France’s champagne region is a popular day trip destination from Paris, owing to cities like Epernay being just a short train ride away. But Epernay is more than its size and it’s a lovely place to spend a few days if you’re into hiking or biking. But especially if you’re into champagne.
Epernay vs. Reims
Like everyone I know who has been to the Champagne region, my first foray into this area of France was to Reims. Reims is bigger, so it has more to enjoy including the stunning Notre-Dame de Reims, which served as the coronation site for 33 French kings. It’s also where Germany surrendered in 1945, officially ending WWII. But as a place to spend a couple of days? It was just okay. It’s an awkwardly mid-size city, so if you’re not driving, everything is a bit of a walk.
Epernay, on the other hand is all character and charm, despite being a fraction of its size… or perhaps because of it. Its small streets are colorful and vibrant, and the entire city is surrounded by acres upon acres of lush vineyards. Now that I’ve been to both, if I had to choose one of the two to stay in for an extended period, it would be Epernay without a second thought. It serves as the perfect quaint home base, while still being about 30 minutes by train to Reims if you still want to make it out there for some sightseeing.
Why it’s worth an extended stay
It may not have a million museums to visit, but if you really want to bask in the fabulous atmosphere that is French champagne houses and their sprawling vineyards, it’s worth it to pace yourself. You could theoretically come in the morning and do one or two cellar tours and an additional one or two tastings, but by the end of it, you’re going to be absolutely over the experience and you’re going to be so drunk that you won’t even be able to appreciate the different flavors.
We stayed for 5 days, so we were able to try different champagnes on different days, actually savoring the experience rather than rushing through it to make it to the next place. What would you do with the rest of your time? Well, Epernay is the gateway to the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park, which includes forests, hillsides, and valleys that are surrounded by vineyards. Many people explore the area by bike, though hiking is another potential option.
Things to do in Epernay
Drink the afternoon away on the Avenue de Champagne
The wonderful thing about the Avenue de Champagne that is unique to Epernay is that rather than having champagne houses scattered across the city, all of the impressive mansions of the major champagne houses are located conveniently on a 1-kilometer long boulevard. But the real magic is underground. Because beneath the Avenue de Champagne lie over 110 kilometers of chalk tunnels where champagne is stored for aging.
The mansions above ground serve as flagship boutiques for the brands, though cellar tours and specialty tastings are, of course, possible. There are dozens of champagne houses in Epernay, and while most of them offer some kind of guided tasting or tour experience, the really popular ones like Moët et Chandon or Perrier-Jouët book weeks in advance in some cases.
If you want a less formal way to enjoy the champagne houses, each of the maisons on the Avenue de Champagne have lovely terraces, most of which you can visit without a reservation, even Perrier-Jouët’s magical Art Nouveau garden, Cellier Belle Epoque. Though I should note that if you’re interested in the restaurant’s tasting menu, that is by reservation only.
Enjoying leisurely self-guided tastings at the champagne houses was my favorite part of our trip to Epernay. It was casual but luxurious. It was also expensive as hell. There’s a good chance you’ll spend more in one afternoon at Moët’s champagne bar than you will on your accommodation for the week. But if you’re going to have only one glass of Dom Pérignon in your life, you might as well make it there.
Enjoy some light sightseeing
If you’re especially into the process of wine-making, Epernay also has a museum dedicated to the craft, the Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology Museum. It’s located in Chateau Perrier, a former home of champagne merchants. The building and grounds itself are the main draw, although the collection also gives great insights into the chalky Champagne subsoil and the winemaking process, something that you’ll also learn about on any cellar tours.
Just down the street, you’ll come to the Parc de l’Hôtel de Ville. It’s only fitting that the city’s town hall is located in the former private mansion of the Auban-Moët family. The surrounding property is a beautifully manicured public park.
You can also enjoy some incredible religious architechture at the Notre-Dame of Epernay, which is free to visitors. It’s much smaller than the Notre-Dame of Reims and not as historically notable, but it’s still a beautiful example of a blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Visit the charming village of Hautvillers
Hautvillers is important to the tradition of champagne-making as the home to Benedictine monk, Dom Pierre Pérignon. Yes, that Dom Pérignon. At Hautvillers Abbey, he served as cellar master, perfecting the practice of wine and champagne-making. You can even visit his tomb at the Church of Saint-Sindulphe.
Hautvillers also happens to be one of the most adorable little villages you will ever lay eyes on. It sits on a hill above Epernay, giving you incredible views of the vineyards the lie between the two towns. Hautvillers’ tiny streets are full of small winemakers and restaurants where you can enjoy more local fare and bubbles.
Getting there is no small feat. It’s about 6 km away from Epernay, and while part of the hike would take you through the fields of vineyards, part of it simply follows the path of the road. It’s quite long and gets progressively steeper. So my recommendation if you don’t have a car is to take a taxi and then hike back down to Epernay. Or you can rent bikes and take a scenic ride over. But it’s certainly not to be missed if you’re in Epernay.
Hike in the nearby areas
Since Epernay is so small and it’s surrounded by vineyards and forests, there is no shortage of hiking paths. If you want something simple and scenic, the best way to explore the area is to do a loop around the city along its vineyards. This is not a perfect hiking route and some parts of the path will be on the road, but it’s easily accessible on foot from the center of town.
Another place for city hiking is Mount Bernon, which offers a bird’s eye view of the historic hillsides as well as the cityscape. Though there are many trails within the park to enjoy, most people visit to go up to the Pierre Cheval viewpoint to see a 360 view of the area. If you’re traveling with kids, there is also a playground up at the top.
For how small it is, there’s plenty to eat, drink, and enjoy in Epernay. Let’s take this city out of the day trip scrap pile! It’s worth a longer stay.
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