“Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together.”
(Guy Fieri)
The story of the event or experience, how it started and evolved to its current form, when it started, what is unique about it, how popular the experience is with locals/visitors to the area etc…
Some companies are specialized in Wine Tasting Tour, and proposed travels and excursions around Champagne. Many Champagne winegrowers, houses and cooperatives are committed to welcoming visitors to help them discover their wines. Visitors can taste different Champagne wines and buy your favorites directly from the cellar to relive these moments in peace at home.
Since the 4th of July 2015, the “Coteaux, Maison et Caves de Champagne” have been part of UNESCO’s World Heritage.
The Champagne Region counts around 320 House of Champagne, which create 30.000 jobs in this field. The Champagne Region attracts 7,3 million visitors: 3 million stay for a day, and 4,3 million are there for a long stay.
https://www.champagne.fr/fr/decouvrir-la-champagne/tourisme/oenotourisme
Visitors can follow the Reims’ Region Tour of Champagne :
Reims is a cultural city of France, famous for its 13th century cathedral of Reims that has sanctified the coronation of most of the French kings.To the south, the route meanders in and out of the vineyards on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims.
In this Region, there are 232 growers, 39 Champagne Houses, and 11 Champagne Cooperatives you can visit.
Visitors can discover the Champagne vineyards around Reims. The guide will explain the Champagne terroir to you in the vineyard, the grape varieties, the plant cycle of the vine and the work in the vineyard throughout the year. Generally, the visits count at least 2 at 3 champagne testing, in a Castle of a Champagne producer. A tour can be organized in a large champagne house in Reims (Taittinger, Pommery, Mumm, Lanson…).
Visitors will be taught about the different champagnes, how the Champagne is made, with which seepage, and why you can call it Champagne. This itinerary includes cultural discoveries of this French Region, a meeting with producers, a visit of Champagne Houses, and degustation of Champagne.
List of Local Producers
https://www.champagne.fr/en/discovering-champagne-region/tourism/cellar-visits-tastings
In this tour, many cellars can be visited, we can choose 2 of them in the Reims’ Region :
The House Augé Pere et Fils organises visits for Wine and Champagne Tourists in the Region. It is a Family exploitation of 8.5 hectares located on the Montagne de Reims, 10 kilometers from Reims, Coulommes la Montagne.
The House de Cazanove champagne organises guided visits in this cellars : “ Through the quality of our vineyards and the excellence of our methods, which remain respectful of the vinification process, our champagnes offer you the heritage of an inimitable style created to delight you and make those great occasions very special.”
The cellar tours begin with an introductory video, followed by a guided tour of the Charles DE CAZANOVE champagne production cellars, where they’ll tell you all about our production secrets in real time. To end the tour, the producers invite you to a refined tasting of their various Champagne wines.
Reims is near Paris, and visits are organised for tourists visiting the French Capital for 1 or 2 days.
You can go to Reims by train, but it’s preferable to go by car, as the vineyards are in the countryside of the city.
You can book organised tours from Paris with companies specialised such as Grapescapes.com for example. You can also book your own tour directly with the Champagne House and visit the House you’ll prefer.
Every House Champagne Tours are guided, and available in many languages, but mostly English and French.
