Reims
Visiting Taittinger: the champagne cellars under Saint-Nicaise in Reims
The stairs drop 18 metres into the chalk. The Romans quarried stone for the city down here, and the monks of Saint-Nicaise Abbey later kept their wine here. Today it holds Taittinger's bottles.
12 November 20266 min read
Picolo Editorial
In short: visiting Taittinger
Taittinger welcomes visitors to its Reims cellars all year. You choose from four tasting experiences and book on the house's own booking site. The cellars lie 18 metres down in Roman chalk quarries. Domaine Les Crayères, a few minutes' walk away, is our first choice for a night nearby.
Last checked: November 2026.
The cellars under Saint-Nicaise
What sets Taittinger apart is below ground. The cellars are Roman chalk quarries, known as crayères, where the building stone of Reims was cut nearly 2,000 years ago. Benedictine monks later built Saint-Nicaise Abbey above them and used the galleries to store wine.
The abbey was demolished after the French Revolution, but its remains are still in the cellars. With the other cellars of Reims and Épernay, they have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2015.
The house is younger than its cellars. The Taittinger family took over in the 1930s and has run it under their name ever since. Closer to home for British readers, the house also grows grapes in Kent, at Domaine Evremond, whose first wine was released in 2025.
How to book a visit
Taittinger is open all year, winter included, which makes it a reliable choice out of season.
Go to the booking site: Taittinger runs its own tour booking page, linked from taittinger.com.
Choose a tasting: there are four options. All go through the cellars, and the difference is which wines you taste.
Book ahead: Saturdays and summer fill quickly. In winter it is easier to find a slot.
Bring a jacket: the cellars stay at around 10-12°C all year, and there are plenty of steps.
On the same site is Polychrome, a restaurant where a guest chef cooks a seasonal menu to match the champagne.
Combine it with other houses
The Saint-Nicaise quarter has more champagne houses to the street than anywhere else in Reims. Pommery and Ruinart have cellars nearby, a few minutes on foot. Two visits in a day is plenty, though. A third turns the tasting into work.
The cathedral is about 25 minutes' walk from Taittinger. Take the tram or a taxi back if you have tasted generously.
Getting there
From London, take the Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord and walk about ten minutes to Gare de l'Est. The TGV to Reims takes around 45 minutes, and from Reims station the tram or a taxi gets you to Saint-Nicaise. Allow around four hours from St Pancras. See our Eurostar to Champagne guide.
Where to stay
Domaine Les Crayères
A château in its own park, a few minutes' walk from Taittinger and Pommery. It has around 20 rooms and suites with antiques and garden views, and dinner is at Le Parc, the gastronomic restaurant.
Best for walking from cellar to château without getting in a car.
La Caserne Chanzy
Directly opposite the cathedral, with a spa, an indoor pool and two restaurants. Taittinger is about 25 minutes on foot.
Best for having the cathedral and the city outside the door and taking the tram to the cellars.
L'Assiette Champenoise
In Tinqueux on the edge of Reims, with a three-Michelin-star restaurant and a list of more than 1,000 champagnes.
Best when dinner is the high point of the trip. You will need a taxi to Saint-Nicaise.
See all our picks in the guide to Reims hotels.
Our first choice near Taittinger
Domaine Les Crayères
The name gives it away. Domaine Les Crayères takes its name from the chalk quarries below, and the château stands in a park a few minutes' walk from the Taittinger cellars. You go down into the chalk in the morning and are back in the garden for lunch. In the evening there is dinner at Le Parc, and the rooms have antiques and views across the park.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Taittinger
Can you visit Taittinger in Reims?
Yes. Taittinger receives visitors in its Reims cellars all year round. You choose from four tasting experiences and book on the house's own booking site, linked from taittinger.com. The tour goes through Roman chalk quarries and the remains of Saint-Nicaise Abbey, 18 metres underground. Book early for Saturdays and summer.
Where is Taittinger in Reims?
The Taittinger cellars are on Place Saint-Nicaise, in the south-east quarter of Reims that is also home to Pommery and Ruinart. The cathedral is about 25 minutes' walk away, and from the station you can take the tram or a taxi. Domaine Les Crayères is the nearest hotel, a few minutes away.
What are crayères?
Crayères are old chalk quarries beneath Reims, where the Romans cut stone for the city. The galleries hold a steady temperature all year and were later used to store wine. Taittinger, Pommery and Ruinart age champagne in them today, and they are on the UNESCO World Heritage List with the houses and hillsides of Champagne.
Does Taittinger make English sparkling wine?
Yes. Taittinger has a vineyard in Kent, Domaine Evremond, set up with its British importer, and the first wine was released in 2025. It is a separate estate from the Reims cellars, which remain the place to see how Taittinger champagne is aged. Check Domaine Evremond's own channels for any visits in Kent.
Where should you stay to visit Taittinger?
Stay in the Saint-Nicaise quarter to walk to the cellars, where Domaine Les Crayères is a few minutes away. If you would rather be by the cathedral, La Caserne Chanzy is about 25 minutes on foot. Our guide to Reims hotels covers more options in the city and the vineyards beyond it.
Sources
Visitor information, the depth of the cellars and the Polychrome restaurant come from Taittinger. World Heritage status comes from UNESCO, and the Domaine Evremond details from Wine Anorak. Hotel details come from Hotels.com.
Santé from Reims
Picolo Editorial