On the Road from Paris to Champagne
DIY Paris to Champagne for a Day
This month, our World Wine Travel writers are “On the Road” somewhere. I’m writing about a fun day trip to Champagne I took last fall with wine writer friends. My fellow writers will be sharing details about being on the road somewhere in the world! See the bottom of this post for a list of links to the other finds our writers are sharing.
Do It Yourself
From Paris, Champagne is an easy day trip via TGV, the high speed rail. There are any number of tour agencies who will be happy to take you, but our little group of wine writers are also “do it yourself (DIY) types. Come along as Liz, Dayna and I take a day trip from Paris to tour Champagne Ruinart and so much more!
Disclosure: This was an independent event, no sponsorship of any sort was involved.
Meetup in Paris
The evening prior, we met for dinner in Paris. Liz and Dayna were visiting from the US on a wine trip through several regions in France. I took the TGV from my winter hangout in Dijon. We met for a glass of wine, then headed to dinner at Café de la Nouvelle Mairie, an always reliable bistro with good food and a fun natural-leaning wine list. Café de la Nouvelle Mairie is open on Monday evenings when many Paris restaurants are closed, and no reservations taken, good to know!
Paris to Reims
Early Tuesday morning we made our way on the Metro to the Gare de L’Est. We had purchased our TGV tickets in advance, important, as tickets increase in price as trains fill up. Pro tip: when searching for trains, note the TGV vs. TER. TER is the regional system with normal speed trains. TER trains are less expensive but slower, and seating is open. TGV is much faster and you’ll have an assigned seat. 1st class is usually only a few euros more and the seats are a bit roomier. The high-speed TGV transported us to Reims in just 45 minutes!
A Morning in Reims
One could rush through two visits in a day, but why hurry? Plus, there is much to see and do in Reims. When we arrived, the first order was a café and a pastry at a local brasserie. Next stop was a walk around Reims to find the Notre Dame Cathedral, coronation site of 32 French kings. Due to its significance, it was a primary target of the Germans in World War I, and it was bombed and heavily damaged in 1914. After the war, it was renovated and returned to its former glory. I particularly love the statue of Joan d’Arc outside and of course, the inside is stunning, don’t miss it! We finished up our morning at, where else, a champagne shop! They have an extensive selection of champagnes, especially grower champagnes, with many not available in the US. Even with shipping costs, sending a case back to the US was a good deal, especially with the choice of champagnes at the shop.
Fancy Lunch at Brasserie Le Jardin
After exploring downtown Reims, we uber’d to our lunch reservation, close to Ruinart. Uber is available in Paris, but many smaller cities don’t have enough drivers. Reims seems to have enough business to make it a good choice for getting around. Le Domaine les Crayères is a beautiful hotel/restaurant located just a short walk from Champagne Ruinart. The top restaurant at Le Domaine is Le Parc, carrying two Michelin stars (✿✿). Brasserie Le Jardin is elegant but a bit more relaxed. We each enjoyed two courses and shared a bottle of Champage Moussé, an organic grower producer. Then it was off to Ruinart!
Touring Champagne Ruinart
Champagne Ruinart is one of the grand marquée houses in Champagne. One of the visit options is a tour of the crayères, which I highly recommend if you have never visited before. The crayères predate Champagne, they are old limestone quarries dug in the fashion of huge towering caverns. Your tour will include a bit of history, a view to the champagne winemaking process and a tour through the caves and the crayères. And of course, tasting a few champagnes! A delightful afternoon, to be sure.
Back to Paris and Le Verre Volé
After our tour, we uber’d back to the Reims Gare and headed back to Paris. We ended our day with a fun contrast to all that elegance, dining at Le Verre Volé. Le Verre Volé is a long established and highly regarded bistro/cave (cave à manger) with a strong emphasis on natural wines. You can count on the wines being very well curated and the food was delicious. Highly recommended!
Champagne Houses with Crayères and Tours
Below are links to Champagne houses with tours of their crayères, in case you’re ready to plan your day trip from Paris!
Champagne Ruinart
Champagne Pommery – I thought the Pommery crayères tour was especially fun due to the many art installations. I reported my visit here.
Champagne Taittinger
Champagne Veuve Clicquot
Travel Friends
It’s great to travel with friends, especially wine writer/photographer buddies! You can look up Liz at What’s in that Bottle and Dayna at Women_of_a_certain_vintage
Fellow World Wine Travel Writers “On the Road” Experience
Take a look below at the great ideas for getting On the Road, from domestic day trips to wine cruises to various spots in Europe. You’re sure to find something intriguing!
•A Dreamy Day Trip to Rioja from Balboa by Wineivore
•At home and abroad, all roads lead to wine by My Full Wine Glass
•Exquisite Sips and Sailings: Carnival Cruiseline Wine Package by Our Good Life
•On the Road from Paris to Champagne by Food Wine Click!
•On the Road – Tips for Planning Wine Travel by Vino Tripping
•Our Visit to Youngblood Vineyards by A Day in the Life on the Farm
•Planning A Relaxing Wine Trip – Thank Gosh Our Strategy Changed! by Savor the Harvest
•Regenerative Organic: Farmed Like the World Depends on It + the Feral Wines of Tablas Creek by Culinary Cam
•Soaking In Wine Country – How to Do it Right! by Crushed Grape Chronicles
Travel in Tuscany: From Rome to Altura at Isola del Giglio and La Maliosa at Saturnia and back by Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley
