any mobility issues? Do you have a favourite champagne house? Do you want to stay more than one day? I would be delighted to craft a bespoke itinerary for you so that you can learn tons about le champagne (the wine) and la Champagne (the region).

 

Here is a sample costed program for a day trip: 

8:00: Meet Cynthia at Gare de l’Est train station in Paris. 

8:30-9:45: Train from Paris to Dormans. During the journey I will talk to you about the history of the wine, geography of the region, and how the industry is organised today.
 
9:45-10:15: Walk along the Marne river and through vineyards to Champagne Piot-Sevillano. During the walk I will talk to you about challenges of harvest this year and some of the rules and regulations in the vineyards.
 
10:30-12:30: Private tour of the vineyards, press center, tank room and cellars at Champagne Piot-Sevillano, a small female-owned organic house.  Christine is the first woman to be elected president of the association of independent champagne producers. 
 
12:30-14:30: 3 course gastronomic picnic paired with 3 different champagnes at Champagne Piot-Sevillano. If weather is nice we will eat outside on the terrace with a view of the vineyards. If the weather is not nice, we will eat inside their cozy tasting room in a former primary school that Christine attended as a child that she bought and converted. I will talk to you about the different grape varieties and other wine-making choices that affect the aromas and flavours of champagnes, and why certain styles of champagne pair better with certain foods. It will also help you figure out what style of champagne you prefer, and why.
 
14:30-15:00: Driver picks us up and takes us to Reims. During the journey I will talk to you about the role of women in the history of champagne (courtesans, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Bollinger, Pol Roger, etc.). 

15:00-17:00: Private visit of Champagne Pommery, a big house with beautiful Gallo-Roman chalk cellars filled with fun modern art. You will enjoy a cellar visit as well as a tasting. Walk across the street to visit Villa Demoiselle, a beautifully restored Art Nouveau mansion. Visit followed by a tasting.

17:00:17:30: Scenic walk to the cathedral  

17:30-18:30: Visit the Cathedral, talk about the history of the cathedral and role of Joan of Arc

19:15-20:00: Train back to Paris. During the journey back I will talk about whatever you want!
 

Duration: 12 hours

Cost: for 2 participants around 750€/person. For 4 participants, around 500€/person. Includes train tickets, driver, cellar visits and tastings, lunch and my guiding services. 

How to book me: send me an email at cynthia@delectabulles.com to specify which days you are available, number of participants, and as much information as possible about your interests besides tasting champagne.