In June 2025, we went for a weekend in Châlons-en-Champagne with my favorite photographer, a city located in the Marne department, in the Grand-Est region, which we didn’t know at all. Nicknamed the “Sparkling Venice“, it is crossed by several waterways, which gives it a certain charm with its numerous bridges and footbridges. Historically, life was organized around the arms of the Marne, which were used mainly for transporting timber. The region, which is heavily agricultural, is known today for its cereal, potato, and beet crops. While the vineyards have disappeared from the surroundings of the city since the phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century, the prestigious Champagne terroir is never very far away.
We therefore went to discover the city and its surroundings at the beginning of summer, and below, as usual, I offer you a small selection of things to do and see if you come for a stay in Châlons-en-Champagne. It is a destination that blends historical heritage, with its timber-framed houses and remarkable religious buildings, with the Champagne art of living, embodied by its prestigious cellars. You will also find below my selection of great addresses in Châlons-en-Champagne (two accommodations, gourmet shopping boutiques, and several restaurants) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay. These addresses showcase local products and the region’s specialties.
Practical Information
- Getting there by train from Paris: approximately 1h40 trip with the TER Fluo from Paris Est station (less than €30 per trip)
Table of Contents
Visiting Châlons-en-Champagne
Despite significant destruction in the 70s, Châlons-en-Champagne is a human-scale city that has managed to preserve a charming city center where one can admire some half-timbered houses saved thanks to the action of heritage associations. The city is characterized by its chalk constructions, derived from its limestone subsoil, and brick, testifying to the past activity of numerous local brickyards. A walk in the historic center allows one to feel the soul of this city shaped by water and history. And if you are fans of greenery, you should also find your happiness in the 12 hectares offered by the 3 jards (gardens) of the city.
And then Châlons is also the capital of the circus with its National Higher Center for the Circus (which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026), its Furies festival (which I tell you about a little further down), and its Higher School of the Circus. Finally, do not miss a visit to the Tourist Office, housed in the Petite Juiverie house, a residence from the second half of the 16th century and dressed in timber framing with very elaborate geometric patterns.
Châlons-en-Champagne Tourist Office
3 quai des Arts, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
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What to see, what to do in Châlons-en-Champagne?
Boat trip L’Eau’dyssée & Métamorph’eau’ses show
To discover the city in an unusual way, I recommend the “L’Eau’dyssée” boat trip, which sails on the Mau, a real river, and the Nau, an arm of the Marne. This 40-minute route allows you to pass under ancient bridges and admire monuments and gardens from a different angle, even passing through tunnels built in the 18th century for hygienic purposes to fight epidemics.
In the evening, the experience transforms with the “Métamorph’eau’ses” sound and light show (which has existed for 10 years already), a magical stroll where monuments light up as the boat passes. It is a unique traveling show on water in Europe, where Ondine, the nymph of the Mau and the Nau, whispers secrets and legends related to the city’s history.
Boat trips
Departure and arrival at the Tourist Office pier, 3 Quai des Arts
L’Eau’dyssée trip prices: €13 adult / €11 reduced / €6.50 for 4-10 year olds / reservation recommended
Duration: 40 minutes
Métamorph’eau’ses show prices: €18 adult / €16 reduced / €9 for 4-10 year olds / reservation recommended
Duration: approximately 50 minutes
Hours: at nightfall, the days vary according to the season
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Visit the Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology
Created in 1794, it is one of the oldest museums in France. It presents varied collections, ranging from European paintings from the 15th to the 20th century to Renaissance sculptures. It also contains an impressive collection of 2000 stuffed birds, presented in an ornithology cabinet preserved largely in its original state dating from 1882-83. I also really liked its large rooms with large zenithal glass roofs, typical of 19th-century museography.
During our visit, we were also able to discover the temporary exhibition of the moment (which closed in September 2025): “Create at all costs. Contemporary art between Paris and Châlons-en-Champagne, from 1945 to the present day“. The latter explored artistic creation since the end of the Second World War. The museum also offers about 3 temporary exhibitions per year.
Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology
Place Godart, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Hours: open Monday to Friday, closed on Tuesdays
Rates: 3-museum pass valid for 15 days at €4 (€3 at reduced rate) /free for under-25s
The good tip: the city’s municipal museums are free for everyone on the 1st Sunday of each month
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Visit the Cloister Museum of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux
This museum, which had just reopened at the time of our visit after a period of work, offers to discover the remains of a 12th-century historiated cloister that was once located next to the collegiate church of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux, as well as Merovingian furniture. The cloister was destroyed starting in 1759 to be reused in the walls of the canonical houses located in the surroundings. Its fragments were rediscovered in the 60s during an archaeological excavation site led by the Pressouyre spouses and it is these finds (about 5000 fragments) that are presented in this new museum. One can notably discover a set of medieval column statues that are absolutely incredible.
Cloister Museum of Notre-Dame en Vaux
Quai Notre Dame, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Rates: 3-museum pass valid for 15 days at €4 (€3 at reduced rate) /free for under-25s
The good tip: the city’s municipal museums are free for everyone on the 1st Sunday of each month
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Discover the Saint-Alpin Church
Dedicated to the patron saint of the city and 8th bishop of Châlons in the 4th century, this church is a beautiful example of the transition from Romanesque to Gothic style, reworked several times over the centuries. It is particularly renowned for its example of Renaissance architecture and for its 16th-century stained glass windows, including a magnificent sanguine and yellow glass window representing Saint-Alpin standing up to Attila. It is the church of Châlons most marked by the Renaissance style and it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1862.
Saint-Alpin Church
2 Rue Saint-Alpin, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Free and open access during opening hours
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Take a guided tour of the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux
A must-see, this collegiate church is a masterpiece blending Romanesque and Gothic arts. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the paths of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle since the year 2000. The interior is exceptionally bright thanks to its four levels of elevation. It houses remarkable stained glass windows from the 12th to the 19th century and has one of the largest carillons in Europe, with 56 bells that ring every quarter of an hour, made by the Bollée house and installed in the south tower.
For our part, we followed an incredible summer guided tour (as part of the Z’est’ivales, daily summer tours at 3 p.m.) which allows you to discover the spire of the carillon but also to walk under the vaults, under the building’s frame, and it was truly an exceptional experience! Be careful, however, because during this visit you have to climb 162 steps, so it is not necessarily accessible to everyone.
Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux
1 Place Notre Dame, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Free and open access during opening hours
Z’est’ivales prices: €8 for adults / between €4 and €10 up to 18 years old / free under 4 years old
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Take an itinerary around the city by bike
If you like bike rides, the tourist office offers itineraries around Châlons (which are on Google Maps which is very practical). In addition, electric bikes (made of wood from the Marne by the company Hexagone bikes) are available for rental on site (for 2h, 6h or a full day) and equipment is also available for free such as helmets, phone holders (very practical) or even baskets.
For our part, we followed the route (10.3 km) that takes you from the city center to the Domaine de Coolus. It is a nature reserve that covers 38 hectares. By following this loop, we passed in front of Saint-Etienne Cathedral, we crossed the Pont de la Marne, we made a stop in the jards, we passed in front of the former Saint-Gibrien chapel and we followed for a while the old route of a railway line, built during the Second World War.
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Attend the Furies Festival
This emblematic meeting of the city has been celebrating street arts and contemporary circus for more than 30 years. Every year, the event transforms the city for a few days into an open-air stage in a festive atmosphere that we really liked. It is a really bold festival that invests the city’s urban spaces and blends creativity and performance. It offers experiments and encounters between works, artists, and the public.
You can attend free shows in the streets and on public squares of Châlons-en-Champagne and we also participated on Saturday evening in a kind of collective carnival in the streets of the city, with Komplex Kapharnaüm, a hybrid and roaming show where we are not only spectators but in which we can totally immerse ourselves. We really loved this moment with the favorite photographer.
