This Place 45 Minutes From Paris Is a Must-Do

Just 45 minutes from Paris by high-speed train, France’s Champagne region is a UNESCO World Heritage site, offering visitors an opportunity to explore historic vineyards and taste world-class sparkling wines. The city of Reims anchors the wine region, along with internationally well-known champagne houses like Tattinger, Veuve-Clicquot, Mumm, and more. 

After a week in Paris last month, I headed to the region for a long weekend, and can easily say the experience here rivaled the capital itself. Paris may dominate itineraries, but Champagne deserves equal billing.

Welcome to Champagne for a Sparkling Introduction

Shortly after you leave Paris, you’ll find rolling vineyards as far as the eye can see. There’s a reason the Champagne Hillsides, Houses, and Cellars are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

These protected cultural landscapes are the birthplace of true champagne wine—a name protected by law, ensuring that only sparkling wine produced here can call itself champagne. The region’s unique chalk soil, climate, and generations of winemakers create a terroir that’s impossible to replicate elsewhere. 

Do you have to be a wine fanatic to enjoy Champagne? No. With plenty of tours and tasting opportunities, this area offers adventure for connoisseurs and curious newbies. 

Planning Your Visit

The Champagne region is accessible year-round, and you can get direct trains from the Gare de l’Est station in Paris. Spring and summer offer the perfect weather for outdoor activities, while fall is peak grape harvest season. As harvest is a major event, consider visiting wine festivals and celebrations in September.

The Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa as a Hillside Haven

Just outside Eperney, a charming town 15 miles south of Reims, stands the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. The historic property, a former coaching inn frequented by Napoleon, is a design masterpiece. Resembling a modern amphitheater, each of the 47 rooms faces the vineyards, allowing panoramic views of the Marne valley. 

This was where we spent the weekend, a luxurious retreat after spending a week in busy Paris.

Luxury Meets Charm

Arriving at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa felt like entering a private estate. With its curated art collection, the elegant lobby immediately set the tone for our visit. After checking in, we opened the bottle of champagne waiting for us: a Champagne Leclerc Briant, with delicate bubbles and a crisp finish, a label that is part of the Champagne Hospitality umbrella. 

Enjoy your spacious suite, or head outside—the property has over 15,000 square feet of terraces, including a main terrace, rose garden, and herb garden. Strategically placed armchairs and sofas encourage a cocktail break or a glass of Champagne in the sun. Listen to lounge music, and let your cares slip away in one of their outdoor living rooms.

Visit Taittinger

Reims has several prestigious champagne houses, and Tattinger offers a memorable tour experience. We opted for the 90-minute Duo Comtes tour, with a guided tour of the 4th-century chalk cellars, a detailed explanation about how their champagne is produced, and a private tasting of two exceptional vintages: the Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2013, Comtes de Champagne Rosé 2012.

“Make it Balanced” Lunch

After our Tattinger visit, we returned to Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa to try their “Make it Balanced” lunch concept at Le Bellevue restaurant. This lighter dining option was created with nutri-cosmetics expert, Dr. Olivier Courtin-Clarins. Options include Hake from the Basque coast, velvety watercress soup, and a 80% dark chocolate tart that pairs perfectly with a selection of local champagnes.  

The restaurant is on the hotel’s top floor and boasts an impressive 180-degree view over the picturesque Eperney and Marne valleys. In addition to lunch, the restaurant also serves breakfast and dinner.

Cycle Through the Vineyards

The hotel offers electric bicycles for tours of the nearby vineyards. Depart right from the hotel and explore neighboring villages such as Hautvillers. Or, hook onto the Route du Champagne, a 62 km network of routes that winds through the region, offering a scenic way to explore the vineyards. 

If you don’t feel like biking, the hotel also offers buggy excursions to the vineyards, boat excursions on the Marne river, and horse riding.

Make Time to Unwind

The spa is one of the top reasons to book a night at Royal Champagne. The 16,000-square-foot spa is a wellness sanctuary, housing nine treatment rooms, two swimming pools, a steam room, a sauna, and a jacuzzi.

To unwind from the day, we tried the 1-hour candle massage, a signature treatment using natural wax alongside long, rhythmic strokes to unwind tight muscles– a must after long walking days in Paris. Finish your spa experience like we did, with a dip in one of the pools and a glass of, you guessed it, champagne on the spa’s private terrace.

Michelin-Starred Dining at Le Royal

Dinner at Le Royal is nothing short of extraordinary; this is French dining at its finest. Booking a table here is a must for haute, Michelin-starred cuisine in an exquisitely elegant setting. 

We tried the 5-course effervescence menu with champagne pairings, with highlights like white asparagus with caviar, the restaurant’s signature barbecued lobster, and thermidor-style Langoustine and a cheese course matured by Vincent Philippe, crowned World’s Best Cheesemaker in 2023. 

Nearly everything on your plate was grown and cared for locally: shellfish from the Brittany coast, asparagus from Chalons, homegrown poultry, and regional cheese. You can taste the care in each precisely prepared dish, highlighting Chef Christophe Raoux’s commitment to excellence.

Sleep Retreat

Launched last year, the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa created the ‘Royal Sleep Experience’ alongside cult-favorite French beauty brand AIME. 

After check-in, goodies are left on your bedside table to help you enjoy the most serene night’s sleep during your getaway. An AIME sleeping mist is made from soothing essential oils like orange blossoms to be sprayed around the room or on the pillow. This mist smells fantastic—I brought a bottle home and have been using it often for nights I need a good night’s sleep. 

There is also a meditation box to help you sleep– determine which guided meditation you want and the duration, then lie down and let the calming voice send you off into la-la land. There’s also a sleep mask, herbal tea served at bedtime, and special melatonin-based drops to add to your tea before drinking.

Exploring Reims Cathedral

The Reims Cathedral, one of France’s most important Gothic churches, is a must-visit during your time in Reims. It’s considered one of the greatest examples of Gothic architecture in France, covering 6650 square meters and 122 meters long. 

Enjoy a guided tour (offered Tuesday through Sunday). It is easy to reach by car or from the SNCF Reims center line.

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