Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France
This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.
Champagne in Epernay
Épernay is a small city located in the historical Champagne-Ardenne region, today part of the Grand Est region. While the city of Reims is the capital of the Champagne region, Épernay is the capital of champagne wine, a must-stop for wine connoisseurs because of the collection of esteemed champagne producers in town.
Épernay is best known for the Avenue de Champagne, a famous street of prestigious champagne producers and the best place to shop for bubbly.
The Avenue de Champagne in Épernay is nicknamed the world’s richest avenue because of the millions of bottles of luxury champagne brands stored in the cellars underground. Many of the best champagne houses in Epernay are located along this elegant street.
Épernay is the perfect destination for a Champagne day trip from Paris. From the French capital, you can be champagne-tasting in Epernay in 1 hour and 20 minutes by train or 1 hour and 35 minutes by car! Go on reading for the best Epernay champagne houses to visit.
READ MORE: one of the most famous French drinks, check out these fun facts about the champagne wine
Champagne Tasting in Epernay Trip Planning
Book your train tickets to Epernay.
If you visit Epernay as part of a Champagne road trip, compare car rental companies and get the best price with DiscoverCars. If this is your first time in France by car, check out our tips for renting a car in France.
For self-guided champagne trips, book the visits to your favorite champagne houses in Epernay well in advance with RueDesVignerons. RueDesVignerons is the number 1 platform in France for wine and spirits experiences. Compare champagne houses and tours, read customer reviews, and book your wine experiences with the best price guaranteed – Click here to book with RueDesVignerons
For a total champagne experience, book your stay at the boutique hotel Le 25bis by Leclerc Briant. Located at the Avenue Champagne, enjoy champagne breakfasts every day from one of the most prestigious champagne producers!
Do you prefer touring the best champagne houses in Epernay with an expert guide? No problem! Here are the best Champagne tours in Epernay from Paris:
Best Epernay Champagne Houses to Visit
Visiting one of the great champagne houses in Epernay is one of the top things to do in the capital of champagne wine. Located on the Avenue de Champagne or nearby, you will be spoilt for choice to visit and tour one of these impressive 19th-century mansions and their kilometers of cellars.
While we strongly recommend visiting the small champagne producers, with excellent “auteur wines,” the big champagne houses will allow you to see the unique underground cellars dug at the end of the 17th century and taste some of the most iconic champagne wines.
Where to find good champagne in Épernay? Here’s the list of the best champagne houses Epernay has to offer and their most popular proposals for champagne tasting in Epernay. Enjoy!
TIP: If you plan to buy a few bottles of champagne in Epernay (who could resist?!), make sure you pack your wine properly so it arrives safely home!
1. Moët & Chandon
- Address: 20 Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
- Wine prices: 60€ – 200€
Moët & Chandon was founded in 1743 by a wine merchant, Claud Moët. This world-famous champagne house in Epernay has the largest network of underground cellars (28 km) in the Champagne region.
Pinot Noir, the Meunier, and Chardonnay form the basis of Moët-Chandon champagnes. This is the world’s largest, perhaps most famous, champagne house, producing 30 million bottles annually.
Some of Moët & Chandon’s tours include:
- Signature -1 hour 30 minutes, cellar tour, 2 tastings
- The Imperial Moment – 1 hour 30 minutes, a tour of the biggest cellar, 2 tastings
- Grand Vintage – 1 hour 30 minutes, cellar tour, 2 tastings
- Moët Collection – 2 hours, cellar tour, maximum six people, 2 tastings
- À la Volée – 2 hours, cellar tour, champagne demonstration, Grand Vintage tasting, 2 vintage tastings
- Terroir Treasures – 2 hours 30 minutes, cellar and vineyard tour, 2 tastings
2. Mercier
- Address: 68 Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
- Wine prices: 40€ – 40€
The Champagne Mercier House dates back to 1858 and was founded by 20-year-old Eugene Mercier. Despite his age, Mercier had big plans to revolutionize the champagne industry.
Some of their most popular champagnes include Blanc de Noirs and Brut Rosé, but Brut Mercier remains the House’s most authentic and elegant choice. As you descend into the 18km network of cellars, you will be amazed. There are more than rows and rows of champagne bottles; the walls are decorated with sculptures. All of Mercier’s tours include the famous cellar mini-train ride at no additional cost.
