Reims or Épernay?

Is Épernay better than Reims?

Neither is better; they suit different days. Reims is a city of about 178,000 with the cathedral and the big cellars. Épernay is a small town on one Champagne avenue, closer to the vines.

The two towns side by side:

Épernay Tourisme frames it the same way: Reims for history, architecture and the major houses, Épernay for closeness to the vineyards (Épernay Tourisme).

Which town in Champagne is the best to visit?

For a first visit with one day, Reims: more to see, a faster train and famous cellars. For a wine-first day, Épernay.

Our view: first-timers who also care about history should take Reims. The cathedral alone justifies the 45-minute train, and you can add one of the crayère houses on Saint-Nicaise hill. People who have done the big names, or who want to drink rather than sightsee, will prefer Épernay. You can walk from house to house and taste in bars on the avenue without booking.

The villages deserve a mention too. Hautvillers, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ are named in the UNESCO listing for their historic hillsides (UNESCO). You will not sleep there on a day trip, but every good tour passes through at least one of them.

What not to miss in Reims?

The cathedral, a cellar visit on Saint-Nicaise hill, the Basilica of Saint-Remi, and the room where Germany surrendered in 1945.

• Reims Cathedral: the setting for twenty-five royal coronations, the last of them Charles X in 1825 (UNESCO). Entry is free. Guided tower visits must be booked online; the towers close from mid-November to mid-February (Reims Cathedral).
• A crayère cellar: Pommery, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart age their wine in old chalk quarries under Saint-Nicaise hill. Pommery's visit starts with a monumental staircase of 116 steps to galleries 30 metres down (Reims Tourisme).
• Saint-Remi: the basilica and museum, about 20 minutes on foot from the cathedral, with guided visits (Reims Tourisme).
• Musée de la Reddition: the room where the German surrender was signed on 7 May 1945 is still as it was.
• The Art Deco centre: Reims was rebuilt after the First World War, and the tourist office runs a guided walk every Sunday.

One gap in 2026: the Palace of Tau, the archbishop's palace beside the cathedral, is closed for renovation.

What not to miss in Épernay?

The Avenue de Champagne, a cellar visit at Moët & Chandon or Mercier, the view from the Tour de Castellane, and Hautvillers just outside town.

• The Avenue de Champagne: house after house on one street, with more than 110 km of cellars under the town (Épernay Tourisme). Start at the tourist office at number 7.
• Moët & Chandon: 28 km of cellars, the largest network in Champagne. Visits from 1 hour 30, daily 9:30 to 17:00 (Moët & Chandon).
• Mercier: a little train carries you through 18 km of cellars about 30 metres deep, and every tour ends with a tasting (Épernay Tourisme).
• Tour de Castellane: a 66-metre tower with 237 steps and a view over the town and the vines.
• Hautvillers: a few minutes away by car, the village where Dom Pérignon was cellarer at the abbey from 1668.

In December the town puts on Habits de Lumière, with light shows, Champagne bars and fireworks on the avenue. The 2026 edition runs 11 to 13 December.

Can you do Reims and Épernay in one day?

Yes, on a tour or by train. The TER between them takes about 34 minutes, and most tours from Paris visit both.

On your own, take an early TGV to Reims for the cathedral and one cellar, have lunch, then ride the TER to Épernay for the afternoon. Épernay Tourisme suggests exactly this, and warns that it is only a brief introduction (Épernay Tourisme). The train guide has a timed plan.

On a tour, the van does the joining. The cathedral and lunch day visits Reims Cathedral, two houses, a three-course lunch in Épernay and the Avenue de Champagne. The six-glass small group adds Hautvillers. One guest on the cathedral day wrote: "The champagne houses did not disappoint, and the choice of place for lunch was perfect."

Reims Cathedral, two Champagne houses, a three-course lunch in Épernay and the Avenue de Champagne, with hotel pickup.

11 hours

Explore the cathedral and lunch day → Tour details

Where to stay in Reims or Épernay?

Stay in Reims for restaurants, trains and city life; in Épernay for the avenue; in the vineyards above Hautvillers for views and quiet.

Reims suits travellers without a car. Hotels near the station and the cathedral put you on foot for dinner and the morning TGV. At the top end, Domaine Les Crayères is a château in seven hectares of parkland with Le Parc, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, and L'Assiette Champenoise just outside town has three stars and rooms (Épernay Tourisme).

Épernay is smaller and quieter at night. Villa Eugène, a 19th-century residence close to the centre, is the classic address near the avenue. In the vines, the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa sits on the slopes above Hautvillers with a spa looking over the vineyards, and the Loisium Wine & Spa Hotel is a few kilometres away. Grower fans can book Les Avisés in the Grand Cru village of Avize, linked to Champagne Selosse.

Our take: no car, sleep in Reims. A car or a driver, sleep in or above Épernay.

How many days do you need in Champagne?

One day per town, or two days for Reims and Épernay at an easy pace. A third day lets you reach the growers of the Côte des Blancs.

Épernay Tourisme says one day is enough for either town, and two days or more for both (Épernay Tourisme). We agree. A day trip from Paris gives you a good taste: two or three producers and the highlights of one or both towns.

Stay longer if wine is the point of your trip. A second day lets you book a smaller house or two; a third, with a driver, opens up the Grand Cru villages south of Épernay, such as Avize. See the best time to visit before you pick dates.

Which towns do the tours from Paris visit?

Most visit both Reims and Épernay. The sommelier tour skips Reims for Hautvillers, Aÿ and Épernay.

Frequently asked questions