Tour Guide Sophie Kerjean’s Guide to Champagne
Being French, Sophie Kerjean never thought of herself as a “wine person.” “It’s just something that was a part of life; I didn’t think about it,” she says. She originally worked at a tech start-up, but after a chance meeting with a Champagne house marketing director one night—over glasses of Champagne (of course)—her life took a turn. Soon, she had left her life in Paris and moved to Champagne, one of France’s most storied wine regions. “Paris is cool and all, but why stay in a crowded city and a tiny apartment when you can have more space less than an hour away?” she says. These days, Kerjean guides tourists and Champagne enthusiasts through tours at a large Champagne house, discussing the joys of both the drink and the region.
People primarily visit the region to stop at the Champagne houses they are familiar with from wine shop shelves, such as Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot. But there are other things to see, do, drink, and eat here, says Kerjean. And since you can reach the city of Reims from the Gare de l’Est train station in Paris in just 45 minutes, you can even see the region on a day trip. Here are Kerjean’s recommendations for getting the most out of a visit to Champagne.
A crash course in Champagne
“It must be from the Champagne region of France in order to be called Champagne,” says Kerjean. While all Champagne is sparkling wine, she explains, all sparkling wines are not Champagne. In addition to coming from its namesake region, Champagne must also be made using the traditional Champagne method and be made from chardonnay, pinot noir, or meunier grapes—or some combination of these three.
To taste Champagne, Kerjean says, “you must start by looking at it. How big are the bubbles? How fast do they move? What is the color like?” Then you should smell it. “Really get your nose in there! Think of the aromas of fruits and flowers or toasty notes,” she says. Now you can taste it. “It should taste like it smells, but really pay attention to this part and try to articulate what you’re tasting.”
Where to drink Champagne
For most visitors, the main purpose of a visit to the region is to taste Champagne where it’s made. “If you’re looking to visit Champagne houses that you may be familiar with or regularly drink at home, try G.H. Mumm and Veuve Clicquot, both in Reims,” she suggests. Another good option is a tour of Le Pommery, which also offers a dose of culture: Their chalk cellars house art installations, and you get a glass of Champagne at the end of the visit—a nice reward for walking up the 116 steps from the cellar.
Be sure to make appointments (on the Champagne houses’ websites) at least 30 days in advance; the larger, more famous houses book up quickly, says Kerjean. She suggests limiting yourself to visiting no more than two large houses per day, especially if you’re visiting the region on a day trip. Between making your pre-arranged appointments and seeing some local sights between tastings, your time will fill up fast.
That said, if you don’t have time to make appointments in advance, you can still experience Champagne by visiting the Tresors de Champagne, a wine bar/Champagne boutique in Reims. Here, you can sip Champagne by the glass or go big with a flight of three different styles.
What to do and see in Champagne
While the region’s main draw is Champagne tasting, there are lots of other things to do in the area, including a variety of cultural and historical sites in the city of Reims. Kerjean notes that roughly 30 of France’s kings were crowned in the Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Coronation banquets were held next door, at the Palace of Tau, which is also included in the heritage site—and now houses a collection of the crown jewels.
However, the true center of the city lies at the Place du Forum, says Kerjean, “an area with restaurants, wine bars and shops, and, the main draw, the Cryptoporticus.” This complex of semi-buried galleries from the Gallo-Roman times, located under the Place, is reported to have been built around the year 100 BC; it's believed that they served as a covered market and gathering place. During the summer, this area now hosts festivals and live concerts; in other seasons, you can explore the long, underground passages on their own.
If you enjoy museums, you could also head to the Hotel le Vergeur Museum. The building was once one of the oldest private residences in the city and has a picturesque timbered facade. Alternatively, if you’re into classic cars or race cars, Kerjean recommends seeing the Musée Automobile Reims-Champagne, which was created to display the car collection of auto designer Philippe Charbonneaux. “A lot of people don’t even know about it,” she says.
Where else to go in Champagne
While Reims makes a great home base for the area, there are lots of other places to explore. At the top of Kerjean’s list is Epernay, which is about 35 minutes away from Reims by train (1.5 hours from Paris) and is also a hot spot for notable Champagne makers. Within a 12-minute walk you can visit both the famous house of Moët & Chandon and see a statue of Dom Perignon.
“You must walk along the Avenue de Champagne, the most expensive street in the world,” says Kerjean, noting that the reason it’s considered expensive is due to the kilometers of Champagne cellars running underneath it. This street is also dotted with boutiques run by both large Champagne houses and smaller producers. She suggests stopping at Leclerc Briant, Andre Bergere, and Champagne Boizel. If you make it to the end of the avenue, visit Champagne Mercier, which has an automated train that takes you on a tour of the tunnels.
More ways to explore Champagne
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