My wife and I are staying a week in Paris in April and would like to visit Reims/Epernay and take a tour of Veuve Clicquot (reserved for 10am). We’ve also got reservations at Les Crayeres for lunch (reserved for 1pm).
We’ve been advised to hire a car and driver to take us out there and back because of the drinking we’re likely to do.
The fact is we intend to drink champagne at tastings and lunch that will likely put us above the legal BAC limit, whatever that may be.
We knew the car/driver would be expensive but we’re getting prices of €900 for the day or €85 per hour.
What’s the better way to do this?
How long is the train ride out there? Are there taxis available to take us to other vineyards once in the area?
Please help.
Thanks in advance.

Go on my thread entitled, "Guenmai's Paris Apartment Rental Experience", where I've listed the name of an American driver in Paris. I think his website is americandriverinparis.com. He was the guy who picked me up at the apartment that I rented in Paris, last spring, and drove me to the airport. He also works for a shuttle company, also listed on the abovementioned thread. He was working for the shuttle company job when he picked me up. He's from New Mexico, speaks fluent French and several other languages, was perfectly on time, nice, and quite delightful to chat with. He's very laid back and flexible. Just scroll to get to my thread as it's been topped just this week or click on my screen name. Maybe you could negotiate something with him. He even once drove a client to Switzerland because she wanted to see it. Happy Travels!

Oh, by the way, I've been there and took the train from Paris. I think it took an hour to get there. If I remember correctly, I walked from the train station to the champagne house. I then trained it back to Paris in the early evening. Happy Travels!

Also took the train from Paris to Epernay last year .. easy and quick. Short stroll to Champagne Houses - toured the Moet and Mercier outlets, and thoroughly enjoyed it!!

I just looked it up for you and he charges 525 Euros for a full day, 6-7 hours to the champagne region. Happy Travels!

Thank you very much for your informed replies. Unless I'm wrong, it kind of looks like the train would be a perfectly good enough way to make this day trip.
Do you disagree?

We took the train from Paris to Reims in September 2007 - we got a Prems special fare of 20 euro round trip per person and it took 45 minutes. I am sure they have taxis there, but wonder how much they would charge to get you back and forth from the restaurant. You could probably ask the restaurant about that... spend the savings on champagne!

"Prems special fare"? What's that?

Yes, the train is fine, but a car would be nice ,too. It just depends on if you want to splurge or not. With the car, Christian, would probably also show you all kinds of nice places. Happy Travels!

Prems fares are special promotions - they may not have one for Reims when you are going. I know I checked for many weeks before I finally got one... plug your date in here and see what comes up:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

Did this trip on Mar 9th - take train to Reims (TGV available) then take a cab to Veuve Cliquot. VCP will call for a taxi back to train station or take F line bus from out front of cellars (1 euro) to town center and have a look at the Cathedral - then M bus back to train to Epernay. In Epernay you can walk to Moet, Mercier, etc. then train back to Paris.
You can also arrange for a taxi from Reims to Epernay...ours was about 50 euros and we were a group of 5 gals.
Book the trains in advance through RailEurope....ours were 74 euros apiece for 2 trains - one TGV. No need for a driver unless you want one. Have fun!

So this was an easy trip via train and taxi from the station and we had a great time.

Thank you, all, for your help.

Don't they have something like a champagne bus or something, a bus service that takes you around a number of houses?

ciaony, how was Les Crayeres? We made the trip from Paris by train a number of years ago. We visited our favorite champagne house, Lanson and then went to Les Crayeres for lunch. It was a spectacular lunch with the hot smoked salmon appetizer a special olfactory memory. I know that the restaurant has changed hands since then from M Boyer. It has always been a dream to go back and stay at the hotel.

AGM, the building and the setting are, of course, exceptionally beautiful.
The meal was quite memorable and of the highest quality. The staff was as professional as I've seen anywhere.

But....

After spending a week in and around Paris (I'm still here now in San Germain) and eating through the spectrum, I think I realized or remembered that I just don't like French food.

What is up with putting sauce on EVERYTHING?
Why don't these people know when to STOP preparing the food.

I go to Italy and Spain at least once every year.

Both of those countries know the value of a few good fresh ingredients.

French food is so heavy-handed and lacking in subtlety, I feel like I want to go home (to NYC), get some exercise and order some steamed chicken with mixed vegetables for the next month.