Épernay day trip from Reims or Paris
A day trip to Épernay from Reims or Paris: the vineyard village of Hautvillers and the abbey church where Dom Pérignon is buried in the morning, then the chalk cellars of Moët & Chandon and Mercier and a stroll along the Avenue de Champagne. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Épernay in 1 day
Day 1
Hautvillers village and vineyard views
Hillside village above the Marne valley, its houses hung with wrought-iron trade signs, with wide views over the champagne vineyards.
Hautvillers Abbey (Dom Pérignon's tomb)
The church of the old Benedictine abbey where the monk Dom Pérignon worked on champagne, and where he is buried.
Moët & Chandon cellar tour
Guided visit of the largest champagne house's miles of chalk cellars under the Avenue de Champagne, ending with a tasting.
Champagne Mercier cellar tour
Tour of Mercier's deep cellars by small underground train, after a look at the giant wooden barrel made for the 1889 Paris Exposition.
Avenue de Champagne
Grand avenue of champagne houses and their mansions above kilometres of cellars, part of the UNESCO-listed Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars.
Getting there
Direct trains from Paris Gare de l'Est reach Épernay in about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30, and regional trains from Reims take about 30 minutes. The station is a short walk from the Avenue de Champagne; Hautvillers, 6 km north, is reached by taxi, bike, car or a walk through the vineyards.
Staying in Reims or Paris? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Épernay
Spring to early autumn is the best time, when the vineyards are green and the walk to Hautvillers is pleasant. The harvest usually runs in September, a lively but busy time. Winters are cold and grey, but the cellar tours run all year.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Épernay on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Épernay on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Épernay on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for France from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Épernay
- Book cellar tours ahead: most houses on the Avenue de Champagne visit their cellars and hold tastings only by booking, at set times.
- The cellars stay cool all year, so bring a light jacket even in summer.
- There is no handy bus to Hautvillers; take a taxi from Épernay station, or walk up through the vineyards if you have the time and energy.
- Allow a lunch break between tastings, and don't drive after them; the train back is the easy way to end the day.
- During the harvest, usually in September, the vineyards are busy with pickers and some houses limit visits.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Avenue de Champagne: Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0
- Champagne Mercier cellar tour: Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0
- Hautvillers Abbey (Dom Pérignon's tomb): October Ends, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hautvillers village and vineyard views: Jrgoodrich, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Moët & Chandon cellar tour: Andreas Levers from Potsdam, Germany, CC BY 2.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
