Reims for a day
 

Headed to Paris in early April and planning a day trip to Reims for my wife and myself (late 30s). Interested in Fodorite's recommendations on which Champagne houses to visit (Reims or Epernay or both and which specific houses)? Also, how did you go about making reservations for your visit (which I understand is required)? Finally, tips on getting from train station to the specific Champagne houses. Thanks!

Lots of threads on Fodors with the same discussion. Here is one of them...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-day-visit.cfm

You can do a search for more.

You can book directly with several of the large ones like Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Lanson, Mumm or Taittinger. If you are only going for the day, just stay put in Reims, easy TGV ride from Paris. You can walk or take a cab to most in the Reims area. Good link to check out:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel...ours-BR-1.html

Don't miss the majestic cathedral which was the coronation site of French kings. It is worth a visit. A favorite of mine.

http://www.reims-tourism.com/reims-c.../foliot/1.aspx

This is the official Reims tourism site that list all the champagne houses. We visited Pommery in December, but if Ruinart had been open, that is the one I would have visited.

We walked to Pommery. It was probably a 25 minute walk. Hard to calculate because we stopped for lunch on the way. The other option is a taxi.

Yes to either Reims or Epernay
Epernay is far more walkable, once you are on the Avenue du Champagne that's it (roughly), while in Reims the town is bigger and you have to dodge about a bit.

In either case TI is good, Reims has the Cathedral while Epernay is a farming town.

This may help
http://www.mybikeguide.co.uk/Champagne_Cellars.php

If you take the TGV to Reims you need to buy those tickets three months in advance for the cheapest train ticket prices. A last minute one-way fare from Paris to Reims is 34€ to 44€. The same one-way fare bought three months in advance can be as low as 15€. Use www.capitainetrain.com for schedules/prices/buying tickets. The local TER trains that go direct from Paris to Epernay have fixed prices of 23.60€ one-way.

You don't have to buy tickets exactly 3 months in advance, there is a long time between 3 months and last minute and plenty of discount fares will be available in time periods less than exactly 3 months.

Reserve early if you want to visit Ruinart as they take a very limited number of visitors. You can find booking info on each champagne house's website. The Ruinart tour also takes a bit longer than the others. I think we were there 2.5 hours. Many of the champagne houses in Reims are located in the southern part of the city which is about a half hour walk from the train station. You can also take a taxi or bus.

WE really enjoyed the Ruinart tour and the tasting. WE arrived in Reims around 10 AM, walked to visit the cathedral and see a bit of the town, then taxied to Ruinart. We were there in December so, in warmer weather, might not have needed the taxi.

<< plenty of discount fares will be available in time periods less than exactly 3 months.>>

Yes, you may even find cheap fares a month or less in advance of your travel date. But the trend is generally for ticket prices to increase and rarely decrease as the cheap tickets sell out and your travel date approaches.

Any experience with guided day tours in Reims?

I drove my brother and sister in law to Reims for a day and we went to the tourist office after visiting the cathedral next door. We just asked "where can we get an English language tour at a champagne house this afternoon?" (my sister-in-law doesn't speak French) They had a list of all possibilities with times and addresses. We had time to go to the first one on the list, which was starting within 30 minutes, and it was excellent. Now that Reims has a tramway system, you can probably get to most places even faster.

I REALLY liked Veuve Cliquot, my favourite in Reims. Book in advance though. Mumm was ok but the least favourite of all we went to. In Epernay Moët et Chandon was also very good.

Ps I emailed VC to book, all very simple. I paid when we arrived.

I think our unreserved tour was to Tattinger.

No experience with guided tours but very easy to do on your own. Book whatever champagne houses you are interested in visiting, book the train 3 months in advance and go. It is an easy walk to the cathedral and tourist office from the train. We walked the area around the cathedral and spent some time in the cathedral. W

We had a lunch reservation and a Ruinart tour scheduled and the tourist office called a taxi for us. It was December and we didn't look into walking or tram. Ruinart got us a taxi back to the train station. Not sure what a tour would have cost but we did everything on our schedule without a problem.

Would it be too much to do both Epernay and Reims in one day trip?