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Champagne Region

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Enjoy a tour of the champagne vineyards in 2019! There are some hills in the region, but the daily distances are at our lower end of 40 - 55 miles per day so there is plenty of time to soak up the landscape whilst enjoying a relaxed pace. Our usual formula of comfortable hotels, full back-up and luggage transfers, refreshment stops, and the quietest roads possible will make for a memorable cycling holiday in Champagne. Reims is a wonderful city and it would be well worth adding a day at the beginning or end of your tour, which we will be glad to do on request.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

What you need to know...

Start Location
Reims

Finish Location
Reims

Country/Region
North East France

Grading
Moderate

Shortest Day
62 km / 40 Miles

Longest Day
85 km / 53 Miles

Total Days
7 Days

Total Miles
376 km / 235 Miles

Departure Dates & Prices

There are no available dates at this moment.
Please choose an alternative Tour or check back soon.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Reims and check in to our comfortable city centre hotel. Reims is a fantastic city, dominated by its ancient cathedral where France's kings were crowned. It is also the centre of the champagne region with the vineyards not far away. Being only three hours from Calais it could be a wise move to drive to the tour, and return home with some of the local produce - there is nothing like drinking a bottle and knowing you have seen the very vines from which it was made! We will also visit a champagne house in either Reims or Epernay to take a cellar tour and discover all about it (included in holiday cost).

Day 2

Leaving the beautiful city on the canal towpath, it is not long before we enter the famous vineyards on the slopes to the west of the city. Wonderfully manicured, these seas of vines are interspersed with pretty villages, many selling the golden elixir from all manner of producers, large and small. We skirt the river Aisne before returning to the Marne, an historic area with Roman origins. Beautiful villages such as Acy which has remained seemingly unchanged for centuries will have you reaching for your camera, before a nice descent into Soissons, where Clovis defeated the Roman occupiers in the 5th century to help establish the Frankish state. (53 miles / 85km).

Day 3

Heading south we are vineyard free today, but there is still plenty of lovely countryside and interesting places to cycle through. Not long after leaving town we ride past the ruined 12th century abbey at Septmonts with its adjacent historic buildings; another surefire photo opportunity. Gentle countryside takes us to Chateau Thierry for the night; just before getting there we pass though Belleau Wood, site of one of the large battles in 1918 bewteen American and German troops and where relics can still be seen. (40 miles / 62 km)

Day 4

More world famous landscape today as we continue through the vines and approach the epicentre of the chapagne industry. Our destination is Epernay with its 'Boulevard de Champagne' lined with the famous makers' premises; perhaps the most impressive is the Moet et Chandon warehouse, where tours are available to see the miles of tunnels and hundreds of thousands of bottles being stored whilst maturing. On our way, we ride through the pretty small town of Hautvillers where Dom Perignan's tomb can be visited in the church. From here it is a lovely descent into Epernay passing the marker stones of all of the well known champagne brands on their edges of their patches of vines. (52 miles / 83 km)

Day 5

Once out of Epernay we are son back amongst the vines, climbing gently to a ridge with fine views of the plain below. There is a great descent to Vertus where we have coffee, then a few more miles of vineyards before the landscape changes to a more open, rolling one, where good progress will be made. It is a shorter day today which will give you the opportunity to explore the departmental capital, Chalons-en-Champagne, known as 'the sparkling Venice'. Here you can take a boat trip around the canals, or simply sit in one of the small squares and watch the world go by. The exquisite municipal buildings and fine cathedral make it, quite simply, just a nice place to experience and relax in the afternoon sun that we have ordered. (40 miles / 64km).

Day 6

From Chalons the countryside is again open and fast-riding, before entering vineyard country again. The last section of your tour of champagne is perhaps everyone's preconception of what a tour of the champagne area would be: ever-so-pretty villages, big name producers, wonderful view and great places to stop for coffee and lunch. No wonder this is designated a regional natural park as it is so lovely. The return into Reims is quite straightforward with cycle tracks alongside the road, and soon you are back in the heart of this historic city for your last night. (50 miles / 80 km)

Day 7

Departure after breakfast.

Some Tour Photos...

Beautiful views

There are some lovely views in the area

Beautiful views

There are some lovely views in the area

Beautiful views

There are some lovely views in the area

Beautiful vineyards

Champagne cellars in Reims

Our tour includes a visit to one of the well-kown champagne houses in either Epernay or Reims (depending on dates)

Champagne cellars in Reims

Our tour includes a visit to one of the well-kown champagne houses in either Epernay or Reims (depending on dates)

Champagne cellars in Reims

Our tour includes a visit to one of the well-kown champagne houses in either Epernay or Reims (depending on dates)

Cycle through pretty champagne villages

A succession of beautiful villages as you ride back into Reims at the end of your cycling tour

Cycle through pretty champagne villages

A succession of beautiful villages as you ride back into Reims at the end of your cycling tour

Cycle through pretty champagne villages

A succession of beautiful villages as you ride back into Reims at the end of your cycling tour

Down to Vertus

Enjoying the descent to Vertus

Down to Vertus

Enjoying the descent to Vertus

Down to Vertus

Enjoying the descent to Vertus

Near Epernay

A fine descent through the vineyards!

Near Epernay

A fine descent through the vineyards!

Near Epernay

A fine descent through the vineyards!

Refreshments break

Reims Cathedral

Reims Cathedral, one of the finest in France and a fine city in which to start our cycling tour of the champagne region

Reims Cathedral

Reims Cathedral, one of the finest in France and a fine city in which to start our cycling tour of the champagne region

Reims Cathedral

Reims Cathedral, one of the finest in France and a fine city in which to start our cycling tour of the champagne region

Reims cathedral

Riding to coffee

Tandem in champagne

A tandem enjoying the vineyards on one of our tours

Tandem in champagne

A tandem enjoying the vineyards on one of our tours

Tandem in champagne

A tandem enjoying the vineyards on one of our tours

Vertus

A lovely old town where we stop for refreshments on our cycling tour

Vertus

A lovely old town where we stop for refreshments on our cycling tour

Vertus

A lovely old town where we stop for refreshments on our cycling tour

Vineyards

Beautifully maintained vineyards south of Epernay

Vineyards

Beautifully maintained vineyards south of Epernay

Vineyards

Beautifully maintained vineyards south of Epernay

Travel Information

Transfers to / from: Reims TGV. Alternatively drive to Reims (3 hours from Calais).

Click here for our Travel Information page.