Furies Festival
From June 2 to 6, 2026
The good tip: many shows are completely free (with or without reservation)
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Visit the Joseph Perrier Champagne cellars
Founded in 1825 by Joseph Perrier, also mayor of Châlons in his time, the Joseph Perrie champagne house is one of the few large houses to have remained family-owned until today. It also celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2025! Since 2021, a magnificent visitor space has welcomed the public for an immersion into the history and secrets of making their vintages. The house owns 24 hectares of vines, notably in Cumières, and completes its production by buying grapes from other winegrowers to work on a total of 100 hectares, by blending the three Champagne grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier.
The guided tour is fascinating. We discover the 5 kilometers of cellars dug on one level into the chalk hill adjoining the storehouses. An exceptional fact in Champagne, some galleries are former Gallo-Roman chalk quarries, whose stones were used to build the city of Châlons. They are lit by light wells carved into the chalk. In these cellars, where the temperature is constant between 10 and 12°C (blankets are offered at the entrance), rest nearly 4 million bottles. We learn the secrets of riddling, still manual for 6 to 7 weeks for the parcel vintages. The visit obviously concludes with a tasting, the opportunity to appreciate the finesse of the Cuvée Royale.
Joseph Perrier Champagne
69 Avenue de Paris, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Guided tours: tours are offered all week from March to October and 6 days a week from November to February, reservation is recommended
Rates: from €27 for the visit with a flute of Cuvée Royale
Duration: approximately 1h15 with the tasting
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My great food addresses in Châlons-en-Champagne
Go to the market at the Halles
The Châlons market is held under and around magnificent 19th-century style iron halls. It is the ideal place to stroll and discover local products. You will find many artisans and producers who offer their specialties and products of the Champagne terroir. Located in the heart of the covered market, the Crèmerie Husson is an institution for cheese lovers. It is the perfect address to bring back some local delights and get advice from enthusiasts.
Covered market
Place Godart, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Market days: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday morning
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Where to have lunch in Châlons? Maison Marie-Caroline
This charming family address (restaurant, tea room, and guest rooms), run by Marie and Caroline, offers simple and hearty homemade traditional French cuisine in a sweet and warm atmosphere. The welcome is extremely friendly and it is an address that I find ideal for lunch. The menu changes regularly according to local and seasonal products. We took the opportunity to taste a Champagne from Châlons, the Brut Héritage from J.B. Héry and also a local beer from Epernay, from the artisanal brewery Brasserie Tête de Chou (€6.50).
Maison Marie-Caroline
4 rue Croix des Teinturiers, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Price: starter between €6.50 and €22 / dishes between €14 and €26 / desserts between €6.50 and €10
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Where to have a drink? Brasserie du Jars
Located right next to the Champagne Famille Carbot house, this brasserie is a pleasant place to have a drink. You can also find the house’s champagnes on the menu. I don’t necessarily recommend it for its cuisine (which we tested and which did not convince us), but its terrace is perfect for a refreshing break and to enjoy a glass of Champagne from the Carbot house (price between €9.50 and €11.50).
Brasserie du Jars
10 Bd Victor Hugo 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Price: starter between €10.90 and €16.90 / salads between €17.50 and €20.90 / dishes between €13.90 and €22.50 / desserts between €8.50 and €11.50
The good tip: lunch set menu dish + dessert of the day €17.90
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A brasserie in Châlons? Le Comptoir de la Licorne
This brasserie/pub is located on the Place du Maréchal Foch, right in front of the city hall, in the heart of the city. The menu notably offers burgers and to accompany all that, the address offers a nice selection of local beers. We also discovered a very interesting local beer with champagne marc: Orgemont Rèmes (€6.90 per bottle). Also note, for the summer season, the address offers a nice terrace on the square.
Comptoir de la Licorne
10 place Maréchal Foch 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Price: starter between €9.80 and €17.90 / burgers between €16.90 and €25.90 / salmon tartare €19.50
The good tip: lunch set menu with dish of the day at €11 and dish of the day + dessert of the day €15.50
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Where to eat on the terrace in Châlons? Les Caudalies
This restaurant is installed in a former private mansion of the 18th and 19th centuries, registered as a Historical Monument and the setting does not lack charm. If the weather allows it, I recommend you to eat on the terrace of the establishment which is very pleasant. On the plates, you will find colorful and creative cuisine, made with regional products.
