Planning a day trip to Champagne from Paris is a fantastic idea. If you’re excited about sipping champagne at its origin or seeking an unforgettable experience, a champagne day trip from Paris delivers. However, it does require a bit of preparation.
Safe time planning: This is the best-rated & most popular Champagne Day Tour
In this post, I’ll provide you with detailed guidance on how to visit the Champagne Region from Paris, along with various options on how to personalize your trip.
Plus, I’ll share my own experience of the Paris to Champagne day trip, providing you with firsthand insights on what you can expect.
These articles could be good reads for your trip to Paris:
- 22 memorable day trips from Paris by train
- For Wine Lovers: A day trip to Bordeaux from Paris
- 32+ Unforgettable Things to do in Paris at Night
- 5 Cocktail Bars in Paris you need to try
- A Day trip to Reims from Paris: Champagne & History
Day Trips from Paris To Champagne: Your Complete Guide
Visit the famous vineyards and cellars, taste the most exquisite Champagnes in gorgeous surroundings, join a Champagne masterclass, chat with wine experts, or visit historic sites like the cathedral of Reims.
It’s not without reasons that tours to Champagne from Paris are some of the most popular day trips and are in very high demand. After all, Reims is just a mere 40-minute train ride from Paris.
Paris to Champagne: Day Trip with 8 Tastings & Lunch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This unique Champagne tour includes
- Visit Eparnay, the capital of Champagne
- Taste 8 Champagnes and enjoy a French Lunch
- Expert Masterclass & Champagne House visit
- Transportation & Tour guide
A Paris to Champagne tour is not only an outstanding experience, but it is also rather easy to organize. You can either
- reserve a spot on one of the Champagne tours from Paris
- or visit the region on your accord.
It’s a lovely trip, no matter how you organize it. Read on and know everything you need to know for visiting the Champagne. How to get there, what to do there, how to enjoy it to the max!
Where is the Champagne Region?
The Champagne is a wine region in the East of France. The distance between Paris and the Champagne Region is around 140 km/90 miles, and the Region borders Belgium in the north.
The short distance between the two locations makes day trips to Champagne from Paris one of the best getaways from Paris. From Paris to Reims, it’s just a 40 min. train ride.
Reims and Épernay are the two commercial centers of the Champagne, and also the cities where most Champagne producers have their headquarters.
The Champagne-Ardenne, that’s the official name of the Champagne Region, was an independent administrative region of France. In 2016, it got merged with the neighboring regions Alsace and Lorraine to form the new region Grand Est.
That being said, the Champagne is a fairly large region.
But to visit the Champagne houses, vineyards, and cellars, you should head to Reims.
Reims is the biggest city in the region and the center of Champagne productions. Most big Champagne houses – Les Grandes Marques – have their headquarters and visitor center there.
Then there is also Épernay. It’s a small town 40 minutes from Reims, but nevertheless the second most important Champagne city.
The most famous Dom Perignon brand has its headquarters and visitor’s center in Éparnay.
Reims or Éparnay – What’s The Best For Your Paris Champagne Tour?
Book this tour to visit Reims & Éparnay and enjoy 6 Champagne tastings
Reims and Éparnay are the two global headquarters of Champagne production. Both are worth a visit for a full experience. However, Reims is easier to get to from Paris. So I recommend that if you plan your tour on your own, you focus on visiting Reims.
If you want to include both destinations, you best book a tour from Paris that includes both destinations. This Champagne tour is the best pick for a full experience of Reims and Éparnay.
If you drive the distance yourself by car or visit by train, you will easily feel rushed. Visiting both, Éparnay and Reims by train in one day is not really feasible.
Why You Should Visit the Champagne Region from Paris
The first reason to visit the Champagne region is obviously to taste Champagne. Because even though it’s fairly common to refer to all sorts of sparkling wine as Champagne, it’s fundamentally wrong.
Only sparkling wine that comes from the Champagne region, made from regional grapes and ages in the miles-long underground cave system, can legally be called Champagne. By visiting the Champagne, you’re basically at the source of everything that is good.
