October 2025: Our trip to France this year was 10 days long. We spent a few days in Paris and then…read morecame to Reims to finish our tour. While the whole trip was amazing, Merci France !, our two day tour with Alex of Sparkling Tours was my absolute highlight. Houses Sparkling Tours (ST) has cultivated true relationships with the local and family owned growers in the region. Yes, they can take you to the big names, but the small houses welcome you into their homes and show you their facilities that they use to make the excellent products. It was so sweet to see our guide, Alex, walk in and be welcomed everywhere we went. They invited him to engage with their tours and show us their spaces. It was delightful to hear about all of the generations of families that have been involved in making champagne, and how they continue their legacies. Language Our guide spoke English and made us feel so welcome. As well, all of the growers we visited helped us feel at home. It can be hard to want to speak more French but need English for understanding- everyone was kind and helpful. We never felt lost or confused. We were able to learn and respect everyone throughout the tour. If you're considering a trip like this, but you're unsure of the language barrier, don't be scared. It will be great. In fact, our guide, Alex, is an English teacher! Champagne The six houses we visited all had wonderful champagnes to share with us. In the States, we're used to some subpar bubbles: that is not the case here. It didn't matter the price of the bottle or the age of the grape, every glass was delicious. We learned among us who liked Chardonnay or Meunier more, but all three of us walked away from each glass with respect and admiration. And, the houses were regularly willing to entertain us asking about a specific type or bottle for more information. Driving Alex was a phenomenal driver. I've personally traveled through many countries with many styles of drivers. Alex was careful, attentive, and focused. I never felt unsafe, and he always knew the right route or place to park. The car was so comfortable, too! The trips never felt too long or tiresome between houses. Food ST arranged for our lunches. You can see the menu from day one in my pictures: a scrumptious lunch in Epernay. Everything was included, so it was easy to sit down and pick our options, but we were also and to purchase more wine with our lunch if we desired. Day 2, we ate in the cellar of the Julien Chopin champagne house. They had orchestrated a pairing for us where each course went with one of their champagnes. This experience was exquisite. History Alex was so informed about champagne, the geography, the techniques, the people, and all of the history that goes into making each bottle we enjoy. It never felt like "school", and I was always interested for more. I won't share all I've learned because you need to come and experience it for the first time yourself. Wow, wow! I'll never look at a bottle of champagne the same way. Cost I hope that if you're reading this review that you're considering a trip to Reims like us. I hope you're doing your research and comparing options. So I suspect that when I say this was the most cost effective option we considered, you understand that it was not "cheap" but it was also not expensive. Several other tour companies were more expensive or comparable, but a big part of the expense is how much the Big Houses charge you to visit their locations. If you add them to your tour, your costs will naturally rise. Valentin at ST suggested we do smaller, family owned houses and that saved us quite a few dollars. More importantly, though, it offered us so much value we did not expect. That value is seen in the rest of my review, above and below this category. We were guests in people's homes, not tourists. We were friends with our guide, not customers. We were exploring the tastes of champagne, not just quick sips. After our tour, the three of us agreed that we would readily pay the cost again for all that we experienced and enjoyed. Driver I've been so excited for this part: Alex, our driver and guide, was perfect. I've been taking guided tours with locals and professionals since 2009. I've never had a bad guide, but Alex is the first one whom I will truly miss. While we only spent two days together, his personality and approach were top notch. He was engaging, interesting, helpful, and considerate. We wish we could have had more time with him- we especially would have loved to share lunch with him. I've mentioned little specifics above about how he delivered an excellent tour for us, but just know that if he is the standard for how all of the ST tour team works, then you're in the best care. Alex, if you read this, know that you made a lasting impact on us! Thank you so much. -- Yes, I wrote all of this. No, AI was not involved. I care deeply about sharing good recommendations when they're deserved. I was not paid for this review.

Just finished a champagne tour with this company. Our guide was named Anna and I was blown away by…read moreall her knowledge and professionalism. You get picked up from your hotel and taken to champagne houses (you can request the ones you want - we went for the smaller independent houses and we're so glad we did). We did a half day tour and visited 2 independent houses. Both were amazing and even got to meet the owner of one! This company has a great relationship with many houses in Reims so you really get an outstanding tour. Will definitely be using them again!

