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Underground
The chalk cellars of Reims
Below the city, the temperature stays cool and constant. Choose one major house and give the tour time; it is the winter anchor of your trip.
Compare Champagne houses
The quiet side of France
Champagne tastes different in winter.
Cold vineyards, warm cellars and cities filled with light. Discover what is open and create a weekend that fits the season.
Season
Oct — Mar
Why visit now?
More time in the cellars, fewer crowds in the streets.
Winter is not a second summer—and that is exactly its charm. In December, light festivals and Christmas markets draw visitors to Reims and Épernay. Afterwards, the region grows quieter and a great weekend is built around well-planned cellar visits, long lunches, heritage and a comfortable hotel.
Honest winter advice: smaller producers often welcome visitors by appointment only outside the main season. Check availability before you travel.
Four reasons to visit in winter
What makes a cold day worth the trip.
11–13 December 2026
Habits de Lumière
Three evenings of light shows, Champagne bars, gastronomy and fireworks along the Avenue de Champagne.
View the official programmeIndoors & warm
Taste, lunch, stay
Plan fewer stops and choose them well: one cellar visit, a long lunch and a hotel where the evening can unfold at its own pace.
Find your base45 minutes from Paris
A day in Reims
The cathedral, market, lunch and one booked cellar tour make a rewarding winter day trip.
Open the city guideFrom Reims to Les Riceys
Your winter map of Champagne.
Go beyond the famous cities to the Montagne de Reims, Châlons, Lac du Der and the Côte des Bar. Every card shows what to expect and how to plan or book your visit.
Area
Type
31 winter activities found
Most booked
Affiliate link
Veuve Clicquot & a family-run winery
Combine a major Champagne house, an independent producer and lunch in one guided day.
Book onlineLunch included
View this day tour ↗No driving required
Affiliate link
Winegrowers & tastings near Épernay
Leave Reims for a small-group tour of family-run estates and the vineyards.
Book onlineTransport included
View this tour ↗Popular choice
Affiliate · Viator
Two small producers
Visit two family producers, taste several Champagnes and stop in Hautvillers on a compact half-day tour.
Small groupCheck winter dates
View on Viator ↗Winterproof
Affiliate · Viator
Champagne tasting & workshop
Learn how to taste four Champagnes like a professional during a compact workshop in central Reims.
IndoorsFour tastings
View on Viator ↗Gastronomy
Affiliate · Viator
Food tour with Champagne
Walk through Reims and enjoy a full French meal along the way, including at least one Champagne tasting.
Full mealAvailable in winter
View on Viator ↗December
Free
Reims Christmas market
Around 150 chalets, local treats and winter lights around the Promenades and Porte de Mars.
Family-friendlyCity centre
View the market ↗Evening tip
Affiliate link
Guided tour of Reims Cathedral
Discover its coronation history and architecture with a guide; combine it with Regalia in December.
Book onlineRegalia separate/free
Book the guided tour ↗Wed, Fri & Sat
Inspiration
Halles du Boulingrin
Have breakfast or lunch among cheese, charcuterie, pâtisserie and local producers in the covered market hall.
CoveredCombine with the centre
View market days ↗Dry winter day
Free
Faux de Verzy forest walk
Walk among the rare dwarf beeches of the Montagne de Reims, especially atmospheric in their leafless winter form.
NatureSturdy shoes
Open the regional guide ↗Avenue de Champagne
Affiliate link
Bubble Tour with six tastings
Depart from Épernay for a small-group tour of winegrowers, a village and the vineyards.
Book online6 tastings
View the Bubble Tour ↗Lunch included
Affiliate · Viator
Small-group tour with lunch
Leave the Avenue de Champagne for Hautvillers, the vineyards, lunch and a family-run producer.
5 tastingsCheck winter dates
View on Viator ↗Vintage route
Affiliate · Viator
Vineyards in a vintage van
Travel from Épernay through Aÿ and Oger, visit a family estate and taste three Champagnes.
Small groupCheck winter dates
View on Viator ↗Highlight
Partly free
Habits de Lumière
Video mapping, Champagne bars, gastronomy, fireworks and Sunday’s major vintage-car parade.
3 daysBook your hotel early
View the programme ↗Interactive
Affiliate link
Pressoria with tasting
An interactive journey through soil, grapes and bubbles, ending with Champagne or grape juice.
Book onlineGood with children
Book Pressoria ↗Rainy-day option
Book direct
Champagne museum at Château Perrier
From geology and archaeology to the history of the Champagne industry, with an English audio guide.
From €10Check winter opening hours
View current times ↗Views
Book direct
In the footsteps of Dom Pérignon
Explore the abbey, wrought-iron house signs and views over the Marne, independently or with a local guide.
Guide from €9Winter calm
View walking tours ↗Small group
Book direct
Gourmet walk through Aÿ
Combine the town with local flavours and Champagne on a pre-booked guided tour.
