We are Sarah and Romain, two travel enthusiasts and lovers of our beautiful city, Epernay in the Champagne Region, France. During our various stays around the world, we have been lucky enough to receive advice from locals on the best tours and visits, and we can say that they have greatly contributed to our best memories.
This is why we want to offer you the best recommendations for your unforgettable visit to the Champagne Region France. Far from the advice of tourist guides or travel agencies, we prefer to rely on authenticity and collaboration.
A day in Epernay: the best visits
Today, we offer you an itinerary specially designed to spend a perfect day in Epernay, Champagne.
Whether you are on holiday in Reims, travelling from Paris, passing through our beautiful Champagne region, or a local curious to discover the area, you have in your hands the perfect programme to combine sightseeing and fun tours.
Thanks to our selection, you will have the best possible tour or excursions in one day, and you will undoubtedly want to come back and visit Champagne again.
The best activities for a day in Epernay
Because it would be impossible to explore all the most beautiful corners of the city, we suggest you visit the must-see places in the area in one day. From wonder and learning to culinary delights, it’s time to step into a sparkling bubble for the most perfect day out.
Visit the Epernay captive balloon
To start your wonderful day, we invite you to get up high and visit the Epernay captive balloon, which is the ideal opportunity to get an overview of the town before exploring and it has to offer, including tasting the best Champagne.
Fly 150 metres into the air and enjoy an exceptional experience with a 360° panorama of some of the most beautiful spots in France, Epernay, the Montagne de Reims, the western slopes and the Côte des Blancs.
Enjoy a unique moment on board the tethered balloon, from which it is almost as if you were spending a moment out of time. You will be amazed by the magic of the moment and the landscape.
- Visit Price: 14€ per adult / 7€ per child (3 to 11 years old) / Free for children under 3 years old
- Opening Hours: Check that the balloon takes off on Instagram or Facebook pages
Tour the Champagne Houses
It would be unthinkable not to take the time to pass by the Avenue de Champagne, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, if it is so prestigious, it owes it to the great Champagne Houses like Moët & Chandon that have made it their home.
At the heart of the city and the regional heritage, these institutions are open to the public to tour, and they are just waiting for your visit. Between descending into the heart of the cellars and discovering the champagne-making process, you will be delighted to have been able to set foot in this prestigious world and enjoy some of the best tastings.
You will be spoilt for choice among the most beautiful Champagne Houses of Epernay of our selection.
Have a drink on the Avenue de Champagne
Now that you are almost an expert on champagne, from the vine to the bottle, thanks to the immersion in one of the most beautiful cellars, you can go back to the surface to join one of the terraces of the Avenue de Champagne.
In recent years, they have flourished in the courtyards of the most beautiful private mansions lucky enough to be established on this dreamy avenue and are waiting to offer you an opportunity of tasting the best and most renowned champagnes of the region and France.
Enjoy a meal in one of the city’s best restaurants
Because a day wouldn’t be perfect without a proper meal and glass of wine, we invite you to invigorate yourself in one of the city’s best restaurants.
Each of the addresses in our selection has been tested and validated by us, and they are all undeniably excellent restaurants and worthy of a visit during your trip. And the detail that will convince you, if you are not already convinced, is that we are two epicureans in perpetual search of the pleasure of the table.
We offer you pleasant addresses for all tastes, and whether you are tempted by a bistro or refined dishes, you will find your happiness in a moment of indulgence.
After a memorable day exploring the wine tourism wonders of Epernay, why not start the next day with a gourmet brunch? Check out my article on the best places for a brunch in Epernay and delight your taste buds as you extend your culinary experience in our charming town.
The parks of the Hôtel de Ville and the Musée du Vin
After enjoying an exquisite lunch and exceptional champagne, it’s time to take a break in the park adjoining the town hall and the Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology Museum for a pleasant stroll in this idyllic setting designed by the most talented landscape architects.
The park of the town hall, classified as a “remarkable garden”, is an invitation to stroll around, with a style that is both borrowed from the most beautiful French creations, such as the gardens of the Château de Versailles, but also influenced by an English touch, with paths and bushes pruned in the British style.
- Address: 7 bis et 13, Avenue de Champagne 51200 Epernay, France
Discovering Hautvillers
After a beautiful day and before getting on the road again, it is time for you to make a short stop in Hautvillers, a small village located about ten minutes from Epernay and 30 minutes to Reims.
The charming and colourful little village of Hautvillers, which is often described as picturesque, is surrounded by beautiful hills that are home to the local vineyards, waiting for you to tour and enjoy a tasting.
It is undoubtedly the Champagne village par excellence, as it is the cradle of Champagne, bringing together the most prestigious hillsides listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.
A visit to Hautvillers can’t be achieved without a visit to the Abbey. Obviously, the village attracts lovers of champagne and also of Dom Pérignon, who is buried there. But once you have visited the Abbey, take a stroll through the pretty streets of the village. Hautvillers is clean, welcoming and full of flowers. Then look up constantly to see the cute shop signs. A village to enjoy a visit, walking through its figurative signs, its streets, its wash-house, and its panoramic views over the vineyards.
No doubt about it, Epernay and its region are full of great places to tour and visit, with activities one more attractive than the next, in a beautiful setting. We invite you to discover our favourite places to visit and tour in the Champagne region for all these reasons.
Because we are sure that after this day in Epernay, you will very quickly want to come back, we invite you to come and spend a stay in one of our gites, and we will help you discover the city during its most beautiful days.
More than one day in Epernay?
If you’ve loved your day in Epernay and wish to extend the experience, we’ve created the perfect two-day itinerary for you. Discover how to enjoy even more of the beauty of this region with our guide:
👉 2 Days in Epernay: The Ideal Program.
We are waiting for you to share your most beautiful moments in Epernay!
Hautvillers
Ay-Champagne
Fleury-la-Rivière
Epernay
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