Looking for a sparkling, festive getaway? Head for Epernay, capital of Champagne

Looking for a sparkling getaway? Between the emotion of the Habits de Lumière and the festive celebration of the centenary of the Avenue de Champagne in 2025, Epernay has never been so seductive! Less than 2 hours from Paris, Epernay, the beating heart of Champagne, invites you to discover its elegant architecture, mysterious cellars, refined tastings, illuminated events and festive atmosphere. Indeed, Epernay is much more than a wine stopover: it’s a cultural, sensory and festive getaway. Don’t miss this invitation to discover the soul and sparkling charm of the Champagne capital. Here are our recommendations for a successful trip!

Stroll along the Avenue de Champagne

Sometimes referred to as the “Champs-Élysées of Champagne”, the Avenue de Champagne stretches for almost a kilometer. In 2025, Epernay celebratesthe 100th anniversary of this legendary avenue. Cultural events, exhibitions, themed tours and new experiences are all part of this symbolic status throughout the year. Surrounded by 30,000 hectares of vineyards, the avenue becomes a living showcase of architectural heritage, winegrowing riches and local life. Don’t miss: musical highlights, themed tours and champagne surprises throughout the year.

Tasting champagnes from the great houses

A dazzling symbol of Sparnaccio’s prestige, the Avenue de Champagne stretches for over a kilometer, with its majestic facades of mansions from the XVIIIᵉ and XIXᵉ centuries. Behind these mansions steeped in history nestle the great Champagne Houses and numerous winegrowers who perpetuate ancestral know-how. But it’s above all beneath the surface that the heart of the myth beats: a fascinating network of cellars dug into the white chalk, where millions of bottles rest sheltered from the light. A veritable subterranean city, this secret world reveals the magic of champagne in the making, in cool, silent surroundings. Here are just a few of the houses you won’t want to miss:

• Champagne Boizel Champagne Boizel: the tour plunges through the historic galleries to the “Family Treasure”, where bottles from 1834 onwards reside.
• Champagne Mercier A giant 20-ton thunderbolt at the entrance, and a small train that runs through the galleries (18 km).
• Moët & Chandon Moët & Chandon: the largest cellars in the region (approx. 28 km), with a demonstration of disgorging on the fly.

These tours plunge you into the secret world of champagne, combining expertise, history and tasting.

Diving into the art and substance of champagne

New exhibition: “Suddenly, champagne!

From October 15, 2025 to April 6, 2026
Musée du vin de Champagne et d’Archéologie régionale – Epernay

The Musée du Vin de Champagne et d’Archéologie Régionale is unveiling a brand-new exhibition devoted to champagne as a social and cultural phenomenon. Entitled “Et soudain, le champagne!”, it explores the ways in which the famous effervescent beverage has been represented, celebrated and shared through the ages. Paintings, engravings, models, period posters, books, menus, glasses and film extracts make up an abundant scenography tracing the imagination and uses of champagne, from aristocratic celebration to contemporary art de vivre.

In addition to this exhibition, the museum invites visitors to (re)discover the history of the Champagne region through its permanent collections, which combine archaeology, heritage and wine-making expertise. A must-see to understand the soul of Epernay and its vineyards.

Discover the city on foot or on a run

A walk around Epernay reveals its hidden treasures: the 1h45 circuit links urban heritage and hillside panoramas, with a climb to Mont Bernon and a view from the Pierre-Cheval belvedere. In autumn or spring, every street corner tells a story. For sports enthusiasts, the 100 km Challenge is also an opportunity to run the avenue en fête.

Touring the Champagne vineyards

Discover the vineyards around Epernay:

• My Vintage Tour Company offers tours in a Renault 4L or Estafette, with tastings overlooking the hillsides, meetings with winemakers and even an introduction to sandblasting!
• Esprit de Champagne organizes shuttles departing from the Tourist Office for visits and tastings at wineries and vineyards. These escapades offer an authentic, sensory immersion in the heart of the terroir.

Put down your suitcases in a charming cocoon

To prolong the magic, Epernay offers exceptional accommodation:

• Les Suites du 33 (Champagne de Venoge)in the heart of the avenue, with a glass of champagne on arrival.
• Les Chambres d’hôtes A. Bergère, elegantly restored XIXᵉ building, eight comfortable rooms.
• Le 25bis by Leclerc Briant, a former XVIIIᵉ century mansion transformed into a refined hotel.
• Parva Domusan avenue house with five charming rooms for an intimate getaway.
• LinterfacesBed and breakfast in a charming, fully restored 18th-century house.

Les Habits de Lumière, the unmissable annual event

Every year, over the course of a weekend (this year, from December 12 to 14), the facades of Avenue de Champagne are transformed, with live shows, light installations and video mapping on Hôtel de Ville and Lycée Stéphane-Hessel. In the evening, it’s time to celebrate with a host of entertainment, a silent disco and the traditional fireworks display to round off the evening in style.

Gourmet heritage and champagne tastings

Throughout this exceptional weekend, visitors can taste flutes accompanied by gourmet offerings from food-trucks in the champagne houses along the main avenue. On Saturday afternoon, ” Food & Wine ” workshops take place in the salons of the Hôtel de Ville, subject to reservation. It’s a sensory and convivial experience, ideal for discovering the diversity of Champagne styles.

Saturday morning is devoted to the Habits de Saveurs event: ten of the region’s Michelin-starred chefs join forces with ten Champagne houses to create, live, mouth-watering culinary delights to be enjoyed with champagnes selected at random. For children aged 8 to 12, a P’tits Pâtissiers competition invites them to compose a dessert based on an imposed theme. Gourmandise, creativity and sharing are the order of the day.

Reliving automotive elegance

To round off this weekend of festivities, on Sunday morning, the Parc des Loisirs Roger-Menu hosts a gathering of over 400 vintage cars and classic vehicles. Afterwards, a procession wends its way through the heart of Epernay, offering spectators a charming return to bygone days. This event is one of the most renowned in Eastern France, underlining the link between mechanical passion and heritage.

Practical information to make your Epernay getaway a success

Important dates:

• 100 years of Avenue de Champagne: events throughout the year
• Habits of Light 2025 : December 12, 13 and 14, 2025
• Exhibition “Et soudain, le champagne! from October 15, 2025 to April 6, 2026
• All tourist information about Epernay

How to find us :

• By train: from Paris about 1h20, from Reims 30 minutes
• By car: Paris 143 km via A4 freeway, Reims 29 km

Practical tips:

• Consult the centenary program as soon as you book, so you don’t miss a thing!
• To make the most of the weekend, arrive on Friday evening.
• Bring comfortable shoes for city walks and wineries.

Other ideas for your weekend near Paris