A Dinogo’s Guide to Exploring (and Enjoying) Champagne

While the northeastern region of Champagne in France has long been a magnet for visitors—thanks to its charming villages, rolling landscapes, and intricate underground chalk tunnels—it's only recently that the prestigious houses that built its luxurious reputation have shown a real commitment to tourism.

“Many of the houses used to offer little train rides through the cellars, reminiscent of a Disney World attraction,” recalls Christian Holthausen, a French-American strategic consultant in the wine and spirits sector, reflecting on his early career in Champagne during the 1990s. “There was always a gift shop selling ice buckets and t-shirts. Tourists were rarely welcomed for meals; instead, they received a generic list of dining options that hovered between absurdly expensive and shockingly poor.”

Over the years, winemakers have sought to transform this experience by creating more immersive opportunities to engage not just industry professionals but consumers as well. In 2011, legendary winemaker Anselme Selosse, who operates Domaine Jacques Selosse with his wife Corinne, launched one of the first bistronomy-focused hotel-restaurants nestled among the vines, Les Avisés. Additionally, the transformative Terres et Vins de Champagne collective, composed of some of the region's finest grower-producers, aimed to make visiting producers more accessible to truly grasp the region's essence. They eventually initiated the now-popular Le Printemps des Champagne tasting event held each April, according to Holthausen.

However, it was not until the Champagne hillsides, houses, and cellars received UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2015 that the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne and the local tourism board began to enhance the region's promotion from an oenotourism standpoint. They launched events and dynamic advertising campaigns to establish Champagne as an essential destination for both French and international travelers, promoting the drink as suitable for more than just special occasions. For a while, posters across France showcased Champagne flutes alongside glazed donuts, hard-boiled eggs, and half-eaten quiches.

The collective efforts appear to be paying off. International visits to the region have surged—Taittinger, for instance, noted a 21 percent increase in foreign tourism between 2015 and 2018. Today, visitors to Champagne can cycle through charming villages, explore the vineyards on quad bikes, ascend over Épernay in a hot air balloon, and most importantly, dine at numerous outstanding restaurants that highlight how Champagne enhances everyday meals. Although Champagne was slow to adopt wine tourism, these new offerings demonstrate a strong commitment to making up for lost time.

One last point: this isn’t intended to be a comprehensive list—there are approximately 360 Champagne houses and 16,200 winemakers in the region, and not all of them provide public tours. However, this guide serves as a solid starting point.

Essential Tips Before You Visit

The Grapes: The key trio of grape varieties essential for champagne production are chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. Chardonnay accounts for about 70% of the vineyards and is the sole grape used in Blanc de Blancs Champagnes, known for their exclusive white grape composition.

The Subregions: The historic heart of Champagne lies primarily between the towns of Reims and Épernay, particularly in the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne. Additionally, exquisite champagnes are crafted in two other subregions: the Côte de Sézanne and the Côte des Bar in the Aube department. The Côte des Bar, which is rich in Pinot Noir and near the medieval city of Troyes, is gaining recognition for its innovative grower champagnes.

Blends vs. Single-Vineyard Wines: While an increasing number of single-vineyard or single-parcel champagnes are being produced today (like Philipponnat's Clos des Goisses), most Champagnes are blended wines. If you're curious whether one style is superior to the other, or if smaller estates yield better quality than larger houses, the answer is: it all depends on personal preference.

During your visits to these innovative houses, you’ll discover much more about the Champagne-making process and the distinct geological and environmental factors that define the region’s unique terroir.

Champagne & Food Experiences

Piot-Sevillano

The diverse offerings of Piot-Sevillano champagnes, along with a newly established tasting center that boasts views of the vineyards and the Marne valley, inspired Christine Scher-Sévillano and her husband to launch gourmet picnics in 2020. For ten generations, winemaking has been central to the Piot family, who cultivate 20 acres in the quaint village of Vincelles, just west of Épernay. Since 2007, Christine and her husband have upheld this legacy while advancing towards low-intervention viticulture (now transitioning to organic), producing single-terroir Champagnes, and creating a new tasting and event venue in a repurposed school within the village.

