Last Updated on 13 March, 2024
Champagne is a luxurious and elegant drink enjoyed for its delicate bubbles and celebratory feel. However, only sparkling wine produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region can legally be labelled as champagne. Each glass of champagne tells a unique story that reflects the region’s history and culture. And what better way to learn these stories than visiting Champagne? But with over 2,000 champagne houses in the area, you might wonder which are the best champagne houses to visit.
Champagne is located at the northern edges of France, about 160km east of Paris. It has five wine-producing districts: Aube, Cรดte des Blancs, Cรดte de Sรฉzanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallรฉe de la Marne. I recommend going to the towns ofย Reims (in Montagne de Reims)ย andย รpernay (in Vallรฉe de la Marne). These two areas are the region’s commercial centres and are known for the best champagne houses to visit.
![The map of Champagne Region in France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/G.H.Mumm2-4.jpg)
Best Champagne Houses to Visit in Reims
Beneath the city, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lie over 155 miles of champagne cellars holding around 200 million bottles! All the top Champagne producers offer tours of their extensive cellars.
Ruinart Champagne House
Nearly 300 years ago, on 1st September 1729, Nicolas Ruinart founded the House of Ruinart and created the world’s first ever champagne producing company.
![A girl standing in front of Ruinart Champagne House in France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Ruinart-6-1024x768.jpg)
Ruinart’s cellars are among the region’s largest and Gallo-Roman in origin. Like most Champagne cellars, they are the product of ancient chalk mining, extend 38 metres below the ground, and are 8km long.
The chalk helps keep the cellars at a constant 11ยฐC. In 1931, the chalk pits were classified as a historic monument. The Ruinart taste greatly depends on the ageing in chalk pits: 3 to 4 years for non-vintages and 9 to 10 years on average for a Dom Ruinart.
![Ruinart champagne cellars](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Ruinart-2-768x1024.jpg)
![Lots of Champagne bottles in Ruinart Champagne House's cellar](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Ruinart-3-768x1024.jpg)
![tasting Ruinart champagne in Champagne](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Ruinart-4-1024x768.jpg)
Address:
4 rue des Crayรจres
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 77 51 51
Book a visit here
G. H. Mumm Champagne House
G. H. Mumm & Cie was founded on 1st March 1827 by three brothers, who were German winemakers from the Rhine Valley.
In 1852, Georges Hermann Mumm, a son of one of the founders, took the reins of the champagne house (hence G. H. Mumm) and laid the foundations of the company strategy emphasising excellence. His motto was “Only the best”, not surprisingly making it one of the best champagne houses to visit.
![A girl standing at the entrance of G.H.Mumm Champagne House in France - The Best Champagne Houses to Visit in France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-3-730x1024.jpg)
Maison Mummโs vineyards cover nearly 218 hectares, where it has also set up its wine presses to supervise every stage of production and ensure the highest quality, which continues to this day.ย
G.H. Mummย also introduced an unprecedented supply policy at the time: purchasing grapes directly from growers in the finest vineyards rather than unfermented juice.
![A picture of Pinot Noir grapes](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-7-1024x722.jpg)
![A picture of Chardonnay grapes](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-6-1024x712.jpg)
![A picture of Pinot Meunier grapes](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-5-1024x692.jpg)
Dug by hand out of the chalk, Mumm’s cellars make up 25km of galleries and house nearly 25 million bottles. The still wine becomes champagne while hidden in the depths of Mumm’s cellars at a constant temperature of 11ยฐC.ย
![G.H.Mumm champagne house cellars](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-9-683x1024.jpg)
![G.H.Mumm Champagne cellar The Best Champagne Houses to Visit in France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-10-1024x683.jpg)
![A girl standing next to champagne bottles in G.H.Mumm Champagne cellars](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-13-751x1024.jpg)
G.H. Mumm created the famous “Cordon Rouge” in 1875. The inspiration came from the red sashes awarded to distinguished individuals who received the highest French Legion of Honour. To honour his prestigious clients, Mumm decorated the neck of every bottle of his Cuvรฉe Brut with a red silk ribbon. Today, the red silk ribbon remains the iconic symbol of quality for the Maison Mumm.
G.H. Mumm is an official supplier of champagne to His Majesty the King, as evidenced by the Royal Warrant decorating the neck of its bottles given in 1904.
![Champagne tasting](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-17-1012x1024.jpg)
![Champagne Tasting](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/G.H.Mumm2-16-834x1024.jpg)
Address:
34 rue du Champ de Mars
guides@mumm.com
Book a visit here
Other Champagne Houses to Visit in Reims
Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin
1 place des Droits-de-lโHomme
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 89 53 90
Website
Champagne Pommery
5 pl du General-Gouraud
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 61 62 55
Website
G.H.Martel & Co.
17 rue des Crรฉneaux
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 82 70 67
Website
Drappier
11 rue Goรฏot
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 05 13
Website
Taittinger
9 place St-Nicaise
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 85 45 35
Website
Lanson
66 rue de Courlancy
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 78 50 50
Website
Best Champagne Houses to Visit in รpernay
The charming town of 25,000 residents, รpernay, is surrounded by hills whose slopes are covered with vineyards producing the famous wine. The Avenue de Champagne is a district of the major production houses totalling more than 100km of galleries dug in the chalk where millions of bottles are housed.ย
Moรซt et Chandon Champagne House
Founded by Claude Moรซt in 1743, it’s probably the most famous of the champagne houses and is known for creating the great Dom Pรฉrignon label.
Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!
Dom Pรฉrignon
It was just Moรซt until 1833 when it was renamed Moรซt et Chandon after Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles, Claude Moรซt’s grandson’s son-in-law, joined the company.ย
![A girl standing in front of Moet & Chandon champagne house entrance](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Moet-Chandon-19-1024x678.jpg)
Notably, Moรซt & Chandon has the longest maze of underground tunnels, extending to almost 30km. In addition, it produces approximately 28 million bottles of champagne annually, which is quite impressive. Moreover, it holds a royal warrant as a supplier of champagne to HM the King, adding to its prestige and reputation.
![Moet & Chandon wine cellar](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Moet-Chandon-12-1024x683.jpg)
![Moet & Chandon wine cellar](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Moet-Chandon-9-1024x683.jpg)
![A girl standing in front of a Moet & Chandon poster at Moet & Chandon champagne house in France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Moet-Chandon-20-1024x964.jpg)
Moรซt & Chandon merged with Hennessy Cognac and Louis Vuitton creating LVMH – the largest luxury group in the world which also owns Mercier, Veuve Clicquot, Dior and many other luxury brands.
![Tasting Moet & Chandon champagne at Moet & Chandon champagne house](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Moet-Chandon-15-1024x640.jpg)
Address:
20 Av. de Champagne
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 51 20 20
Book a visit here
Other Champagne Houses to Visit in รpernay
Mercier
70 Av. de Champagne
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 51 22 23
Website
Castellane
63 Av. de Champagne
Tel.: 00 33 (0)3 26 51 19 19
Website
How to Get to the Champagne Region
By Car
The best way is to drive, especially if you’re planning on buying champagne in quantity. The region is a three-hour drive from Calais if travelling from the UK.
By Train
Champagne is also accessible by train, but first you would need to get to Paris Gare du Nord station. From there it’s a short walk to Gare de l’Est โ the capital’s main departure point for trains to Reims and รpernay.
By Plane
Fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, then get a direct TGV train to Champagne Ardenne station which is a 12 minute tram ride from Reims station.
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