From around €26Limited dates
View tourist-office offer ↗Dry winter day
Affiliate link
Vineyard walk & tasting
Walk through the landscape and taste Champagne with a local producer; choose a dry winter day.
Book onlineWeather dependent
View the walk ↗Winter edition
Book direct
Métamorph’eau’ses by boat
Cruise after dark past light projections on bridges and monuments, with special sailings in December and February.
Booking recommendedWeather dependent
View winter sailings ↗Small-scale
Free
Noël Blanc & Christmas market
A compact Christmas market with street performances, concerts, children’s activities and winter boat trips.
Place FochFamily-friendly
View the Christmas programme ↗Historic house
Book direct
Maison Joseph Perrier
Visit the historic cellars of the city’s only major Champagne house on selected dates.
Tasting includedBook in advance
Check availability ↗15 Feb–5 Mar
Free observatory
Crane watching at Ferme aux Grues
Watch thousands of migrating birds from the observatory; paid photography hides can be booked.
Early morningBring binoculars
Plan your birdwatching visit ↗Half-timbered city
Inspiration
Historic centre of Troyes
Follow the heart-shaped old town past half-timbered houses, churches and narrow lanes, especially atmospheric in winter light.
Self-guidedFree route
Open the city guide ↗Winterproof
Book direct
Cité du Vitrail
A modern museum filled with stained glass, open six days a week in winter from November to mid-March.
From €7Good with children
View opening hours ↗Year-round
Pay direct
Ice skating at Patinoire des 3 Seine
An affordable indoor activity with a spacious rink, skate hire and special opening hours during school holidays.
Admission €5.80Family ticket available
View skating times ↗11th-century cellar
Book direct
Champagne Morize & Rosé des Riceys
Taste Champagne and rare still rosé in a historic cellar; in 2026 it opens from 9 February.
From €10Reservation required
Book with the producer ↗By appointment
Book direct
Taste at a family-run estate
Compare Pinot Noir, blanc de noirs and Rosé des Riceys with a producer who welcomes visitors in winter.
Often from €8Call ahead
Find a winter producer ↗Southern Champagne
Book direct
Wine route with confirmed appointments
Build a route through Bar-sur-Seine, Celles-sur-Ource and Les Riceys with confirmed visits.
Book with producersCan be booked direct
Find welcoming winegrowers ↗Oct & March
Book direct
Du Côté des Renoir
Discover Renoir’s village, studio and family story. Best suited to the edges of the winter season.
Art & villageCheck winter dates
Explore the Côte des Bar ↗All-inclusive
Affiliate link
Three family estates & lunch
An all-inclusive small-group tour of three winegrowers, with tastings and lunch.
Book onlineThree estates
View this day tour ↗Gastronomy
Affiliate link
Truffle & Champagne pairing
Taste several pairings of truffle dishes and Champagne during a guided experience in Reims.
Book onlineIndoors & warm
View the pairing ↗Good to know: some booking links are affiliate links. If you book through them, Vinoriva may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Winter opening hours vary by month and around public holidays.
View the full regional map ↗Choose your moment
Every winter month has its own rhythm.
Use the calendar to find the kind of trip that suits your month.
The vineyards still show autumn colour, many houses welcome visitors and the fourth Friday of October is Champagne Day.
A strong month for unhurried tasting. Book ahead and combine one visit with Reims or Épernay.
The quintessential winter month. Habits de Lumière, festive lights and seasonal menus create the atmosphere—book hotels and tours early.
Availability is more limited, especially around New Year. Choose a city base and build your trip around confirmed reservations.
Ideal for a romantic weekend with a spa, dinner and a private or small-scale tasting.
More daylight makes village routes more appealing, while the region remains noticeably quieter than in spring.
Weekend itineraries
Start small. Taste better.
No more than two booked visits a day leaves time for lunch, travel and unexpected discoveries.
Reims without a car
- Cathedral & centre
- Lunch near Boulingrin
- Cellar visit in Reims
- Dinner and overnight stay
Reims & Épernay
- Major house in Reims
- Evening in the city
- Train to Épernay
- Avenue & winegrower village
City, village & spa
- Reims and the crayères
- Route through Montagne de Reims
- Épernay and Aÿ
- Late checkout and lunch
Where to stay?
Choose your hotel around your evening plans.
Reims offers the most restaurants and the easiest rail connection. Épernay puts you closer to the Avenue and surrounding villages. A country hotel suits travellers seeking calm, a spa and the freedom of a car.
View accommodation Booking takes place externally. Prices and availability may change.Quick weekend planner
What should your winter trip be about?
Our suggestion
Base yourself in Reims, visit Épernay
Book one memorable cellar visit, stay in central Reims and take the train to Épernay on day two. You will see both sides of the region without an overloaded schedule.
Open the full guidePlanning beyond winter?
Winter in Champagne focuses exclusively on October through March. For Champagne houses, destinations, maps and itineraries throughout the year, visit our sister project.
ChampagneHolidayOpen the complete travel guide ↗