Epernay or Reims
 

We'll be in Paris for 6 days in May. Interested in touring one of the Champagne cellars as a Sunday day trip. Can't decide between Moet & Chandon in Epernay or Veuve de Clicquot in Reims. Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated. Also, any recommendations for a good place to have lunch in either town.<BR><BR>Thank you.<BR><BR>Grace

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Go to Reims. It is 90 minute train ride fromParis and has many more Champagne Houses to tour. You probably need a resrvatioin for Veuve Cliquot. However, Pommery and Tattinger have very impressive cellars<BR>and you don't need a reservation. <BR><BR>Reims has a fab. Cathederal and better shopping than Epernay. If I recall the train back to Paris(Direct) leaves about 5-6:00 pm. Have fun.

We actually easily did both last year. We took the train to Reims and toured Clicquot and looked around a bit -- then we hopped on a train to Epernay (which is between Reims and Paris) and toured Moet and Chandon. We also had a nice lunch in Epernay. We were back in Paris by late afternoon/early evening. You do need reservations for Clicquot (although there is no charge). Moet does charge but you can walk up and take the tour.

Is there a good place to stay so you can walk to some of these places? We have a deal with the kids, no drinking and driving, period. So, we'd like to leave them playing game boys or at the pool (teenagers) and wander around visiting some cellars.

Well, we were in Paris and did this as a day trip. We took a cab from the Reims train station to Cliquot and then another cab to the main part of town. Epernay is quite small and very walkable -- so no car needed. The cab fare was very reasonable -- less than $10.