A few weeks ago I went on a girls trip to the Champagne region. It’s the perfect place to sip away a weekend! But there are a ton of different wineries spread out across several towns, and it can be difficult to decide which ones to see. I loved all of the 5 houses we visited for different reasons, but the best overall experience and value was Veuve Clicquot. Read below for all of the details on why Veuve Clicquot is the best champagne tour in Reims, and how to book!
And just a disclaimer – this review is my honest opinion, and is not sponsored in any way.
Mercedes
Why Veuve Clicquot is the best experience in Champagne
I visited 5 champagne houses in just 2 days, so we packed a lot into a weekend trip. I loved each of the houses for different reasons (more details coming in my full guide to the Champagne region), but Veuve Clicquot was the best overall experience – and here’s why.
#1: Central Location
A few of the wineries require a car or a bike, but Veuve is walking distance from the center of Reims. It’s also conveniently located near Pommery (another house I recommend visiting), as well as the gorgeous Les Crayères hotel. This makes it an easy destination if you’re planning to visit a few houses.
#2: Historic Impact
Madame Veuve Clicquot was a very influential figure on champagne as we know it today. I loved the feminist take on the history of Champagne that this cellar offered, as well as learning a little about the science and the correct way to serve champagne.
If you’re really interested in the history of this beverage, before visiting I also recommend listening to this episode from one of my favorite podcasts, Wine for Normal People. It’s a quick listen so it’s perfect for a train ride or plane.
#3: Branding
Veuve certainly has the best marketing out of all the champagne houses, with their iconic yellow labels. You can see their branding throughout the entire house and grounds, which makes it the most “instagrammable” house if you want to capture a few photos.
#4: Excellent value
Veuve offers many tour options, all of which are an excellent value. These three are my favorites below, and you can find all of the tours here.
“Discover the Bubbles” tour and tasting: I did this tour & tasting, priced at €40 as of 2021. The tour through the cellars was 15-20 minutes (offered in both English and French) and was the most engaging and informative tour out of all the houses we visited.
After the tour, you’re brought to a courtyard where you receive two full glasses (one regular and one rosé) and a plate of bread, cheese, and prosciutto. Veuve Clicquot branding is everywhere, which makes this courtyard the perfect spot for a photo.
“Lunch in the Manoir Grounds” picnic: The picnic they offer (priced at €65 as of 2021) is only in the summer, and at a farther location in Verzy outside of Reims. It’s a complete meal that is meant to complement the champagne. Judging by how excellent the charcuterie was that we received as part of our tasting, I have a feeling the full meal would be worth it. This is also a great option for larger groups or families.
“Aromatically Yours” vintage tour tasting: this tour is ideal for more experienced wine connoisseurs. It’s the most expensive (€150 in 2021), but allows you to try rare champagnes and is a truly special experience.
Which tour to book?
One of the reasons why Veuve Clicquot is the best champagne tour in Reims is the variety of tour options. I recommend the “Discover the Bubbles” tour and tasting, because it provides the right level of history and experience at an affordable price.
Originally, I had booked the evening picnic. But unfortunately it was cancelled due to weather. I was quite surprised since it was mid-July, but the region had just received some rain and the grounds were still muddy. If you do end up getting a picnic cancelled, they may be able to find you another option at Moët in Épernay, since both houses are owned by the same company.
We also passed by the vintage tasting, which looked very cool. If you’re interested in history and you already have some knowledge on how champagne is made, this tour would be right for you.
Is it kid-friendly?
Yes! I saw a few children at some of the tours we did. Veuve is a good house to visit with kids, since the area you tour in the caves is much smaller than other wineries. Veuve also offers teen and child pricing for most of their tours and the picnic.
How to get there
I took the train from Paris, which was very easy. I recommend a direct train to Reims, but you can also connect through Épernay. Veuve is a 30 minute walk from the train station, or you can take a taxi or Uber.
Renting a car is also a good option, especially if you’re interested in seeing the vineyards or other wineries. A car is also a good option if you’re exploring other regions of France. Just remember not to drink and drive!
How long should you spend?
Depending on the experience you book, I would recommend about 2 hours. This will give you some time afterwards to check out the shop.
