The Perfect Day Trip to Reims and Epernay From Paris: A Complete Guide

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to visit the legendary Champagne houses in France. Names like Veuve Clicquot and Moët & Chandon always felt iconic to me, especially knowing their bottles were coming from historic cellars in the Champagne region. When we finally planned a trip to Paris, I knew I had to carve out time to see it for myself.

If you’re visiting Paris and want a quick escape from the city, this day trip, in my opinion, is one of the best choices you can make! Just 45 minutes by train, Reims is not only a city rich with history but also the unofficial capital of Champagne.

In this guide, I’ll share our exact itinerary for visiting Reims and Epernay in one day, including how to get there, the Champagne houses we visited, and where to eat before heading back to Paris.

Train to Reims from Paris

I booked my train tickets from Paris Est to Reims using Rail Europe. Paris Est is a big train station and will be the fastest option for getting to Reims nonstop. We took the first nonstop train in the morning so we could take full advantage of the day.

I booked our tickets on Rail Europe because it’s easy to compare schedules, book tickets in English, and have all your tickets together. It takes the stress out of navigating French rail websites, and I had my tickets confirmed in minutes.

When you purchase your tickets, you will receive a seat number and a coach number. My tickets read, Seat 34, Coach 18 (Aisle, Table for four). When we got to the train, all we could see were car numbers on the outside, which isn’t the same as the coach.

We ended up asking a rail attendant and found that each train car has a little screen that displays the coach number and schedule. I put a picture of this below so you know what to look for!

First Stop: Notre Dame de Reims

Once you arrive, the Notre Dame de Reims is just a short walk from the train station. This cathedral is where French kings were crowned for centuries, including Charles VII with Joan of Arc by his side.

The scale of this cathedral is very impressive! We walked up to it, and all I could say was “Wow!” The amount of detail on the outside and inside is truly so intricate. This was one of those places where I wish history could talk, because this place has seen a lot!

When I visit Reims again, I will book a guided tour like this one to learn more about this cathedral.

It’s often compared to Paris’s Notre Dame, but I actually found the Reims one more peaceful and less crowded. Take a little time to wander inside and admire the stained glass windows, they’re stunning! There is even a little gift shop if you want to bring home a souvenir.

Champagne Houses in Reims: Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger

From the cathedral, it’s about a 20-minute walk to Veuve Clicquot, one of the most famous Champagne houses in the world. You can also take a city bus if you don’t want to walk. You will want to book your tour in advance because spots sell out quickly, especially if you need an English tour.

We did the Only One Quality, the Finest tour for 80€. This included a cellar tour to learn how champagne is made, along with a tutored tasting of 4 cuvées. The tour takes you into their historic chalk cellars where millions of bottles are aging. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned during this tour, and I now have a new appreciation when drinking champagne.

It is quite chilly down in the cellars, about 10-12 Celsius (50F), so I would recommend bringing a jacket with you. You will be down there for the tour and tastings as well.

Veuve also has a cafe called Cafe Cliquot, where you can visit to get a drink, a snack, or both! On Mondays and Tuesdays, they only serve meat and cheese boards and desserts. We visited on a Tuesday and got a bottle of their Rosé and a ham and cheese board. You can check out their full menu here.

After Veuve, it’s an easy walk over to Taittinger, another iconic Champagne house. Their cellars are equally impressive, with Roman origins dating back to the 4th century. We did not do a cellar tour here, but we stopped in to have a glass. They offer similar tour options as Veuve, so I would pick your favorite and do the full tour at that one.

If you want to spend the whole day in Reims, there are a few other renowned champagne houses you can add to your itinerary.

Vranken Pommery is located not far from Taittinger and is similar to Veuve in the fact that a woman also ran it after she became widowed. You won’t only find champagne in their cellars, but you will also find art from the latest contemporary art exhibition. This might be worth a visit for you if you are a wine and art lover!

Next door to Pommery, you will find Maison Ruinart. This is the oldest operating champagne house in Reims. They also have a permanent collection of contemporary art spread throughout their caves.

There are several other Champagne houses in Reims you can visit. Most of them have tours you can book in advance, or you can just stop in for a glass!

If you don’t want to worry about booking tours at each champagne house and arranging transportation between them, here are a few tour options I recommend below!

Transportation to Epernay

From Reims, you can either hop back on the train to Epernay, which you can also book through Rail Europe, or do what we ended up doing and book an Uber.

The train only cost us €11 per person from Reims to Epernay, so it’s a very efficient way to get there. The train station is also very close to all the champagne houses in Epernay, so you don’t have to walk very far once you get there.

We actually missed our train, but thanks to Uber, we were able to book a ride to Epernay for about 40 USD. It worked out perfectly and only took around 30 minutes. It’s a very scenic drive, you get to see some of the French countryside and vineyards along the way!

If you don’t want to be on a time schedule, I recommend going the Uber route so you can book it whenever you’re ready to leave. This allows for more flexibility and time drinking champagne. You will also get dropped off at your next location, so you don’t have to walk from the train station.

Moët & Chandon-Epernay

Epernay is the heart of Champagne country, and the highlight is walking down Avenue de Champagne. This is where the biggest names in Champagne have their headquarters, and it feels like strolling down the Champs-Élysées of bubbly.

We only had time to visit one place here, so we booked the Signature tour and tasting at Moët & Chandon, the largest Champagne house in the world. The Dom Perignon statue is outside, along with a little bar serving their Imperial champagne.

The tour had a lot of the same information as Veuve, as far as the champagne-making process, but you also learned their back story and history in the making of Moët & Chandon. Their cellars stretch for more than 17 miles underground, it’s unbelievable! The tour was polished, informative, and ended with a generous tasting of two of Moët’s famous brut’s.

The tour is concluded at their boutique, where you can purchase bottles and exclusive champagnes.

They do have a bar on-site where you can grab a snack and a glass or bottle of their champagne, but you will need to make a reservation for this in advance on their website.

Restaurants in Epernay

After a couple of Champagne tastings, you’ll want a good meal before heading back to Paris. Epernay has some wonderful options, from casual bistros to fine dining. A few top-rated restaurants include:

• Cafe le Progres– Casual dining experience with generous portions and good beer and champagne selection. This is where we ate, and it was great!
• Symbiose – Modern and creative, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients
• La Grillade Gourmande – Known for hearty dishes and a cozy atmosphere.

If you want something more casual, many cafés along Avenue de Champagne serve lighter bites and charcuterie boards that pair beautifully with, you guessed it, more Champagne.

Train from Epernay to Paris

When it’s time to head back, the Epernay train station is conveniently located right in the center of town, just a short walk from Avenue de Champagne. You can easily book your return ticket to Paris on Rail Europe, which makes planning ahead simple.

The journey back takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to Paris Est, and trains run regularly throughout the day. The train will stop at Dormans and Chateau-Thierry before stopping in Paris.

We booked the 7:47 pm train to give us enough time to eat before leaving, but I think there is a later train as well. It’s the perfect chance to relax after a full day of Champagne tastings and arrive back in Paris early enough to prepare for your next day’s adventure!

Final Thoughts

A day trip to Reims from Paris is perfect for anyone who loves history, champagne, or simply a change of pace from the city. Adding Epernay makes it even better because you get two Champagne capitals in one day.

From the stunning cathedral to legendary Champagne houses like Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, and Moët & Chandon, this itinerary gives you a taste of the best. Just don’t forget to prebook your tours and trains so you can have a stress-free day of sippin’ champagne!

Santé!