Les Caudalies
2 rue de l’abbé Lambert 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
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My good accommodation addresses in Châlons-en-Champagne
Where to stay in Châlons? Hôtel d’Angleterre
For the beginning of this stay, we stayed at the Hôtel d’Angleterre, which has belonged since 2017 to the Michelin-starred chef Jérôme Feck (1-star gourmet restaurant in the Michelin Guide). We occupied room 63, located on the 3rd floor, which was comfortable and well-laid out. The hotel is ideally located to explore the city on foot and offers a good base for a weekend in Champagne.
Hôtel d’Angleterre
19 Place Monseigneur Tissier, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Rates: classic room from €125
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Where to stay in Châlons? Hôtel IBIS Styles
This very central hotel is located on the Place de la République. We have already tested this Ibis Style chain of the Accor group several times (in Montbéliard, Troyes, Limoges, Le Puy-en-Velay and even in Mexico City) and the addresses fulfill their function well, it’s simple, design and functional. And a little extra for this Ibis Style hotel, the small terrace located at the back of the building which allows you to have breakfast outside if the weather permits.
Hôtel IBIS Styles Châlons-en-Champagne
Place de la République 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne
Rates: room from €107
What to see, what to do in the surroundings of Châlons: go to L’Épine
A few kilometers from Châlons, the village of L’Épine (700 inhabitants) is a must-see stop for its magnificent Notre-Dame basilica, a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic art. It has been an important pilgrimage site since the Middle Ages. Its history is rich and its visit full of surprises.
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What to see, what to do in L’Épine?
Visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame de l’Épine
Built between 1405 and 1527, in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War, this flamboyant Gothic-style basilica impresses with its cathedral-like dimensions. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the paths of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. The exterior is decorated with a hundred gargoyles, some authentic, others decorative. The stone used for its construction is the Savonnières stone, a local limestone. Inside, one can admire a synthetic plaster model, begun by inmates of the Poissy prison, which gives an idea of the building’s overall volume. The association of the Friends of the Basilica also works to keep the building alive and raise funds for its restoration, notably thanks to the neighboring bookshop. Finally, a fun little piece of information, the expression “Going to L’Épine” once meant “working voluntarily” for the sanctuary.
We had the chance to discover the building in the company of a guide, Jean-Louis Moineau, who is part of the association of the Friends of the Basilica. The latter took us on a fascinating guided tour and we even went to the very top of one of the building’s spires! If you have the opportunity, I warmly recommend you take this guided tour.
Just next to the basilica, there is also a bookshop run by the “Friends of the Basilica” association. It’s an excellent opportunity to find literary treasures while contributing to the preservation of this jewel of heritage. The proceeds from sales are entirely dedicated to the restoration of the building.
Basilica of Notre-Dame de l’Épine
1 Rue Émile Barbier, 51460 L’Épine
Free access
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A good address in L’Épine? Aux Armes de Champagne
This 4-star hotel with 26 rooms also houses a bistronomic restaurant and a spa/wellness area, where we were able to enjoy a moment of relaxation.
Eat at the Cuvée 31 restaurant
This bistronomic restaurant nestled in the heart of the Aux Armes de Champagne hotel, in an elegant and cozy setting, was a very nice surprise. And its score of 13/20 in the Gault et Millau is clearly not undeserved. In the kitchen, we find the chef Thibaut Reppert. The address offers a very good level in the plates that we were able to discover during a delicious lunch. The menu also evolves every 15 days following seasonal products.
Aux Armes de Champagne / Cuvée 31 restaurant
31 avenue du Luxembourg 51460 L’Epine
Price: starters €18 / dishes €29 / desserts €16 or menu starter + dish + dessert at €49
The good tip: lunch set menu (weekday lunch) with starter + dish or dish + dessert with 1 glass of wine + 1/2 mineral water + 1 hot drink at €51
Thanks to Tiphaine, Laurence and the Châlons-en-Champagne Tourist Office for organizing this very beautiful weekend of discovery.
I hope that with all this I will have made you want to visit Châlons-en-Champagne and its surroundings and if you also have your good addresses and advice for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use
