Lately, I’ve been taking quite a few short trips to Champagne, a region I must admit I knew very little about before. Until now, I had mostly visited the Aube area and the city of Troyes. At the end of 2016, I visited Épernay for the first time, in the Marne department, to discover the city of the great Champagne houses through one of its major annual events: Les Habits de Lumière (Outfits of Light). Here is the story of our little weekend with my favorite photographer in the “capital of champagne,” as the Sparnaciens (the nickname for the inhabitants of Épernay) call it.
For a little history, Épernay claims to be the historical birthplace of the traditional champagne method, thanks to the legendary work of the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon from the Abbey of Hautvillers, who, to grow his wine trade, had a cellar dug in the Epernay area in 1673… It is said that it was from his skill in blending that Champagne was born…
Table of Contents
What to see and do in Epernay?
Épernay is a small town with undeniable charm, and I suggest you take some time to explore it on foot, even if the weather is quite chilly during the Habits de Lumière, for example. I really liked its lovely Notre-Dame Church close to the train station, the circular Place de la République, and, of course, the impressive Avenue de Champagne, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a sort of Champs-Élysées for this world-famous sparkling drink.
Getting to Épernay from Paris: very easily via the TER train departing from Gare de L’Est (approx. 1h15-1h20 for a direct train, assuming there are no delays, of course…).
Epernay “Pays de Champagne” Tourist Office
7, avenue de Champagne 51201 Epernay cedex
_
Visiting the Pol Roger cellars
This famous house, which has existed since the 19th century, was Winston Churchill’s favorite brand, and it sits proudly alongside the others on the beautiful Avenue de Champagne. During the Habits de Lumières event (which I mentioned above), the Pol Roger house exceptionally opens its cellars to the public, allowing you to step into this inner sanctum and discover its secrets… A fascinating visit that I recommend if you happen to be in Épernay at that time. Plus, the icing on the cake: the visit ends with a little tasting of the house Champagnes.
It was also an opportunity to discover the amazing trade (still done manually at Pol Roger) of the Riddler, who performs the riddling of the bottles one by one, a technique used to gradually collect all the sediment from the second fermentation against the cap, in the neck of the bottle.
Tested in 2016
Maison Pol Roger
34 avenue de Champagne 51200 Epernay
_
Take a masterclass with a sommelier at Pierre Mignon Champagne
This family-owned Champagne house, which has existed for 5 generations (1892) and which we have loved for many years, has a tasting room and a boutique in Epernay. Their vineyards (18 hectares), which have obtained the High Environmental Value (HVE) certification, are located in Le Breuil, a prime location for Pinot Meunier production in the Marne Valley. The brand also offers masterclasses with their sommelier Ludovic Pasté. My favorite photographer tested the Prestige masterclass featuring 6 Champagnes, paired with local products (duration: 2 hours).
Tested in 2022 and 2025 - Invitations
Pierre Mignon Champagne
9 Rue Jean Moët 51200 Épernay
Price for the Prestige Masterclass: €120 per person
_
Take a “Food and Champagne Pairing” workshop
I have already done quite a few oenology and food-and-wine pairing courses, but I had never done one focused on Champagne, which is a shame. It is absolutely fascinating! During this workshop, we were guided by Franck Wolfert, a specialist in Champagne wine tasting, author of the book “Champagne, La fièvre créatrice” (Champagne: The Creative Fever), and a huge lover of Champagne – it really shows! Plus, we were lucky enough to do it in the magnificent setting of the Épernay Town Hall, a superb location!
Tested in 2016
“Food and Champagne Pairing” Workshop with Franck Wolfert
Vins & AtmosphèreBookings: 06 07 28 60 15
_
Visit the Museum of Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology
This museum, which reopened its doors in 2021 after several years of construction and rehabilitation, is housed in the Château Perrier, a 19th-century building classified as a Historical Monument. It was built to house the private mansion and cellars of Charles Perrier, heir and director of the Perrier-Jouët Champagne House. The city of Epernay acquired it in 1943 to house its library and museum. The museum’s collections consist of donations and bequests from collectors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as archaeological objects. Today, more than 2,500 objects are exhibited along the museum’s tour route, conceived in 4 sections (geology, regional archaeology, Champagne wine, and collectors & explorers), and around the building, there is also a 7,500 m2 park.
Museum of Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology
Château Perrier – 13 avenue de Champagne 51200 Epernay
Admission fees: €9.50 full price / €6.30 reduced price / free for children under 13
Les Habits de Lumière
2016 Edition
In December 2016, the city of Epernay organized the 17th edition of Habits de Lumière, in partnership with the Avenue de Champagne Committee, which celebrates the Champenois art of living every year around the same dates. And it was in this joyful and festive atmosphere that my favorite photographer and I discovered this lovely town, of course under the banner of Champagne. I don’t think I have ever drunk as much Champagne in such a short amount of time as I did during that memorable weekend…
Program highlights:
- many free activities
- outdoor Champagne bars to taste vintages from different houses
- a classic car parade
- a street art performance with the Artistic Parade
- a “Color Bursts” video mapping projected on the City Hall facade, a pyrotechnic show
- fireworks
- the “Habits de Saveurs” (Outfits of Flavors), a free demonstration/tasting of pairings between gastronomy and Champagne by top chefs, completely accessible to the general public
- Small parties (private or public) at the various Champagne houses in the city (De Venoge, Boizel, Pol Roger, Perrier-Jouët, Moet et Chandon,…)
In short, I highly recommend booking your weekend for next year to discover the 2017 Habits de Lumière, which will take place on December 8, 9, and 10, 2017!
Les Habits de Lumière
December 9 to 11, 2016
My favorite addresses in Epernay
A Champagne lunch at Perrier-Jouët
The Perrier-Jouët house has been around since 1811 and is very well known for its Brut Champagne and its prestige “Belle Époque” cuvée, also known as “Fleur de Champagne,” with its very distinctive bottle designed by Émile Gallé. We were lucky enough in 2016, during our visit for Les Habits de Lumière, to have an entire lunch paired with Champagne, where each course was accompanied by a different cuvée from the house.
Maison Perrier-Jouët
11, 24, 26 and 28 avenue de Champagne
_
Where to stay in Épernay? Best Western Hotel de Champagne
During our stay for the Habits de Lumière in 2016, we stayed in this establishment, which is quite well located in the heart of the city.
Tested in 2016
Best Western Hotel de Champagne
30 rue Eugène Mercier
I hope that with all this, I have inspired you to discover Épernay, and if you have your own tips or recommendations for this city, please feel free to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on the Grand-Est region below:
⇒ All my articles on the Grand-Est
MY ARTICLES ON THE GRAND EST
⇒ The Aube
⇒ The Meuse
⇒ The Marne
⇒ The Haute-Marne
⇒ The Moselle
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos not copyright-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