Where to stay
If you are interested in visiting Veuve Clicquot, I recommend staying in Reims. It’s not as polished or quaint as Épernay, but it’s a larger town and will provide easier access.
Best luxury hotel: LEs Crayères
If you want the full luxury Champagne experience, Les Crayères is the hotel for you. It’s classy and refined, and just around the corner from Veuve.
Best AirBnb
I recommend booking an AirBnb, which is usually a better value for groups or couples. This is the AirBnb my friend and I rented. It had a balcony with a view of the cathedral, and is ideal for a few friends or a small family.
Where to eat
If you didn’t opt for the picnic and want something more substantial than the charcuterie that Veuve offers, there are a couple of great options nearby for lunch or dinner.
Les Crayeres
For a light lunch that’s close by, the luxury hotel Les Crayères has a beautiful garden terrace. The meals are pricey though, so check the menu first!
Le Crypto
Le Crypto is a Michelin guide restaurant in town that we really enjoyed for dinner. It’s simple but elegant food, with a great champagne & wine list. They offer lunch from 12-2, but are closed Sundays & Mondays.
Boulangerie Dufresne
For a truly French experience – and the most cost effective option – stop by this bakery (a 5 min walk from Veuve) for a few croissants and a baguette.
What to wear
Overall, the weather in Champagne is much cooler than Paris or southern France. The caves are also very cold and often wet, so I recommend bringing a light cardigan and wearing comfortable shoes. If you want to coordinate well for photos, wear something white or yellow!
Hope you enjoyed this guide – feel free to comment below or message me on Instagram if you have any questions!
Hi. Love your blog and pics!
I want to drive to reims to do the veuve tour and have a light lunch. Do I bill the tour on the veuve website. I didn’t see charcuterie or snacks mentioned so wasn’t sure if it was a different tour booking. Is there a place in the veuve area itself for food? What is at the visitor center?
Aw thank you so much!! Yes – you book through their website! It looks like it’s closed for online bookings until the end of Jan, but when it reopens we booked the “Discover the Bubbles” tour, and it did include charcuterie snacks. However I do recommend getting lunch after or before elsewhere in town (I have some recs in the post!) since there is no other food option at Veuve itself.
Thanks for the reply. They mention a visitor center that serves food. Have you seen this? Can you see the grounds of the house if you don’t take the tour?
Love your blog! This post is amazing and right on time as I plan a trip to Paris. Would you say it was easy to catch an Uber to travel to the different champagne houses or would you suggest booking a tour company?
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad it’s helpful. 🙂 The wait times were a bit long for Ubers, but they definitely exist there – you can also schedule pick up times on the Uber app which is helpful. Or, you can also always have the houses call a taxi. I think if you’re visiting in summer on a weekend it might be tougher though – in which case a tour might be better! You also might be surprised at how close many of them are – we walked to most of the well known ones, as they are somewhat clustered.
We are taking a girls trip in June! This blog is very helpful! I clicked on the link for the air bnb but it didnt take me to the actual location. Do you have the name of the property?
Hi there! It was gone for a while on the website, but looks like it is back! Here is the link: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12058771
Thanks for this helpful info! It is worth it to go out to Verzy from the main Veuve cellars in Reims? Not sure the commute or if it’s worth it. We’ll have a family of 5, so just curious on whether or not to figure it out!
Hi there – so glad you found it helpful! We actually looked into that as well. If you have a car, I definitely recommend it! They offer an option for a picnic there that looks fantastic and would be great for a family, since it’s not all champagne focused.
Hi! Love this post! I’m visiting Veuve in August and you made me more excited to go! It looks like they have something new called Cafe Cliquot which has some food options, do you know anything about that? Also, what all do they have in the gift shop besides the bottles of champagne? Thanks so much for your help 🙂
I’m so glad it was helpful! I hadn’t heard of the cafe, but it looks so cute – and looks like they have sandwiches and great lunch items. The gift shop has a TON of logo branded items that will vary seasonally. You can probably count on things like a champagne bucket and a champagne stopper (totally a must buy), but they might also have hats, bags, signs, etc. You’re going to have the best time!
Yay, can’t wait! That’s so helpful. Thank you so much!!! 🙂