Where to stay in Champagne: the 4 areas to know in 2026
In Champagne, the wine chooses your base. Reims for the cathedral, the great houses and a real city in the evening. Épernay for sleeping at the foot of the slopes, a stone's throw from the Avenue de Champagne. And Troyes, further south, for its old town and the Côte des Bar.
A hotel room in the centre can be found from $90* in Troyes or Reims, a good boutique hotel runs at around $230*, and the grand addresses of the vineyard go beyond $680*. Growers also rent rooms above their cellars, often the best memory of the trip.
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One base or several?
Reims and Épernay are only half an hour apart: one base is enough for the north of the vineyard. You need a second for the south.
- A long weekend: A single base, in Reims: the cathedral, two cellars, then a day out to Épernay via the Montagne de Reims.
- Four or five days: A single base, in Épernay or a hillside village: Reims half an hour away, the Côte des Blancs to the south.
- One week: Two bases: four nights in Reims or Épernay, then three in Troyes for the old town and the Côte des Bar.
How much driving between two bases?
Times given by car. Between Reims and Épernay, the train makes the trip in half an hour, with no worries about tasting.
| Route | Driving time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Paris → Reims | 45 min | by TGV |
| Reims → Épernay | 35 min | via the Montagne road |
| Épernay → Hautvillers | 10 min | through the slopes |
| Épernay → Vertus | 25 min | along the Côte des Blancs |
| Épernay → Château-Thierry | 45 min | through the Marne valley |
| Reims → Troyes | 1 hr 45 | via the A26 |
| Troyes → Les Riceys | 50 min | via Bar-sur-Seine |
| Troyes → Mesnil-Saint-Père | 25 min | towards the lakes |
At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that fits you and go straight to the recommended area.
Map of the areas in Champagne
See how the areas sit relative to one another before choosing your base. Click a name to jump to its description.
Reims and the Montagne de Reims Central Reims, the Saint-Nicaise hill and the villages of the Montagne de Reims
for a first visit, the great houses and a lively city
The only big city in the vineyard. The centre is done on foot, from the cathedral to Place d'Erlon and its brasseries. The great houses open their cellars on the Saint-Nicaise hill, a twenty-minute walk away, and the TGV station puts Paris three quarters of an hour away. To the south, the Montagne de Reims begins at the city's edge. The downside: a city that empties a little in the evening out of season, and the vines twenty minutes away by car.
With its small, well-kept park and Elizabethan architecture, you really feel like you are somewhere else.
The towns in this area
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Domaine les Crayères Luxury
A château in its park, facing the cellars of the Saint-Nicaise hill, with a Michelin-starred table and a brasserie, Le Jardin.
La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection Luxury
A former fire station facing the cathedral, with a spa and a restaurant.
Continental Hotel Mid-range
A 19th-century mansion on the pedestrian Place d'Erlon, a few minutes' walk from the station.
Pros
- The cathedral and the great cellars on foot
- Paris three quarters of an hour away by TGV
Cons
- A quiet city in the evening out of season
- The vines twenty minutes away by car
Épernay, the Marne valley and the Côte des Blancs Épernay, Hautvillers, Champillon, the Marne valley down to Château-Thierry and the Côte des Blancs down to Vertus
for sleeping among the vines and visiting the growers
The heart of the vineyard. Épernay lines up its houses along the Avenue de Champagne, and the slopes begin at the end of the street. To the north, Hautvillers and Champillon look down over the Marne valley; to the south, the Côte des Blancs unrolls its Chardonnay villages as far as Vertus. The downside: Épernay is quiet in the evening, and the villages are reached by car or bike.
Where to stay in this area
Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa Luxury
Perched on the Champillon hillside, facing the Marne valley, with a spa, two pools and a Michelin-starred table.
Hotel Jean Moët Mid-range
A mansion in the centre of Épernay, walking distance from the station and the Avenue de Champagne.
Hotel Le Clos Raymi Mid-range
A 19th-century townhouse with its garden, a few steps from the Avenue de Champagne.
Pros
- The vines and the growers on your doorstep
- The Avenue de Champagne on foot
Cons
- A small town, quiet in the evening
- The villages hard to reach without a car
Troyes and the Forêt d'Orient lakes The old town of Troyes, its outlet shops and the Forêt d'Orient lakes, out to Nigloland
for the old town, families and a base for the south
The historic capital of Champagne, an hour and a half south of Reims. The old town of Troyes unrolls its half-timbered houses and churches, and the outlet shops draw weekend shoppers. Twenty minutes away, the Forêt d'Orient lakes offer beaches and cycle paths, and Nigloland delights children. The downside: the great cellars are far away, more than an hour off.
With its cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses, you feel like you are stepping back into the past.
Where to stay in this area
Le Champ des Oiseaux Luxury
15th-century half-timbered houses gathered around a courtyard, in the heart of the old town of Troyes, with a spa.
Brit Hotel Comtes De Champagne - Troyes Centre Historique city.oudormir_tier_economique
A simple hotel in a 16th-century house, right in the historic centre, walking distance from the cathedral.
Pros
- A superb old town, on foot
- The lakes and Nigloland for children
Cons
- The great cellars more than an hour away
- The northern vineyard too far for a day trip
The Côte des Bar The south of the Aube: Les Riceys, Essoyes, Bar-sur-Seine, Bar-sur-Aube and the Chaource country
for small growers and a vineyard away from the crowds
The far end of the Champagne vineyard, closer to Burgundy than to Reims. Villages string along the Seine and the Ource, and the growers welcome you without fuss. Les Riceys make their rare and sought-after rosé, and Essoyes keeps Renoir's house. The downside: few hotels, and Reims two and a half hours away.
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Le Marius Mid-range
A village hotel at the foot of the church in Les Riceys, with a restaurant where you can taste the village rosé.
Pros
- Welcoming growers and gentle prices
- Rosé des Riceys and Renoir's house
Cons
- Very few hotels
- Reims and Épernay more than two hours away
Our tips for booking the right place
- Stay with a grower: Many family houses rent guest rooms above their cellar. You taste the house cuvée first thing in the morning, and the grower shares his favourite village addresses. Book directly, often by phone.
- Book weekends early: From April to October, hotels in Reims and Épernay fill up months ahead for weekends, especially in September, during the harvest. Midweek, the choice remains wide and prices gentler.
- Leave the car in the garage at night: After a day of tastings, choose a hotel from which you can walk to dinner. In Reims, Place d'Erlon; in Épernay, the centre; in the villages, the grower's or the hotel's table.
- Staying in Paris to visit Champagne as a day trip: the cellars and the growers take time.
- Choosing Troyes as your only base for Reims and Épernay: every day starts with two hours on the road.
- Booking a village with no restaurant if you plan to taste: dinner will then mean driving.
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