“We create unique, fruity Champagnes that can be either delicate or robust, making them versatile companions for various dishes,” shares Christine. In particular, she notes that the house’s Fraicheur de Coteau Extra Brut cuvée pairs beautifully with scallops, oysters, and sushi. Their Prestige cuvée, a Blanc de Noirs that has been aged longer, is bolder and complements richer foods such as steak, truffle pasta, and cheese exceptionally well.

The new tasting center offers three food-and-Champagne pairing experiences (starting at $56): land, sea, and cheese, crafted by Christine in collaboration with her friend and sommelier Frédéric Pagneux. The cheese pairing stands out as it's rare to find fromage-focused tasting menus alongside Champagne. Each three-course meal is served in glass, reusable jars, prepared by chef Christophe Tinot from the nearby restaurant and catering service Le P’tit Boursault, and paired with a different Piot-Sévillano cuvée that you'll definitely want to take home.

AR Lenoble

In 2017, this fourth-generation family-owned champagne house in Damery launched a professional tasting room and a state-of-the-art kitchen, where Anne Malassagne and her brother Antoine conduct cooking workshops (by appointment only) that showcase the pairing possibilities of their champagnes. This could include roasted chicken paired with their Brut Intense or more elaborate dishes featuring local ingredients. Visitors gain a deeper understanding of the diverse Champagne styles and their compatibility with various foods. “Contrary to popular belief, very few people actually enjoy Champagne with caviar or lobster,” notes Malassgne, “but almost everyone I know pairs it with roasted chicken or Comté cheese.”

Starting in spring, the house will resume hosting Champenois lunches in a cabin nestled among its vines in Bisseuil. Pricing is available upon request.

Philipponnat

The Philipponnat family, whose origins in the region date back to the 16th century, has been producing wine since 1910 and occupies a distinctive estate in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The house is renowned for the Clos des Goisses, a 1-acre vineyard acquired in 1935, widely regarded as one of the region's finest terroirs. This reputation is partly due to the vineyard's unique south-facing orientation and steep 45-degree slope, making it about 1.5 degrees warmer than the regional average. During exclusive visits (available by request via email, priced at $290 per person), guests can explore the walled vineyard and other Philipponnat plots on foot, followed by an hour and a half sailing on a vintage bullet boat along the Marne river. This experience includes tastings of several cuvées, such as Clos des Goisses and Royale Réserve Brut, along with a seasonal picnic lunch prepared by chefs at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, featuring seasonal salads, local cheeses, and delightful desserts that enhance the wines.

Ruinart

As one of the few houses featuring crayères—Gallo-Roman chalk quarries hand-excavated into the limestone subsoil nearly 100 feet deep and now serving as cellars—Ruinart offers one of the most coveted visits. The two-hour guided tour, which includes a tasting of two cuvées (priced around $79 and available by appointment), is highly sought after. Since the summer of 2020, the house has also introduced weekend brunch in the garden. Resident chef Valérie Radou curates a bistronomic menu using ingredients sourced entirely from local Champenois producers. She collaborates with the oenological team to sample Ruinart Brut, Ruinart Millésimé, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, and Ruinart Rosé cuvées to inform her menu. “I consider various factors: the weather during the harvest year, which influences the dish’s composition,” Radou explains. “I evaluate acidity, freshness, aromatic notes, and texture, such as fullness and smoothness. From there, I seek out compatible products, spices, and herbs.”

Depending on the season, you might encounter a brunch spread featuring fennel and orange salads (perfectly paired with Blanc de Blancs), Champenois pink lentils, a chard and pine nut tart, a selection of cheeses such as Chaource, Langres, and Tomme des Ardennes, along with fruit-based desserts like rhubarb tart, cherry clafoutis, peaches in lemon verbena syrup, pineapple infused with ginger and lemon syrup, and sweet spiced oranges.

Perrier-Jouët

Although numerous prestigious Champagne houses line the avenue de Champagne in Épernay, none have provided a complete fine dining experience until Perrier-Jouët introduced Belle Epoque Society in June 2021. This new culinary initiative from the 200-year-old house aims to cater to a variety of budgets. On the more accessible side, open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, is Cellier, an elegant champagne bar next to the Perrier-Jouët boutique and production facility. Here, you can enjoy the house’s Blanc de Blancs paired with refined snacks (when it launched, offerings included house-smoked salmon marinated in roasted sesame and yuzu, seasonal sandwiches on focaccia, and fresh salads) either indoors under a canopy of dried plants and flowers or outdoors in a garden courtyard.

