Champagne: wine tourism is popular!

Do you want to break the routine and treat yourself to a stay that is different from the ordinary? Have you thought about wine tourism? This is an opportunity for you to combine the discovery of the terroirs of our beautiful country with our gastronomic heritage! Stroll through the Champagne vineyards, chat with passionate, and therefore exciting, professionals, and take advantage of these unique moments to get together with friends or family. I’ll give you everything you need to know about wine tourism.

What is wine tourism?

Tourism has not finished renewing itself and surprising you. Wine tourism, also known as wine tourism or oenological, is a new form of tourism which has been on the rise in recent years.

In reality, this wine tourism appeared in France at the end of the 70s and has developed over time. It’s about taking advantage, during a short stay at the weekend or on vacation, of activities offered by wine players. In fact, the winegrowers of France open the doors of their estates to introduce curious people to the art of wine, Champagne and everything that surrounds them.

In the form of varied activities around wine and vine culture, it is possible to participate in tastings, cellar visits, original activities such as visiting vineyards by bike… These professionals are delighted to be able to share their winemaking know-how and to present a little more what is part of our cultural heritage. The goal is to make wine tourism accessible to everyone. To try the experience, visit cellars in Champagne to taste wine For example ! Online platforms offer the opportunity to discover, among our 14 wine regions, diverse and varied activities around this theme of wine. All you have to do is select the city or area that interests you and reserve your places.

vineyard visit

Privileged visits to winegrowers’ cellars

Among the activities offered by winegrowers and which are among the essentials, there are the cellar visits. Champagne is not left out at this level and is blessed with towns and villages rich in this wine heritage. Here are some cities that you could visit as part of your vacation.

Reims

This beautiful town in the Grand-Est region is not too far from the capital! In addition to the honor she had of seeing her monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage with the inscription of the cathedral, the Palais du Tau and the former Saint-Rémi Abbey, she recently had the inscription of its Champagne landscapes in the ranking. When you arrive in Reims, the whole world of Champagne sparkles. So, visit the cellars of one or more Great Champagne Houses, such as those of Maison Taittinger, Maison Mumm or Maison Ruinart.

Troyes

With its historic heart characterized by its pretty half-timbered houses, the town of Troyes dates from the 16th century and always attracts more curious visitors. But that’s not all ! The pride of the Trojans also lies in its surrounding countryside. Located between 5 and 10 kilometers from the city, these lands are called “Troyes La Champagne”. Indeed, the Aube department is the 2nd largest producing department of Champagne, just after the Marne, with nearly 6,500 hectares!

Épernay

Located in the Marne, this commune is the capital of Champagne. Avenue de Champagne is recognized worldwide and has many large production houses, with more than 110 kilometers of cellars. Among them, we find Champagne Moet et Chandon, Champagne de Venoge, Champagne Mercier, Champagne Esterlin…

Surprising tourist experiences

THE wine tourism has more than one trick up his sleeve to surprise tourists and is not content with showing people around the cellars of the great vineyards. It’s even more pleasant when you can learn while having fun and wine professionals understand this well.

From now on, the art of wine can be discovered in a unique way and allows us to keep incredible memories. Thus, online platforms make it possible to book extraordinary stays.

Have you ever thought about visit a vineyard from the air? Know that it is entirely possible: some winegrowers offer hot air balloon rides. You will have the chance to fly over the wine-growing lands by air, for a fixed duration depending on the weather and to end this trip with a tasting. Change of scenery and sensations guaranteed!

You could also visit vineyards aboard a horse-drawn carriage, for a gentle and contemplative ride. Are you more of an active type, wanting to get your hands dirty? Please note that some winegrowers offer complete immersion days to understand the winegrower profession and witness all the stages, from growing the vines to making wine.

wine tourism

Wine tourism, symbol of French cultural heritage

France is a country that has nothing to envy of others in terms of rich and varied landscapes. It has built a reputation on a global level, notably thanks to its 14 wine regions, which make it possible to produce wines High quality. Of Burgundy in Languedoc, passing through Champagne, you will inevitably find an activity that will please you, depending on your love for a particular region or landscape.

This is a great opportunity to benefit from the winemaking know-how shared by these passionate professionals. It is a sector that is still too little known, which is sometimes the victim of the clichés attached to it. Wine tourism is far from being elitist and, on the contrary, encourages people to go beyond their a priori. Everyone is capable of understanding how wine is made and appreciating its true value.

Thanks to unique and personalized activities, there is something for everyone. Nature is very often there, which is why it is interesting to practice this type of activity as a family. If children cannot of course taste the products, they can marvel at the professional gestures of the winegrowers or at the vineyard fields which stretch as far as the eye can see.

Please note, the sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited to anyone under the age of 18. In all cases, alcohol should be consumed in great moderation and without exceeding the threshold limits set by law for drivers.