In A Nutshell: -The…read moreVeuve Clicquot Ponsardin winery is not where you want to go if you are a tourist looking to check out the caves or do some champagne tasting. -I found out by using Google Maps and ended up going to the winery. -The drive was beautiful and the property is divine though. -After being told that I was in the wrong place by a very friendly employee, I reversed course and headed to the Veuve Clicquot visitor's center about 20 minutes away. Overall, if you still want to check out the winery, it's totally worth the drive. You'll enjoy the beautiful rolling French terrain.

There is a distinction of the House of Veuve Clicquot and the winery. Since I've not been to the…read morehouse, but have tried the wine many times, here's my take. They may have gotten too famous for their own good. The standard Yellow Label is so prolific it's impossible for them to keep such high production and not lose some quality. However the Grand Madam was one of the revelatory lines that made me actually believe i liked Champagne. If you have some money to splurge, skip the Yellow and go straight for the Grand Old Lady :)

Day two of our journey through Champaign country. We stopped at TAITTINGER for tasting. Blown…read moreaway...the tour of the facility, excellent, the gift shop...yes, promised myself would not buy anything...but did. The presenter was nothing less than fantastic...explaining in detail the various Champaigns and the process. We were merged with another group to increase the numbers but were not loss in the crowd. When visiting France, Paris in particular take the time to visit..saunte...

A must visit when close to Paris, it is not a far drive or a train ride to Reims. It is advised to…read moremake reservations before you arrive and the tour is wonderful. The caves are vast and the history, and the craftsmanship of the riddling ismind-boggling,. It is nothing like you'll see in Napa Valley or in the western world. The caves here hold millions of bottles. The history of the family, the champagne house architecture and of course the champagne makes this a fun and cultural experience. Now, shipping back to the U.S. is allowed, just be prepared to pay $$$$.

For the longest time, I had no idea I even liked Champagne. One day I discovered Dom Perignon and…read morethat changed the whole game. Ever since then, ive been introduced to many vintners that have produced outstanding product. Krug is one of those makers that produces some amazing quality product. I now understand why people break this stuff out for celebrations.

There is no Champagne house that is quite as unassuming as Krug. The property is located in the…read morecenter of the city and stores some of the best Champagne you will ever have the opportunity to drink in your lifetime. If you are able to visit, make sure to taste the vintages, but drink the Grande Cuvee!

We had a tour booked with A La Française for Tuesday, July 2, 2024. They acted in a completely…read moreunprofessional manner. They were unresponsive, unhelpful, and rude. There are several other companies to choose from when visiting France such as ItalyTours, ToursbyLocals, etc. Who all provide exceptional service. Do yourself a favor and avoid this company at all costs - They do not care one bit about their customers.

I had such an amazing experience with this tour. I really felt that the price was worth it, I would…read moredo it again as well without a doubt. First off my tour guide was Jerome, very knowledgable, not only did we talk about the region with him but also the culture of the area. This tour felt like you were with friends and not a commercial tour/guide. We were in a small group of 6 which allowed us to get to know the others in our van and converse especially when it came to our lunchtime. Oh yes, the van- very very clean, so fresh like a rental car and had air conditioning, but the temperature outside was so good we didn't need any air con on. I enjoyed getting to explore the area going to multiple cities around Reims, Epernay, and a couple of others I'm not quite sure how to spell the name. The Champagne Master Class was a lot of fun as well! I won't go into detail with this one so I won't spoil it. Lunch time: I have celiac disease (can't have gluten) and often find trouble with places being able to accommodate my restriction. But there was no problem here, I emailed them in advance, they also double checked the morning of again with other members of the group to for any allergies or restrictions. They let me know it would not be a problem. We had lunch in the side courtyard of a French home which made it very personal in ensuring quality. My lunch was gluten-free, with gluten-free bread and other accompaniments. The table was set in a family style lunch setting. They had a great selection of cheeses on a board with jams, and wonderful authentic French foods which I don't know the name of but my boyfriend got to try a bit of everything and he told me he really liked it. At this house there is also lovely small dog named Harry who will come around and nudge you from under the table in his attempt to get some cheese or table scraps. We had dessert and coffee after lunch and then headed to a family wine house. Again another truly authentic experience. Last but not least there was definitely at least 10 tastings I might have lost track at some point haha, but I really got a true appreciation for Champagne and how it is made. I could go on and on but in short, I highly recommend this tour it would be impressive to whoever you bring along!

