Free walking tours in Épernay and what to see

Must-sees

Épernay lies on the Marne, in the heart of Champagne, and has lived off champagne for centuries. Its main street for visitors is the Avenue de Champagne, lined with the mansions and headquarters of the great houses, beneath which kilometres of cellars are dug into the chalk. The avenue, together with the region’s hillsides and cellars, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strolling along it and going down into one of the cellars for a visit with a tasting is the essential experience.

On the same avenue is the Château Perrier, a 19th-century mansion housing the museum of Champagne wine and regional archaeology, with a garden open to the public. The town hall occupies another former residence with a park. A few kilometres away, the village of Hautvillers, among vineyards and overlooking the Marne Valley, keeps the abbey where Dom Pérignon lived. The roads of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs pass through winegrowers’ villages with family cellars.

Free tours and guided visits

Épernay has no regular free walking tours. The usual thing is to book a cellar visit directly with the champagne houses, which are guided and end with a tasting. Civitatis lists a champagne e-bike tour through the vineyards and nearby villages, a good way to get out of town without a car and understand how the vines are worked.

How long to spend

One day is enough for the Avenue de Champagne, a cellar visit and the Château Perrier. If you also want to visit a small producer, go up to Hautvillers and tour the vineyards, allow two days. Épernay combines well with Reims, less than half an hour away, with its cathedral and more champagne houses. During the harvest the villages are lively, but accommodation fills up earlier.

Where to stay

The most practical place to stay is central Épernay or near the Avenue de Champagne, so you can walk to the cellars and taste without driving. The train station is close by, with connections to Reims and Paris. If you want peace among the vines, the surrounding villages have guesthouses run by winegrowers. Reims has far more choice if you can’t find anywhere.