Wait, you are more into wine? Take a day trip to Bordeaux instead!
But Champagne as a region is also historically a very interesting destination. The biggest city of the new Grand Est region, Reims, had already been a major city in the Roman Empire. Some ruins got preserved until today!
Reims also has one of the most important cathedrals in France. Between the 12th and the 19th century, most french kings got crowned there. Located relatively close to the German border, many battlegrounds of WWI were located in the Champagne region and can also be visited today.
And to get back to the fun stuff: you can taste champagne!
What is Champagne?
Champagne is a sparkling wine made from Chardonnay, Pinot noir or Pinot Meunier grapes. Even though the term Champagne is for many a generic label for any kind of sparkling wine, legally ONLY those coming from the region can be called Champagne.
Paris to Champagne: What You Can Expect in Reims
- a stunning cathedral (a world heritage site)
- the Palais du Tau (also a world heritage site)
- Roman ruins, for example, the Mars Gate
- Famous Champagne houses like Veuve Clicquot, Ruinard, Pommery, Mumm, Taittinger, and many more. All of them have visitor centers and guided tours for you to visit the cellars and taste Champagne.
You find more information about Reims here: A Day trip to Reims from Paris: Champagne & History
How to Visit Champagne from Paris Best?
To make it easier for you to organize your trip, here’s for you a short sum up of your option on how to organize your day trip to Champagne from Paris. Basically, you have 2 options: Join a tour or get to Reims by train.
Tour | Strong Points | Booking & Prices |
|---|---|---|
Join a Champagne Tour from Paris | hassle-free, all-inclusive | |
Book a Train to Reims & self organize | less costly, independent |
You have several options for traveling from Paris to Champagne. You can take the high-speed train TGV, rent a car or book a tour. As you probably will try some alcohol, I strongly advise against renting a car though.
Your best options are either taking a train or booking a tour from Paris.
#1 Paris to Champagne Tours: The Easiest Way To Visit The Region
Don’t hesitate to get an overview of the available Paris to Champagne Tours here
The most convenient and efficient way to visit Reims is by booking one of the popular tours to Champagne from Paris. It might be a bit more expensive (not necessarily, even) than organizing the trip on your own.
But it is a hassle-free and relaxed way of taking a day trip to Champagne from Paris. You can be sure not to miss any of the highlights. Just lean back, and your guide will figure out the rest.
If you are opt-in to the hassle-free and easy tours of Champagne from Paris, you are certainly in for an extraordinary day, where not much can go wrong.
The organization is taken over by a professional tour company and all you have to do is take a seat and enjoy your excursion.
To make it easier for you to pick the right tour for your needs, here’s for you a list of the best Champagne Tours from Paris.
Paris to Champagne: Day Trip with 8 Tastings & Lunch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This unique Champagne tour includes
- Visit Eparnay, the capital of Champagne
- Taste 8 Champagnes and enjoy a French Lunch
- Expert Masterclass & Champagne House visit
- Transportation & Tour guide
Option #2 – Reims, Champagne & 3-Course Lunch
includes Hotel pickup, all entrances, lunch, tastings, and transportation
This Champagne tour starts with a guided walk through Reims before you fully immerse in the history of Champagne making.
You’ll visit the famous Champagne cellars, and the vineyards of the region, and you learn more about the process of how Champagne is made. You also get to enjoy a 3-Course French Lunch. Get more information on booking and availabilities here.
Option #3 – Éparnay & Vineyards, 6 Tastings & Lunch
includes Hotel pickup, all entrances, 3-course Lunch, tastings & transportation
This tour takes you on a trip through the Champagne region, where you will visit several wineries, renowned Champagne houses, and their cellars. Stroll down the Avenue de Champagne in Éparnay, enjoy up to 6 glasses of Champagne, and learn about the champagne production from a winemaker. Get more information on dates and prices here
#2 Reims by Train: Self Organized Paris to Champagne Day Trip
If you decide to organize your transportation and take the train from Paris to Champagne, you’ll be happy to know that Reims is one of the easiest destinations for a day trip by train from Paris.