We booked a tour well in advance as part of a day trip to experience the Champagne region. The tour…read moreitself was very interesting--learning about the family history, the caves, and the champagne-making process made it a really memorable experience. The underground cellars are impressive and definitely worth seeing. After the tour we enjoyed a tasting, which included one glass of champagne. It would have been nice to sample an additional variety to compare styles. Overall, it was still a very cool experience and a great way to explore the history of champagne.

Champagne Pommery is an absolute must-do if you're visiting the Champagne region, and hands down…read morethe best cave tour I've ever experienced. From the moment you descend into the caves, it's clear this is not a standard cellar walk. The experience is elevated with curated music and contemporary art installations throughout the underground galleries, which adds an unexpected and immersive layer to the tour. It feels thoughtful, atmospheric, and incredibly well done. The guide provided rich historical context and detailed information, making the history of the house, the chalk cellars, and the champagne-making process easy to follow and genuinely fascinating. You leave feeling like you truly learned something, not just checked a box. The tour ends perfectly with a delicious champagne tasting paired with lunch, which was relaxed, elegant, and beautifully executed. The champagne was exceptional, and the overall flow of the experience felt seamless from start to finish. If you're deciding which champagne house to visit, put Pommery at the top of your list. This is not just a tasting...it's an experience you'll remember long after the last sip.

One of my goals when visiting Reims was to DRINK ALL THE CHAMPAGNE. Sure, I could have ponied up…read more€30-50 for cellar tours and tastings at the big houses but let's face it, I can drink Tattinger and the like at home. I was really interested in trying small producers that don't export. That's where Tresors comes in - it's a tasting room coop with 27 small, local wineries showcased. Can we talk about the interior? So clever! There's a giant map of Champagne on the floor and each producer is numbered - pull down their bottle from the ceiling (see my pics) to learn more. I love that each winemaker is pictured - we were given a small booklet with more detailed info on each winemaker as well. Each day there are 8-10 bottles open for tasting. You can taste by the glass (price varies) or do a flight of 3 for €20. My husband and I each did one so we shared 6 wines from a light blanc des blancs to a more intense rose maceration. My favorite ended up being a 2008 vintage - it was perfection. I can't say enough about how great our sommelier Laure (hope I spelled it right!) was! She thoroughly explained each wine and the overall process that the vintners go through. My only small sad is that they really don't ship to the US (due to state specific regulations) so plan to perhaps taste a bunch here and perhaps grab a special bottle or two. Prices varied from €20/bottle to MUCH more but I can tell you that I truly liked each wine I tasted. This shop was one of the highlights of my vacation - it was everything I was looking for. They're close to the train station so definitely do not miss them!

I mean, by all means go visit the grandes maisons and their cave tours. You're in Champagne!…read more But for connoisseurs and enthusiasts just wanting more variety, this shop run by an association of 27+ independent grower Champagne estates, just cannot be beat. You'll be able to purchase bottles (and cases) of bottlings seldom seen back home, and more importantly be able to taste maybe 6-9 open bottles among 180+ cuvees they carry at any given point. It's a great opportunity to learn a lot about different cuvee styles and the growers behind them, some of whom have an intense cult following among enthusiasts. All at reasonable prices and among super-friendly staff, the shop space is totally lovely too. Extremely highly recommended.

We went to Taittinger on a half day trip to Reims from Paris. Speaking of, this is a bit of a hike…read morefrom the train station. Give yourself a good hour to get there. Also, you may need to make an appointment for a tour at the tourist center beforehand, depending on the season. They have tours in French, English, Spanish, and German. As for the actual tour, it is definitely a bit expensive as far as winery tours go, but the history and details of the champagne industry and the chalk caverns are very interesting to learn of. After all of the tour, you will get one glass of champagne per person and get a sales pitch to buy 50+ euro bottles of champagne. Advice? Do at least one champagne house tour in Reims, but only buy your champagne to bring back home with you. One tour is more than enough.

the mother ship. the showcase. the one. the only. Chateau Taittinger…read more TIP: make your tour reservation early through your hotel as primetime tours book up. + taittinger's classic flavor from the N.V. Brut is my favorite drinking champagne. + comtes is their spendy top-line bottle aged 10 years. Hint: older than 10 years and your bubbly loses its bubbly. start with a 10 minute video of the history and story of Taittinger. then listen close as your guide takes you down the long staircase into the caves where the treasure is stored. only a privileged few know the code sequence to decipher the numbered signs at each alcove, some holding tens of thousands of bottles. a delightful presentation. and you get a nice tasting at the end!