The more exclusive dining experience (limited to 12 guests) takes place across the street from Cellier in the UNESCO-protected 18th-century private mansion known as the Maison Belle Epoque, once home to Perrier-Jouët’s founding family. Although the house underwent full restoration in 2017, Friday and Saturday lunches served among Europe’s largest private collection of French Art Nouveau mark its first opening to the public. After a brief tour of the ground floor, featuring sitting rooms filled with Louis Majorelle tables and armoires, and Toulouse-Lautrec originals, along with a lounge featuring a fireplace mantle designed by Hector Guimard (famed for his elaborate Paris metro entrances), guests are seated for a seven-course pairing lunch ($280 per person) crafted by French culinary icon Pierre Gagnaire in collaboration with his protégé Sébastien Morellon and the house’s cellar master, Séverine Frerson.

Unlike most pairing menus where wine complements the food, here, the dishes are crafted to enhance the cuvées (for the fall menu, this included Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2006, Belle Epoque 2021, and Belle Epoque Rosé 2010). For instance, the citrus notes in the Belle Epoque Rosé 2010 were accentuated by desserts such as a poached pear granita atop fresh grapes and quince jelly infused with Champagne marc, leaning more towards fruity and acidic rather than sweet.

Additional Dining Options

Racine (Reims)

Michelin-starred Japanese chef Kazuyuki Tanaka, the chef-owner of this modern French-Japanese restaurant in Reims, is a passionate advocate for Champagne. He employs young sommeliers who are in tune with the emerging generation of Champagne producers to curate a refined wine list that complements his innovative cuisine. With multiple tasting menus priced between $85 and $250, each dish reflects the chef’s love for French ingredients and preference for lighter preparations (think minimal creamy sauces), all beautifully plated. The intimate dining room, featuring just 15 seats per sitting, is managed with finesse by the chef’s wife, Marine. Reservations are essential, so plan ahead.

Au Bon Manger (Reims)

At this beloved wine bar and deli in Reims, run by Aline and Eric Serva, you’ll want to try a bit of everything. Their commitment to transparency shines through in their selection of natural wines and biodynamic Champagnes (available by the glass or bottle) and in the sourcing of produce and meats from small suppliers. Since opening in 2018, they’ve attracted a diverse international clientele. Be prepared for a bit of a wait: the product variety exceeds the number of tables, but it’s worth enjoying a glass or picking up some provisions to take home.

Le Garde Champêtre (Aube)

In a repurposed train depot in Aube, at the southern edge of the Champagne region, serial restaurateur and wine merchant Juan Sanchez—known for establishments like La Dernière Goutte, Fish, Semilla, and Freddy’s in Paris—along with Champagne producers Cédric and Emilie Bouchard, and Jean-Pierre and Véronique Josselin, has created an affordable farm-to-table bistro, organic farm, and three-room auberge. Everything that isn’t sourced from their farm comes from local suppliers, while a constantly changing menu is crafted in a vast open kitchen featuring 23-foot high ceilings and a seven-foot wide hearth oven, staffed by an impressive team of international chefs including Sayaka Sawaguchi, Gil Nogueira, Nathan Fallowfield, and Jose Neves, along with occasional guest chefs like Robert Mendoza from Vivant Deux in Paris. Seasonal offerings may include dishes such as steamed cod with grilled leeks and candied garden tomatoes in caldeirada sauce, or squid cooked over an open flame served with tonkotsu, sorrel, and mustard flowers, all accompanied by homemade sourdough. This spot has quickly become a favorite among food travelers, chefs, and local Champagne producers, making reservations essential (with lunch starting at $26).

Sacré Burger (Reims)

Absolutely, indulging in Champenois burgers (alongside hot dogs and fried chicken wings) paired with bubbly is a fantastic idea. What started as a food truck has now become a local institution, attracting everyone from residents to top chefs, industry insiders, and even the occasional record producer passing through town. Dishes (starting at $15) are named after significant local historical figures—such as the Clovis, Charlemagne, and François I—and can be enjoyed with craft beer, natural wines, or Champagnes. Noticing a lack of fun and casual dining options in Épernay, the owners have now expanded their lively concept to this historic town with Sacré Bistro.

