Signature tour · 5 days
Grandes Maisons, récoltants and the chalk caves of Reims
A private wine journey through France's most celebratory region: Reims, Épernay, Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs, with private tastings and places you cannot access independently.
A PERSONAL APPROACH
‘Champagne is more than wine. It is history, chalk caves and people.’ YOUR GUIDE-SOMMELIERYour guide-sommelier
Reims · Épernay · Montagne de Reims · Côte des Blancs
Champagne is more than Krug, Ruinart and Moët. There are also 5,000 small producers whose champagnes are not sold in shops. We combine both worlds: the great houses’ private cellars and personal visits to family récoltants with character.
Champagne is the world's only region where underground chalk caves, or crayères, are UNESCO-listed. Kilometres of cellars beneath Reims and Épernay are not just storage: they are living history.
Champagne is not just festive wine. It is Blanc de Blancs from Le Mesnil, Rosé de Saignée from Bollinger and the Côte des Blancs in mist. Plus Troyes andouillette, Reims biscuits, Langres and Chaource.
Private format · By advance request · Limited places
A REGION WITH HISTORY
One of the few regions where every kilometre of an itinerary has a name, history and terroir of its own.
Champagne is the only appellation where blending three varieties has become an art. From Krug Grande Cuvée to a small récoltant in Bouzy, every glass tells a story. Access to private tastings unavailable to the casual tourist.
Beneath Reims and Épernay lie over 200 km of chalk tunnels, some dug by the Romans. Today they hold billions of bottles at an ideal temperature. Visiting these spaces is one of France's most impressive experiences.
The coronation site of 25 French kings and a Gothic masterpiece. Listed by UNESCO together with the Palace of Tau and Saint-Remi Basilica. Reims is a city where French history took shape in stone. The starting point for any Champagne journey.
Your profile
Dinner in Reims with Prestige Cuvée, a morning walk through the Montagne vineyards and a candlelit tasting in a chalk cellar. Champagne is France’s most celebratory region.
The right company + the right addresses = one of your best trips. An intimate format for three to eight people: grandes maisons, récoltants, chalk caves and gastronomy.
Champagne is a region people return to again and again. If you have wanted more, this is your moment. An itinerary without boredom or rushing.
The tour is designed to send you home with understanding. How NV differs from Millésimé. Why one terroir produces wine to last 50 years. How Champagne works from the inside.
Programme · 5 days
Scroll through the programme and the map follows you: the day’s point lights up and the route continues. Click a number on the map to jump to that day.
Day1REIMS · NOTRE-DAME DE REIMS
The cathedral, history and first glasses
We begin with the city itself, one of Europe’s most beautiful. A walk through the UNESCO historic centre: Reims Cathedral, the Palace of Tau and Saint-Remi Basilica. A first glass in an atmospheric bar where they know what to open. A dinner that sets the rhythm of the whole journey.
REIMS · RUINART · KRUG
Private tastings, chalk caves and history
A private visit to Ruinart, the oldest Champagne house (1729): third-century chalk caves recognised by UNESCO. A comparative Blanc de Blancs tasting across vintages. Then a private tasting at Krug or Louis Roederer. Lunch with gastronomic Champagne pairings.
MONTAGNE DE REIMS · BOUZY · AMBONNAY
Récoltants, Pinot Noir and family domaines
Drive to the Montagne de Reims: Bouzy, Ambonnay and Verzy villages with panoramic views. Visit a small récoltant-manipulant, a personal cellar and family style. Taste Blanc de Noirs, champagne made only from Pinot Noir. Lunch in a farmhouse restaurant: local sausage and Chaource cheese.
ÉPERNAY · CÔTE DES BLANCS · LE MESNIL
Avenue de Champagne, Chardonnay, Le Mesnil
Épernay’s Avenue de Champagne: Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët and Pol Roger in one neighbourhood. Moët’s chalk caves: 28 km of tunnels and 70 million bottles. Then the Côte des Blancs: Cramant, Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. A Blanc de Blancs tasting with a récoltant: pure elegance.
REIMS · TROYES · FINALE
Food, souvenirs and a beautiful ending
Morning at Reims market: biscuits roses, Champagne honey, Chaource and Langres. An optional visit to Troyes for andouillette and medieval timber-framed neighbourhoods. A final gastronomic lunch with the tour's finest Champagne. Departure to Paris by TGV (45 minutes).