Paris and Reims are connected by TGV, the French high-speed train. It takes only 45 minutes from Gare de l’Est.
Train from Paris to Champagne: Gare de l’Est
Book your train tickets to Reims in advance to save time and money
All destinations east of Paris are usually leaving from Gare de l’Est, hence if you travel from Paris to Champagne, Gare de l’Est is your station. The train station lies in the north of Paris and is reachable by Metro 4, 5, and 7, or RER E. It is also serviced by the Transilien P suburb train that connects communes in the southeast to Paris.
If you are worried about taking public transport in Paris, don’t miss our Metro guide about how to use the Parisian Metro!
Distance: 143 km (90 mi)
Train ride: 45 min
First train 7:07 am
Last train: 7:15 pm
About The Gare de l’Est Train Station
Gare de l’Est has 30 platforms. Platform 2-12 and 23 -30 are used by main train lines, for example, the high-speed train TGV
Aim to arrive 30 minutes before departure at the train station to be on the safe side. Around 15 minutes before departure, the platform number will be indicated on screens. High-speed trains and trains to Reims are shown on the screen labeled “Départs Grandes Lignes“.
To be on the safe side, aim to arrive 30 minutes before your train is scheduled.
Buy Tickets For Your Trip From Paris to Reims By Train
You can purchase your train tickets at the SNCF ticket office in Hall Alsace on the ground floor, or at the ticket vending machines that you find all over the station.
However, buying your ticket on the day might be very expensive and you risk that the train you plan to board is sold out.
Better: Purchase your tickets in advance here
To avoid super expensive train tickets, queues, or – and more likely – sold-out tickets, plan your trip to Reims in advance. You can easily purchase train tickets here.
Make sure that your purchased ticket is a mobile ticket, so you only need to have them on your phone and don’t need to print them out.
However, if you are not sure you’ll have an internet connection, take a screenshot, just to be on the safe side.
Sold-out tickets are not the only thing that could go wrong in Paris! Read more about the most common Paris mistakes!
Plan Your Day Trip from Paris to Champagne
If you organize your day trip from Paris to Champagne on your own, you should put a few things on your agenda. Apart from the Cathedral of Reims (beautiful!), your agenda should be filled with a couple of Champagne Houses.
If you are traveling by train, and are keen to visit both, Reims and Épernay, I advise booking a tour that starts from Reims.
Even though the train from Reims to Épernay only takes around 40 minutes, and it’s theoretically doable to visit both locations, independently. However, You will find yourself rushing.
There are simply too many schedules to respect to make it an enjoyable day trip: Train departure times, Champagne House reservations, connecting train schedules to head back etc.
You’ll be very much running from A to B.
See this all-in-one tour from Reims that includes both cities. You can also visit a champagne house in Reims on your account in the morning and join an organized tour to Épernay in the afternoon. This tour is the most popular one.
Visiting the Les Grandes Marques: The Champagne Houses in Reims
If visiting Reims with an organized tour is not really your cup of tea, you can certainly visit the headquarters and cellars of the big Champagne Houses, Les Grandes Marques, on your own.
The big houses are offering guided visits that you simply can sign up for online. Below I put together a list of the most popular ones. Just keep in mind that they are not necessarily in the center of Reims and you need to organize your own transportation.
There are busses and trams circulating in Reims, or you just get a taxi.
Or walk – from the center of Reims to Veuve Clicquot, it’s around 40min on foot.
The most popular Champagne houses in Reims:
• Veuve Clicquot – 5km from train station • guided visit from 30€/p
• Ruinard- 5km from train station • guided visit from 70€/p
• Pommery – 5km from train station • guided visit from 25€/p
• Mumm – 1.5km from train station • guided visit from 23€/p
• Taittinger – 5km from train station • guided visit from 21€/p
Find the Best Itinerary For Your Champagne Trip
There are quite a few options on how to travel to Reims and how to fill your day. It can be quite confusing but I summed up 3 options that are the most efficient.