L’Assiette Champenoise (Tinqueux, near Reims)

If you’re willing to spend “une petite fortune” (between $165 and over $560 per person) for a dining experience, this is the place to do it. Chef Arnaud Lallement, who earned his third Michelin star in 2014 at this gastronomic restaurant-hotel he inherited from his parents, is not only a staunch supporter of local food and wine producers but also a prominent advocate for sustainable fishing, agriculture, and seasonal, low-waste cooking. While the food menu is succinct (with just a few options per course), the Champagne selection boasts an impressive 1,000 references. Both on the plate and in the glass, Lallement honors the excellence of French products with remarkable skill and a deep respect for the artisans who make his culinary creations possible.

Where to stay

Until recently, Champagne had been surprisingly limited in terms of quality contemporary accommodations. Particularly in Épernay, the shortage of hotels has been notable given the increasing demand. Fortunately, this is beginning to change. Here are a few hotels and inns where you’ll be glad to unwind after a full day of exploration and tasting.

Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa (between Reims and Épernay)

Room service enthusiasts will love the “Champagne Please” button found on the phones at The Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, which brings a selection of bubbles straight to your door. As the region's first luxury wellness resort, it offers breathtaking panoramic views of the vineyards from nearly every room, particularly of Épernay, Chouilly, Aÿ, Cramant, and Avize. The property can arrange various outdoor activities, with a highlight being the chance to join the harvest alongside biodynamic Champagne pioneer, Leclerc Briant. On-site, guests can enjoy a sprawling 16,000-square-foot spa and pool (plus an outdoor pool), a bistro, and a one-Michelin-star restaurant featuring monthly food-and-Champagne pairing menus. Champagne concierges are also available to help organize tours and tastings at local houses. Rooms start at $593 per night.

Le Château de Sacy (Reims area)

Though little of the original decor remains, this late 19th-century manor was beautifully restored in 2015 and now operates as a 12-room hotel, attracting both locals and travelers to its prime hillside location surrounded by vineyards southwest of Reims. Guests can enjoy spacious rooms furnished with a blend of modern and antique pieces, dine in the glass-enclosed sunroom, and unwind by the fireplace with one of six rotating Champagnes, available by the glass from both renowned houses and smaller producers. Rooms start at $225 per night.

Le 25bis by Leclerc Briant (Épernay)

This five-room guesthouse, operated by the biodynamic Champagne house Leclerc Briant, features a stylish combination of Scandinavian design and an impressive collection of French antiques within an 18th-century building. Breakfast is served in a beautifully sunlit dining room adorned with hand-painted Zuber wallpaper, though there is no restaurant for lunch or dinner. Guests can schedule a private tour of the Leclerc Briant winery or visit the ground-floor boutique and tasting room to sample and purchase the full range of the house's offerings. Rooms start at $315 per night.

Les Avisés (Avize)

For the past decade, this late 19th-century manor has operated as a 10-room guesthouse under the ownership of the Jacques Selosse Champagne estate in Avize, located southeast of Épernay, managed by Anselme Selosse and his wife Corinne. Selosse is renowned for promoting terroir-specific wines. The on-site bistronomic restaurant, led by chef Stéphane Rossillon, is a favorite among locals. The Champagne selection is impressive, and if you’re fortunate, you may get to taste Substance, a remarkable wine made from a single Chardonnay vineyard in Avize using the solera system, which blends successive vintages. Rooms start at $225 per night.

The River House at Le Garde Champêtre (Gyé-sur-Seine)

This charming three-room bed & breakfast, housed in an 18th-century farmhouse, features a shared kitchen and is operated by Juan Sanchez and his team at Le Garde Champêtre. Overlooking the Seine River at the southern edge of Champagne, it was fully renovated by architect Alexis Cautain and interior designer Kelly Lippmann in the summer of 2020. Each room boasts a minimalist yet cozy design, complete with earthy-toned bed linens, antique wooden furnishings, and plush vintage armchairs. The Le Garde Champêtre restaurant is just a 10-minute stroll along the river. Rooms start at $125 per night.

Lindsey Tramuta is a Paris-based writer and the author of The New Paris and The New Parisienne: The Women & Ideas Shaping Paris. Joann Pai is a food & travel photographer based in Paris, originally from Vancouver, Canada.