YOUR EXPERIENCES
GASTRONOMY
From Chaource and andouillette to Biscuits Roses and Langres, the region’s food reveals a different character alongside the right Champagne. Every gastronomic address has been personally checked and selected for the journey’s pace and philosophy: not by rankings, but through real experience.
THE VALUE OF THE TOUR
Five reasons why an organised, personally designed itinerary offers better value than doing everything yourself. ‘One right address is worth more than ten random ones.’
Group tours in Champagne mean coaches and tourist Moët cellars with thousands of visitors a day. We offer a private visit, personal attention from the chef de cave and a glass in the peace of the chalk caves.
A private tasting at Krug or Ruinart is about personal relationships, not a website. A récoltant in Le Mesnil with a Grand Cru vineyard accepts visitors only by recommendation.
Champagne is compact, but without the right itinerary you could spend all your time queuing at Moët. We design the route to reveal both the great maisons and the hidden Champagne of the récoltants.
There are no pointless journeys just to tick a box. Two or three key visits daily, with time for conversation, tasting or simply walking through the vineyards.
Champagne is technically complex. Understanding NV versus Millésimé, Blanc de Blancs versus Blanc de Noirs, requires context. I provide it.
What the tour includes
Everything needed for a carefully planned journey without organisational chaos.
Everything needed for a carefully planned journey without organisational chaos.
Tour on request
from €1,100 per day
Per group per day. Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
Request a personalised proposal
Your guide
My name is Kirill, and I help travellers discover the authentic taste of France — its wine, gastronomy and culture. My work goes beyond excursions and tours: it is a deep immersion in a region’s atmosphere, getting to know its traditions, history and people.
I was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, but have lived in France since the age of 13. This country has become my second home and a true source of inspiration. For 25 years, I have studied its culture and wine regions, turning that knowledge into my profession.
My education underpins my professionalism:
FLEXIBILITY
‘Boutique hotel, Grand Hôtel des Templiers or a small B&B’
Champagne is compact but varied. The programme is built around your wishes. Dates Any season: autumn harvest, winter peace or spring blossom Group Couple, family, friends or corporate trip Hotel standards
Simple
Tell me your preferred dates, group and priorities: Grandes Maisons, récoltants or a balanced itinerary.
I will contact you to learn more about your interests, pace and expectations.
A complete Champagne itinerary with addresses and a price estimate.
Our guests’ voices
I thought I knew Champagne because I drank good wines. But standing in Ruinart’s chalk caves while the chef de cave explains why one vineyard produces wine for 10 years and another for 50 is a completely different dimension.
We went for our anniversary. Candlelit cellar tasting and dinner in Reims with Prestige Cuvée. Everything was perfect.
A récoltant in Le Mesnil: a small vineyard and Blanc de Blancs 2012 straight from the barrel. That is the real Champagne.
A group of eight, yet it still felt like a private tour. A wonderful itinerary.
I thought I knew Champagne because I drank good wines. But standing in Ruinart’s chalk caves while the chef de cave explains why one vineyard produces wine for 10 years and another for 50 is a completely different dimension.
We went for our anniversary. Candlelit cellar tasting and dinner in Reims with Prestige Cuvée. Everything was perfect.
A récoltant in Le Mesnil: a small vineyard and Blanc de Blancs 2012 straight from the barrel. That is the real Champagne.
A group of eight, yet it still felt like a private tour. A wonderful itinerary.
FAQ
Answers to the main questions before booking.
Transfers and itinerary logistics, tastings at maisons and récoltants (two or three a day), a sommelier-guide throughout, lunches and dinners in the programme, and private tasting arrangements. Accommodation and travel from Paris are not included.
Grandes Maisons are large champagne houses with chalk cellars and a recognisable style. Récoltants are small estates growing their own grapes and making their own wine. Both are included in the programme; tell us which you prefer when enquiring.
Yes. The basic programme is a starting point: dates, pace, priorities and hotel standards are tailored to you after a conversation.
Every season has its own beauty: autumn harvest, winter tranquillity and spring blossoms.
No. The programme suits both those beginning to discover wine and experienced enthusiasts: I explain things during tastings and adjust the depth to suit you.
After your enquiry, I contact you within 24 hours, confirm the details and prepare a personal proposal with a programme and price estimate. The consultation carries no obligation.
Art Wine Guide
Send an enquiry and I will design your Champagne itinerary around your pace, interests and travel format.