Mercier’s champagne tours are:
- Exploring the Vineyards – 2 hours, a tour of cellars and vineyard, 2 tastings
- Bubble Talk – 1 hour 30 minutes, cellar tour, 3 tastings
3. Nicolas Feuillatte
- Address: Plumecoq, CD 40A, Chouilly (4.5 km from Epernay center)
- Wine prices: 17€ – 57€
Just under 5km from Avenue de Champagne is Nicolas Feuillatte. The ultra-modern aesthetic of this Epernay champagne house reflects the house’s infancy and founding in 1972. The champagne experience at Nicolas Feuillatte is unique, fun, and educational.
Nicolas Feuillatte is often cited as the most popular champagne brand in France, as the highest-selling label across French supermarkets in 2022. Their most iconic champagne is the rich Réserve Exclusive Brut, which matures for three years.
Nicolas Feuillatte offers some of the best champagne tours in Épernay:
- Beginner’s Guide – guided tour, 1 tasting
- To Discover – guided tour, 2 tastings
- To Compare – guided tour, 3 tastings
- Blind Tasting Workshop – guided tour 3 champagne grapes, 3 tastings, mystery cuvées
- Hop On! – private pick up from Epernay train station, guided tour, 3 tastings
4. Champagne Comtesse Lafond
- Address: 79 Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
- Wine prices: 20€ – 60€
Another of Avenue de Champagne’s houses is Champagne Comtesse Lafond. This stunning château was the home of Countess Lafond, who began developing wines and champagnes in the 19th century.
Their dry Champagne Comtesse Lafond Brut is one of their most popular champagnes, which comprises Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.
They might be one of the smaller champagne houses in Epernay, but this makes for a more intimate experience. To top it off, they are one of the only houses that offer the saber experience (slicing the top of the champagne bottle with a sword).
Champagne Comtesse Lafond’s tour offer includes:
- Showroom Tasting – 30 minutes, 3 cuvées tastings
- Cellar Tour and Tasting – 1 hour, property tour, 3 cuvées tastings
- Sabrage Tour and Tasting – 1 hour, property and cellar tour
5. Pol Roger
- Address: 32 Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
Pol Roger is between Moët & Chandon and Mercier on Avenue de Champagne. Pol Roger is still owned and run by descendants of Pol Roger, who started his champagne house in 1849. It may be one of the smaller Épernay champagne houses, but it still produces around 110,000 cases yearly.
One of the House’s most prestigious labels is Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, a homage to Winston Churchill’s love of Pol Roger since 1908.
Often, some of the most prestigious wine producers don’t open their doors to the public, and that’s the case with Pol Roger. Indeed, this is the only one on this list of champagne houses in Epernay that can’t be visited, but when you walk along the Avenue de Champagne, the building is beautiful to see from the outside!
6. Maison Perrier-Jouët
- Address: 26 Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
- Wine prices: 50€ – 500€
The Maison Perrier-Jouët was born in 1811 after the union of Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adelaïde Jouët, two entrepreneurs passionate about champagne wines. Perrier-Jouët House quickly identified the potential of Chardonnay in the Côte des Blancs. Since then, Chardonnay has become the House’s signature grape variety, giving birth to the floral and delicate style for which Perrier-Jouët champagnes are renowned worldwide.
When in Epernay, try one of these tours:
- Art of Chardonnay – 1 hour, guided tour with 2 cuvées tastings
- Art of Vintage– 1 hour, guided tour with tastings of its vintage cuvées
7. Champagne Jacquinot et Fils
- Address: 36 Rue Maurice Cerveaux, Épernay
- Wine prices: 30€
Around 650 metres from Avenue de Champagne is Champagne Jacquinot et Fils. This small champagne house in Épernay is best known for its Private Cuvée, with bold and acidic flavors.
The family estate dates back to the 17th century, but it was in 1918 when Pierre Jacquinot first developed the vineyard. The estate is known for growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier in its vineyards. Today, winemakers still manually press the grapes on a press that dates back to 1929.
Champagne Jacquinot et Fils is the best champagne house to visit on this list, according to RueDesVignerons’ users. Explore one of the deepest cellars of the champagne houses on this tour:
- Tour and Tasting – 90 minutes, 3 tastings
And there you have it, the list of the best champagne houses Epernay has to offer for a day full of bubbles. Which Epernay champagne house would you like to visit during your Champagne trip?