A Guide to Champagne Tours

Since I studied in Reims, which just so happens to be the capital of the Champagne region in France, I knew I just had to take advantage of being in this location. So, towards the end of my time abroad, my parents visited and we went on several champagne tours. Here is my review of the two different houses that we visited.

1. Paul-Etienne Saint Germain—Épernay, France
First, we visited the famous Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. This is essentially a one kilometer long street with Champagne Houses on both sides. Many of the most well-known champagne producers are located here, including Moët, Chandon, and Perrier-Joët. The house that we visited was smaller, and when we walked in we spoke directly to the owners. We chose to sample champagne from their two collections: Les Classiques and Les Prestiges. I tried the Rosé and the Divine St. Germain... both were great. The best part about visiting a smaller house such as this one is that you get a more personalized experience and you get to try a champagne that you probably wouldn't have the chance to in back in the U.S. We liked this champagne so much that we decided to ship two bottles back home to the U.S.!

2. Champagne Taittinger—Reims, France
The second place we visited was actually located about a mile away from my apartment in Reims. If you are looking for more than a simple tasting, I would go to this Champagne House. In addition to a tasting, we also were given a tour of the cellars. This particular tour takes visitors 18 meters below ground where you are given a behind-the-scenes look at the champagne making process and also a history of the Taittinger Champagne House, which was originally an Abbey that housed Benedictine monks! Though the Taittinger brand is more renowned in the United States, I didn't notice a difference in quality between this champagne and the Paul-Etienne champagne. It is worth noting, however, that I think all champagne tastes the same anyways.

These are just two of the many Champagne Houses in the Champagne Provence of France and I am sure that each house presents a different experience to its visitors. Whether you are on the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay or in Reims, you cannot go wrong with any of the houses there. I would recommend looking at availability and booking a tour ahead of time, because people travel from all over the world just to try this champagne, and the tours book up quickly!