What you pick depends on your travel style – do you appreciate traveling with a group or are you more of an independent traveler? and of course: your budget.
If you plan to visit the Champagne on a budget, book your train tickets early to get some low-fare tickets. If you reserve only one Champagne tasting and have a budget lunch, your Champagne day trip will be probably around 80€ per person. But that’s really the bare minimum.
Option #1: Reims Tour, self-organized
cost for transportation to Reims, tastings, transportation in Reims, and Lunch: from approx. €150
Hop on a train (don’t forget to book your train ticket in advance, especially since the morning trains are often sold out) and try to be in Reims early. I like to book tickets with omio.com, their page is straightforward to navigate, and you get the tickets conveniently sent to your mobile phone.
After some sightseeing, visiting the Cathedral is a must (!!) head to the first Champagne house of your choice and enjoy a guided visit and a Champagne tasting.
Depending on where your first Champagne experience took place, you can either have lunch around the Domaine (might be a bit pricey though) or head to the Place Drouet d’Erlon in the center.
It’s a pedestrian street with plenty of restaurants. Best to check TripAdvisor to know what eateries are close to your morning Champagne tasting.
Visit a second Champagne House in the afternoon before heading back to Paris. If you can’t decide which are the best Champagne houses to visit, Taittinger and Pommery are very popular ones.
Option #2 – Visit the Champagne Region from Reims
cost for transportation to Reims, guided tour, and Lunch: from approx. 220€
This is a great option if you are keen to explore the region to the fullest with a tour guide but save on transportation.
Organize your own transportation from Paris to Reims and make sure you arrive around 9 am. To be on the safe side, it’s of course, best to reserve your train tickets in advance online (I think I might have mentioned that already :))
Your tour starts at 9.30 and is by far the most popular Champagne tour from Reims. Compared to similar tours, the Pommery Champagne Morning Tour & Tastings is the best value for money, it includes, among others:
- Champagne tastings Champagne Pommery
- visit to a family-run winery
- 5 tastings
- a sightseeing tour of Reims
- transportation and English-speaking guide
You’ll be back at the train station of Reims in the early afternoon to visit the city and to catch your train from Reims to Paris.
Click here to get all information about this lovely tour
Option 3: Reims, Épernay, self-organized
Cost for transportation to Reims, guided tour, and Lunch: from approx. 180€
Catch an early train from Gare de l’Est to arrive in Reims before 9. Start your day off with sightseeing in Reims, visit the Cathedral, have a morning café, and visit a Champagne House of your choice.
Don’t forget to reserve your spot in advance, though. I linked the visitor and booking pages of the Champagne houses just above.
I suggest having lunch at Café de Palais. It has excellent reviews and is not far from the tourism office, the meeting point for your next activity.
You will leave Reims in the afternoon and take a trip through the vineyards of the Champagne region. Visit Hautvillers and a family-run winery. You’ll learn everything about Champagne production and – of course – taste Champagne.
Click here to get more information about this Champagne afternoon tour.
You’ll be back at the train station of Reims in the early evening. Just in time to hop on your train back to Paris.
To avoid stress, I recommend again purchasing your train ticket online.
What my Husband and I did: Wedding Anniversary in Reims
For our wedding anniversary, my husband and I chose to spend a day in Reims. It turned out to be a lovely and memorable day.
We started our journey from Paris in the morning via TGV and our first stop was the Cathedral of Reims and a stroll through the city. The city was bigger than I expected, with many Shops, Restaurants, and Cafés.
Since it was a special occasion, we opted for lunch at Racine, a 2-star French-Japanese fusion restaurant. It’s a great choice for anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience, offering delicious food and excellent service. It was a bit on the pricey side, but well worth it.
Our trip also included, of course, a tour of a Champagne House. We picked Veuve Clicquot, which held sentimental value for us as it was the Champagne we served at our wedding. The tour was informative and engaging, particularly learning about the legacy of Veuve Clicquot.
