Cycling in the heart of Champagne

You travel on your own to the hotel in Reims, France's twelfth largest city and one of its premier food destinations, where check-in takes place during the afternoon. From the hotel reception you receive an information package with everything you need to enjoy the trip: roadbook, maps, destination information and detailed instructions. Take the opportunity to stroll through the city and visit the Gothic cathedral, one of France's largest, and taste some typical delicacies from the area: dried pears, pink biscuits and of course your first Champagne.

After breakfast you leave Reims and pedal out towards Épernay via Tinqueux, through the classic wine villages in the Montagne de Reims area: Mailly Champagne, Verzenay and Bouzy. Today's destination is the medieval town of Châlons-en-Champagne, known for its half-timbered houses and the peaceful river that embraces the city center.

A short and easy stage along the Marne Canal leads you to Épernay – the unofficial capital of Champagne. You arrive in good time to discover the city and perhaps visit some of the great Champagne houses and their impressive wine cellars that wind many kilometers underground.

Today's bike tour follows the Champagne route through the Marne Valley, where the vineyards elegantly drape themselves over the slopes. During the day you have the opportunity to discover the area's historical and cultural heritage and enjoy the wonderful view over the valley. You pass charming villages like Hautvillers – known for its Benedictine monastery and the monk Dom Pérignon – and Cumières, where you can pause for lunch in a restaurant carved into the limestone cliff. On the way to Venteuil you see Château de Boursault before returning to Épernay on the opposite side of the Marne.

The Chardonnay grape may have conquered the world, but today you cycle through its homeland Côte des Blancs. Here, 95% of production consists of the crisp apple-fresh grape. The tour goes towards Pierry, where you can visit the elegant 18th-century castle and wine cellars, as well as the solitary 12th-century church in Chavot-Courcourt. Along the way you will also pass the village of Cramant, where an 8.5-meter high Champagne bottle welcomes visitors. Then you continue to Avize, known for its frescoes. Return to Épernay via Aÿ-Champagne and the modern wine museum Pressoria.

After breakfast it's time to set off by bike for the trip's final stage. It goes through the enchanting forest in the Montagne de Reims regional park and past Hautvillers, the village where the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon spent a large part of his life and during this period refined the technique used to make champagne. You will also pass wine-growing villages like Nanteuil-la-Forêt, Pourcy, Écueil, Sacy and Bezannes before you're back in Reims, where the trip's last night is spent at our selected hotel. The approach to Reims offers new and safe cycle paths that make the finish all the more pleasant.

The cycling trip in Champagne ends after breakfast when it's time for check-out. You arrange the journey home yourself according to your own wishes, which gives you the opportunity to stay a few extra days in Reims or explore other parts of France before heading home again.