Champagne tour Reims: Avenue de Champagne, Hautvillers, tastings

Avenue de Champagne, vineyard villages and six tastings across two family cellars

A half-day guided van tour from Reims through the Champagne region, visiting the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, the village of Hautvillers, and two independent winemakers' cellars with six commented tastings total. The tour runs four hours with an English or French-speaking guide, includes bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle, and suits families with children from age one.

Step-by-step itinerary

Champagne tour and tastings

• Visit Avenue de Champagne in Epernay
• Drive to Hautvillers village and abbey
• Stop at Champagne viewpoint
• Tour first independent winemaker's cellar
• Taste champagnes with food pairing tips
• Tour second independent winemaker's cellar
• Taste champagnes with food pairing tips

The experience

The tour starts on Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, the historic heart where the Great Houses (Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger, De Venoge) built their estates and cellars. The avenue holds 110 kilometers of underground cellars and 200 million bottles aging beneath the cobblestones, making it the richest street in the world for wine. You travel by air-conditioned van, and the guide narrates the architecture and history as you pass the grand facades that gave Champagne its reputation.

From Epernay, the route climbs to Hautvillers, a village perched on a hillside overlooking the Montagne de Reims, the Marne Valley and the Côte des Blancs vineyards. The Benedictine Abbey sits here: the place where Dom Pérignon, a monk and cellarer in 1668, developed the blending technique that shaped modern Champagne. You see the enclosed abbey garden and the view across the grand cru and premier cru vineyards classified as UNESCO heritage, and the guide explains the full cycle of vine work and the handmade labor of Champagne growers.

Two visits to independent winemakers fill the afternoon. These growers own 90 percent of the 34,000 hectares under the Champagne Appellation and carry centuries of family tradition and terroir knowledge. At each cellar, the winemaker reveals the cellars and the secrets of their wine, then you taste three glasses of Champagne with commentary on each one. The guide offers tips on food and Champagne pairings before the tour ends. Bottled water is provided throughout.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned van transport between all stops.
• guided commentary in English or French.
• three tastings at the first winemaker's cellar with food-pairing tips.
• three tastings at the second winemaker's cellar with food-pairing tips.
• bottled water throughout the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to SaturdayDeparts at 13:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (15 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 97 years) · Youth (11 to 14 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by ABC Champagne Tour

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want a guide who knows Champagne from childhood to lead you through producer visits and tastings in a single morning, rather than spending a full day exploring on your own.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 14 years); Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What is the Avenue de Champagne and why does the tour start there?

The Avenue de Champagne in Epernay is where the Great Houses (Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger and De Venoge) built their estates and cellars in the 19th century. It holds 110 kilometers of underground cellars and 200 million bottles aging beneath the cobblestones, and the tour begins here to show the architectural grandeur and history that gave Champagne its global reputation.

Who was Dom Pérignon and what does Hautvillers have to do with him?

Dom Pérignon was a Benedictine monk and cellarer at Hautvillers Abbey starting in 1668. He developed the blending technique that improved Champagne quality by mixing different grape varieties and vintages, and his discovery shaped the modern wine. The abbey and its enclosed garden overlook the UNESCO-classified grand cru and premier cru vineyards where you can see the full cycle of vine work.

How many tastings are included and where do they happen?

You taste six glasses of Champagne total: three at each of the two independent winemakers' cellars. Each tasting is commented on by the winemaker or guide, and you receive tips on food and Champagne pairings at both stops.