The champagne tasting was a delightful experience, with generous servings that added to our enjoyment and made me buy more Champagne than I intended 😉
Voilà, taking a day tour from Paris to Champagne is fairly easy to organize, but you need to prebook.. You can take one of the unique Paris to Champage tours, or you organize the day trip on your own. Either way, it will be a day to remember. Bon voyage!
Want more Paris recommendations? Here’s my free Google Map with 200+ spots 🗺️
À bientôt,
Lena
Parisienne since 2006 🇫🇷
Sharing Paris life, French culture, cafés, food & honest travel tips
Join me on Facebook for updates and news about Paris.
NEW: The Salut from Paris Travel Guide:
Must-Haves for Paris:
- eSim card to stay online while in Paris. I used Airalo for my travels.
- You likely need a travel adapter to plug your devices.
- Travel Insurance – if you don’t have one, VisitorsCoverage is a good option.
- If your flight is delayed or even canceled, use AirHelp to get compensation.
Tours & Attractions:
- I book tours & activities through Get Your Guide or Viator.
- Museum & Landmark tickets can be cheaper on the official page, but they are often sold out.
- I love the GoCity Travel Passes for easy planning
Flights & Transportation:
- I use Omio to compare flight fares & connections
- Airport transfers I book through Welcome Pickup
- For car rentals, I use AutoEurope. It’s easy to compare prices
- Train Tickets, you can book through Omio
- Here’s my Parisian Metro Guide
Accomodation:
- Hotels in Europe I mostly book through Booking.com (check reviews carefully)
- Vacation Rentals through Airbnb or VRBO
Want more Paris recommendations? Here’s my free Google Map with 200+ spots 🗺️
À bientôt,
Lena
Parisienne since 2006 🇫🇷
Sharing Paris life, French culture, cafés, food & honest travel tips
Join me on Facebook for updates and news about Paris.
NEW: The Salut from Paris Travel Guide:
Must-Haves for Paris:
- eSim card to stay online while in Paris. I used Airalo for my travels.
- You likely need a travel adapter to plug your devices.
- Travel Insurance – if you don’t have one, VisitorsCoverage is a good option.
- If your flight is delayed or even canceled, use AirHelp to get compensation.
Tours & Attractions:
- I book tours & activities through Get Your Guide or Viator.
- Museum & Landmark tickets can be cheaper on the official page, but they are often sold out.
- I love the GoCity Travel Passes for easy planning
Flights & Transportation:
- I use Omio to compare flight fares & connections
- Airport transfers I book through Welcome Pickup
- For car rentals, I use AutoEurope. It’s easy to compare prices
- Train Tickets, you can book through Omio
- Here’s my Parisian Metro Guide
Accomodation:
- Hotels in Europe I mostly book through Booking.com (check reviews carefully)
- Vacation Rentals through Airbnb or VRBO
FAQ: Paris to Champagne Tours
How to get from Paris to Champagne?
The easiest way to get from Paris to Champagne is by taking to train from Paris to Reims. The train ride takes 45 min. The train leaves at Gare de l’Est.
Can you take a train from Paris to Champagne?
Yes, you can take the train from Paris to Chamapgne and it is a very quick and easy trip. The main city of the Champagne regon is Reims, which is served by TGV highspeed train. The trip takes 45 Min.
Can you do a day trip to Reims from Paris?
A day trip from Paris to Reims is very easy to organize. Both cities are connected by TGV highspeed train and the journey takes only 45 min. Hence, a perfect destination for a day trip.
How far is the city of Champagne from Paris?
Champagne is a region, with Reims as capital. Reims is 140km away from Paris, but thanks to the TGV train, the trip takes only 45 min.
What is the best time of year to visit Champagne France?
Reims in the Champagne region is always nice. However, the best time is from spring to autumn to enjoy the mild weather. Harevest season is in september and autumn and is also the busiest time in the Champagne region.
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