Epernay: Hautvillers & Côte des Blancs Champagne Tasting
Four hours in the Champagne hills, tasting where it all started
You visit Dom Pérignon's village and the viewpoint where he worked, tour a family-owned Grand Cru vineyard in Oger, and taste three Champagnes plus three regional spirits from Goyard Distillery. The guide handles the route and the history. You handle the tasting and the questions. Small group, air-conditioned transport, and you're back by early afternoon.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Champagne Villages and Tastings Tour
- Visit Hautvillers village
- Tour Dom Pérignon's church
- Learn Champagne history
- Enjoy panoramic vineyard view
- Discover vineyard management
- Drive through Côte des Blancs
- Pass Cramant and Avize villages
- Pass Champagne bottle factory
- Pass Chateau de Saran and Montaigu site
- Visit Oger family producer
- Taste three Grand Cru Champagnes
- Additional tasting of Champagne spirits
- Pass Avenue de Champagne in Epernay
- Abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers 30m
- Hautvillers 45m
- Avize passing by
- Oger 1h 30m
- Cramant 30m
- Avenue de Champagne passing by
What’s included
Small group of 2 to 8 people, premium air-conditioned vehicle, and a guide who drives and narrates. You get a private tour of the church in Hautvillers where Dom Pérignon is buried, a stop at the panoramic viewpoint over the Marne Valley, a visit to the family grower's vineyard and cellar in Oger with explanations of the Champagne-making process, three Grand Cru Champagne tastings at the grower, three additional tastings of Ratafia, Fine de la Marne, and Marc de Champagne from Goyard Distillery, and a commented drive through the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay with the history of the major Champagne houses.
- Monday to Saturday 14:00
Information
Half-day tour from Epernay through Dom Pérignon's village and Grand Cru vineyards with three Champagne tastings, spirits from Goyard Distillery, and transport for 2–8 people.
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Traveler reviews
The experience
The guide was running five minutes late, which somehow made the whole thing feel real. You're standing outside the hotel in Epernay, and instead of a slick minibus pulling up, it's a regular person in a regular car who apologizes and then immediately starts talking about the vineyards you're about to see. That's the tone of this half-day Champagne tour: no script, just someone who knows the region taking you through it at a pace that lets you actually look around.
You start in Hautvillers, the village where Dom Pérignon lived and worked, and the guide walks you through the church where he's buried. There's a moment where you learn he probably didn't invent Champagne. He just figured out how to make it consistent, which somehow matters more. Then you're standing at the viewpoint overlooking the Marne Valley, the same hillsides where he did his experiments, and the light hits the vineyards in a way that makes you understand why people have been obsessed with this place for centuries. The guide points out the Pinot Noir vines, explains what "terroir" actually means (not just a word on wine lists), and you're not bored because it's connected to something you can see.
After that you head south to the Côte des Blancs, where the Chardonnay grows. You pass through Cramant and Avize, both Grand Cru villages, and the guide mentions the Château de Saran in passing, the ultra-private LVMH property where they host VIPs. It's the kind of detail that makes you realize how much money moves through these hills. Then you pull up to a family grower in Oger, been there since 1864, and this is where the tasting happens. Three Champagnes (a natural one with no added sugar, a brut, maybe a vintage), and the owner or someone from the family explains what you're tasting and why it matters. It's not a performance. You can ask questions. You can buy a bottle if you want.
Before you head back to Epernay, there's a second tasting: Ratafia, Fine de la Marne, and Marc de Champagne from the Goyard Distillery, which has been making these since 1911. Ratafia is sweet, made from the same grapes as Champagne, and it's the kind of thing locals drink that tourists never find. The guide saves the Avenue de Champagne for last: that famous street in Epernay lined with the big houses, Moët & Chandon and Perrier Jouët and the rest, with 200 million bottles buried underneath in the cellars. You drive past, and the guide tells you the history of each mansion. It's not a long stop, but it's the right way to end because you've already tasted the small producers, so seeing the scale of the big names makes sense.
The whole thing is four hours, maybe a bit more depending on how long you linger at the grower. Groups stay small, two to eight people, so you're not herded. The vehicle is air-conditioned, which matters on a warm day in the vineyards. If you're in Epernay and you want to understand Champagne instead of just drinking it, this is the shape of the day.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and French.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 17 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.
How long is the tour?
Approximately four hours, half-day format starting in the morning.
What Champagnes do you taste?
Three Grand Cru or Premier Cru Champagnes from the independent family grower in Oger, including styles like natural (no dosage), brut, and vintage.
Is the tour suitable for people who don't know much about wine?
Yes. The guide explains the basics (terroir, grape varieties, production), and the tastings are designed to help you understand the differences between styles.
What are the additional tastings?
Ratafia Champenois (a sweet aperitif made from Champagne grapes), Fine de la Marne, and Marc de Champagne (brandies), all from Goyard Distillery.
How many people are in the group?
Small groups of 2 to 8 people maximum.
Is hotel pickup included?
The tour departs from Epernay. Check with the operator about pickup options from your hotel.
Can you buy Champagne at the vineyard?
Yes, the family grower has a shop where you can purchase bottles and souvenirs.
What is the Côte des Blancs?
A region south of Epernay famous for Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyards, producing 100% Blanc de Blancs Champagnes.
Is this tour wheelchair accessible?
The tour involves walking through vineyards and a church, plus stairs in the cellar. Check with the operator about your specific needs.
What if I don't drink alcohol?
The tour is built around tastings, but you can ask the guide about non-alcoholic alternatives or skip portions of the tasting.
Operated by Aÿ-Champagne Experience. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated today
Epernay: Hautvillers & Côte des Blancs Champagne Tasting
3h 30m · EN · FR
from € 160 per person
≈ US$ 180 in your currency
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