Champagne, Burgandy or both as Day Trips from Paris
 

Hi! <BR> <BR>We will be on our second trip to Paris this summer and are planning some day trip excursions this time. <BR> <BR>Champagne: I would like to go to Champagne region and am thinking about a day trip to Epernay to see Dom Perignom (sp?). Would Moet and Tattingers in the Reims area (?) be better or more interesting? Is it feasible to do both? What are your thoughts? <BR> <BR>Burgandy: I've also read in the forum that it is possible to take the train to Dijon, rent a car and drive around the Burgandy area for the day. Any recommendations on wineries or sites that would be feasible in this amount of time. <BR> <BR> <BR>All knowledge and ideas are welcome! <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance for your input. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Champagne is definitely feasible as a day trip. I would try one of the lesser known champagne houses as well as or instead of the big ones. You might get a more authentic and intimate tour. I have only been to Pommery, which I liked a lot. Burgundy is really too far for a day trip, IMHO. We go there a lot and find that even for a weekend, its a lot if driving. Try to stay for at least a day or two and map out an itinerary of one large town (Dijon and Beaune are both beautiful) and several smaller ones in the surrounding vicinity. Good luck on your trip.

i went to the dom perignon/moet caves when i was in eparney about 8 years ago. it's definitely a "doable" day trip. can't say that i was to any other caves, but the moet caves were interesting. there are hundreds of miles of caves under the town, and at the end you get a taste of the bubbly. i also went to reims to see the cathedral afterwards. <BR> <BR>you also might want to consider chartres cathedral, versailles, or giverny as alternative day trips.

Mary, I've done both of the trips you've outlined. The Champagne region is approximately three hours from Paris by car. We rented from Hertz at Charles de Gaulle, which puts you well beyond the Paris traffic, and set our cross country via back roads (a good set of Michelin maps is essential to any driving trip to France). We toured the Veuve Cliquot and Tattinger caves in Epernay, had lunch in Reims, and generally enjoyed the countryside. While we drove onward to another destination, we could just as easily have returned to Paris the same day. The pace is much slower there, the people are very outgoing. <BR> <BR>We've done several trips to the Burgundy region. The easiest was an SNCF package that included round trip on the TGV from Gare de Lyon to Dijon and a day's rental car in Dijon. There are, I think, two early-morning TGVs to Dijon, both take just over an hour and a half. From there, the Burgundy Road heads south toward Beaune. It is a glorious area, especially in the summer. There are no large vineyards; rather, just small plots many of which sell wine direct and offer impromptu tastings. A little French goes a long way. At the southern end of the valley, the Hospice de Beaune is a major tourist attraction and a good half-way point for a day trip. <BR>

I got engaged in Reims this summer at <BR>La Berge Chez Francois which is a beautiful inn across from the Pommery Champagne house. I would recommend actually checking out of your hotel in Paris for one night to stay there. It is a three star Michelin hotel/restuarant and the cost of the room was actually less than what we paid in Paris. It is absolutely beautiful and if you are a guest at the hotel you get a free tour of the Pommery Champagne House. Go all out and make a dinner reservation, it is exquisite. Have fun!

Woops! I gave you the wrong name of the inn, it is Boyer Les Crayeres. Sorry about that. Anyway, look it up!