Champagne
A champagne weekend for couples in Épernay and Reims
Two days, two towns and a chalk cellar underfoot. Here is how to plan a champagne weekend for two, and where to sleep.
11 November 20267 min
Picolo Editorial
In short: a champagne weekend for couples
A champagne weekend works best in Épernay, with a day trip or a second night in Reims. Épernay is small enough to walk between cellars. La Villa Eugène is our first choice for couples, with a hot tub, a sauna and a bar.
Our first choice: La Villa Eugène. Check availability and prices at La Villa Eugène
How to plan the weekend
Arrive on Friday evening and keep the first night simple, with dinner near your hotel. Saturday is for the cellars on the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. Book visits ahead, as most houses take guests by reservation only.
On Sunday, drive or take the train to Reims for the cathedral and a late lunch. Our guide to Champagne tours covers the houses and the hotels in both towns. If you hope to see Pol Roger, read how to ask for a visit first.
Where to stay as a couple
La Villa Eugène: a five-star hideaway in Épernay
La Villa Eugène stands in Épernay's historic district, a short walk from the Avenue de Champagne. It has a hot tub, a sauna, an outdoor pool, a bar and lounge and a terrace. Rooms come with pillowtop mattresses and blackout drapes.
It suits couples who want to walk to the cellars and return to a quiet bar.
Hôtel Margaux: a spa and a restaurant in town
Hôtel Margaux has a spa, a restaurant, a bar and lounge and a fitness centre. You can walk from the door into the streets of Épernay.
Choose it for a modern base where dinner and a spa treatment are both in the building.
Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa: the vineyard view
Royal Champagne is a five-star hotel in Champillon, about 3.4 miles from Épernay, with a terrace over the vineyard. It has an indoor and an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a steam room, a sauna and a restaurant. Breakfast and parking are free.
Choose it if the hotel is the point of the trip. You will want a car or a taxi to reach the cellars.
Domaine Les Crayères: a spa with couples rooms in Reims
Domaine Les Crayères is a country-house hotel in Reims with a spa that has couples treatment rooms, and a restaurant called Le Parc.
Choose it if you want to spend the second night in Reims, closer to the cathedral and the larger houses.
Our first choice for couples
La Villa Eugène
La Villa Eugène is the hotel we would pick for two. You walk to the Avenue de Champagne, then return to the hot tub, the sauna or the pool, and in the evening to the bar and the terrace. It is a boutique hotel, so book early for weekends.
Where should couples stay for a champagne weekend?
La Villa Eugène in Épernay is our first choice, a five-star boutique hotel with a hot tub, a sauna and a bar, close to the Avenue de Champagne. For a spa with couples treatment rooms, look at Domaine Les Crayères in Reims. For a vineyard view, choose Royal Champagne in Champillon.
How many nights do you need for a champagne weekend?
Two nights is enough for Épernay and a day in Reims. Spend both nights in Épernay if you want slow mornings and walkable cellars. Add Reims on the Sunday for the cathedral and a late lunch before you leave. Book cellar visits ahead, as most houses accept guests by reservation.
Do you need a car in the Champagne region?
Not in Épernay, where the Avenue de Champagne is walkable from the town hotels. Trains run between Paris Gare de l'Est, Épernay and Reims. A car or a taxi helps if you stay in Champillon or want to visit smaller growers in the villages among the vineyards.
Can you visit Pol Roger on a weekend away?
Only by invitation. The house is described as open to trade visitors and to guests who arrive by invitation, so write well ahead with your dates and the wines you hope to taste. Our guide to visiting Pol Roger explains how to ask and where to stay in Épernay.
Sources
Hotel facilities and locations come from Hotels.com. The Pol Roger access details come from En Primeur Club's visitor guide. Check each house for its current visiting terms.
Enjoy Paris
Picolo Editorial