The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Champagne Region

The Champagne region is an area of France best known for its sparkling wines of the same name – champagne! It is a place of rolling hills and vineyards, crisscrossed with picturesque towns and historical monuments. A visit to Champagne can be an unforgettable experience, as there are many things to explore, from tasting some of the world’s finest bubbly wines to taking in the iconic French countryside.

This guide is all you need to plan your perfect trip for visiting Champagne in France. We’ll explore the best sights, experiences and wines the area offers, from a day exploring the vineyards of Épernay to an evening sampling some of Reims’ finest sparklers.

So whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or an adventure of epic proportions, this guide has you covered. Here is our ultimate guide to visiting the Champagne region.

The Down-Low on the Champagne Region

The Champagne wine region is divided into five distinct areas: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, and Côte des Bar. Each of these regions produces its own unique style of sparkling wine, so it’s a good idea to explore the different areas to understand the local wines.

Montagne de Reims is home to some of the finest pinot noir in France and is known for producing powerful, full-bodied champagnes. Perhaps the most well-known part of the Champagne wine region, the world’s oldest and most prestigious champagne houses are found here.

Vallée de la Marne produces a range of rich and fruity wines with slight sweetness. Vallée de la Marne produces lighter champagnes with a touch of acidity and a fruity flavor.

The area is known for its vineyards that fan out along the winding river and produce some excellent wines. It is locally known as the Pinot Meunier Territory.

Côte des Blancs focuses on champagnes using chardonnay grapes. The chardonnay grape here produces some of the most elegant and aromatically complex champagnes in the world.

Côte de Sézanne is often clustered together with Côte des blancs, as it is mainly comprised of chardonnay grapes. The wines tend to be softer than the other, similar whites.

Côte des Bar is the smallest of the five regions and is known for its pinot noir–focused champagnes. The region produces some of the oldest and most expensive wines in Champagne and is considered an area specializing in top-end, complex wines.