Épernay
How to visit Moët & Chandon in Épernay
Around 28 kilometres of galleries run beneath number 18, Avenue de Champagne. That is a little longer than the Circle Line, and all of it is cut into chalk.
12 November 20266 min read
Picolo Editorial
In short: visiting Moët & Chandon
Moët & Chandon in Épernay takes visitors on pre-booked tours lasting an hour and a half to two hours. The cellars run for around 28 kilometres and stay at 10-12°C. The house opens daily in season and has a lift for wheelchair users. La Villa Eugène, on the same street, is our first choice.
Last checked: November 2026.
The house on the Avenue de Champagne
Moët & Chandon is the largest champagne house, and for many people the name the word champagne brings to mind. It was founded in Épernay in 1743. The founder's grandson, Jean-Rémy Moët, was a friend of Napoleon, and the emperor visited Épernay several times.
The house's prestige wine is Dom Pérignon, named after the Benedictine monk of the abbey at Hautvillers, the village just north of Épernay. You can visit the abbey church where he is buried on your own.
The cellars lie 10 to 30 metres below ground in chalk, which keeps an even temperature all year. Épernay Tourisme describes them as the largest in Champagne.
How to book a visit
Every tour must be booked in advance on moet.com. Tours run in French and English, and all finish with a guided tasting.
Shorter tours: an hour and a half, tasting two wines. The simplest pours the house's non-vintage wines, the others pour vintages.
Longer tours: two hours for small groups of up to six, with older vintages. One includes a demonstration of disgorging, the step that removes the sediment from the bottle.
Opening hours: from late March to mid-November, daily from 9.30am to 5pm. Later in the autumn and between Christmas and New Year it closes on certain weekdays.
Access: the cellars have a lift and a separate entrance for wheelchair users.
Bring a warm layer. The cellars hold 10-12°C even in July.
Combine it with other houses
Moët & Chandon sits near the top of the Avenue de Champagne, with the rest of the street ahead of you. Pol Roger receives guests by invitation, and many other houses require booking. Two visits in a day is plenty.
With an afternoon to spare, take a taxi to Hautvillers. The village sits among the vines on the hill north of town, and the view over the Marne valley justifies the trip.
Getting there
From London, take the Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord and walk about ten minutes to Gare de l'Est. The direct train to Épernay takes around an hour and a quarter, and from Épernay station the Avenue de Champagne is a few minutes on foot.
Where to stay
La Villa Eugène
Once the Mercier family's villa, at number 84 on the Avenue de Champagne, a short walk from Moët & Chandon. There is a garden pool, a hot tub, a sauna and a bar.
Best for couples who want to stay on the same street as the houses.
Hôtel Margaux
A former presbytery on Rue des Minimes, a minute from the Avenue de Champagne and four minutes from the station, with 27 rooms, a bar and a garden.
Best for train travellers who want to walk everywhere.
Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa
On the slope above Champillon, about five kilometres north of town, with terraces facing the vineyards, a spa and two pools.
Best when you have a car and want the view as well.
See all our picks in the guide to Épernay hotels.
Our first choice near Moët & Chandon
La Villa Eugène
La Villa Eugène is on the same street as Moët & Chandon, a little further down the Avenue de Champagne. The villa was once the Mercier family home, and behind the iron gates are a garden pool, a hot tub and a sauna. You take the tour in the morning and are back by the pool before dinner.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Moët & Chandon
Can you visit Moët & Chandon in Épernay?
Yes. Moët & Chandon runs guided tours that must be booked in advance on moet.com. They last an hour and a half to two hours, run in French and English and finish with a tasting. The cellars are at 18 Avenue de Champagne, a few minutes' walk from Épernay station.
How long are the Moët & Chandon cellars?
The cellars run for around 28 kilometres, between 10 and 30 metres below ground, according to Épernay Tourisme, which makes them the largest in Champagne. They stay at 10-12°C all year, so bring a jacket. The tour covers only a small part of the galleries.
When is Moët & Chandon open?
From late March to mid-November it opens daily from 9.30am to 5pm. Later in the autumn and between Christmas and New Year it closes on certain weekdays, and it is shut over Christmas itself. Hours can change from year to year, so check moet.com before you book a hotel.
Who was Dom Pérignon?
Dom Pérignon was a Benedictine monk at the abbey of Hautvillers, just north of Épernay, in the late 17th century. He worked to improve the abbey's wines, and Moët & Chandon named its prestige cuvée after him. The abbey church where he is buried is open to visitors, and the village looks out over the Marne valley.
Where should you stay to visit Moët & Chandon?
Stay in central Épernay and walk to the cellars. La Villa Eugène is on the Avenue de Champagne itself, and Hôtel Margaux is a minute away, close to the station. With a car, Royal Champagne in Champillon adds a spa and a view over the vineyards.
Sources
Tour details, opening hours and the length of the cellars come from Épernay Tourisme and Moët & Chandon's own website. The history of Jean-Rémy Moët and Dom Pérignon is drawn from Moët & Chandon. Hotel details come from Hotels.com.
Santé from Épernay
Picolo Editorial