BIENVENUE À CHAMPAGNE!

Welcome to Champagne!

Arrivals from CDG or Orly (or Paris city – Gare de l’Est) on the TGV to Reims, then transfer for check in to our rooms at the elegant Domaine Les Crayères, a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant in a classic French chateau in Reims.

Welcome drink and orientation tasting

We’ll begin the evening with a welcome glass of Champagne – naturally – and an intimate orientation tasting in a private room at the hotel. Guided by The Vines’ wine experts, this introduction will offer a rich overview of the region’s history, its diverse terroirs, and the remarkable wine that made Champagne a name known around the world.

Dinner at world famous Champagne house Charles Heidsieck

Our culinary adventure begins at this famous Champagne house and offers an unforgettable evening within one of Champagne’s most storied maisons, renowned for its deep chalk cellars and richly expressive wines. Surrounded by history, each course is thoughtfully paired to highlight the house’s signature depth and elegance—a singular immersion into the spirit of Champagne.

DOSAGE & OTHER DELIGHTS WITH DRAPPIER

Cellar tour, tasting and dosage session with the Drappier family

Dosage is one of the most important and enjoyable steps of the Champagne-making process, and you’ll be right there doing it live with Michel and Hugo Drappier. After a tour of the Drappiers’ ancient cellars and tasting through a selection of Drappier’s own finished Champagnes, we will sit down, choose the style you like best, and adjust the dryness of your Champagnes together.

Lunch at Drappier

After working up an appetite, we will sit for a seasonal lunch prepared just for us by a highly regarded local chef. Using local ingredients, the chef prepares a meal that will be perfectly complemented by the Drappier Champagnes.

Rest and relaxation

Back at the hotel, relax on the hotel grounds or in your room, to freshen up for dinner.

Dinner at Restaurant Gabrielle in Reims

We’ll enjoy this lovely restaurant’s distinctly refined take on contemporary French cuisine, where precise technique and seasonal ingredients come together in beautifully composed dishes. Overlooking Notre-Dame de Reims, the setting adds a sense of grandeur and history, elevating the evening into a truly memorable dining experience.

LANDMARKS

Private guided tour of the Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral

Our private guided visit this morning brings you inside one of France’s great Gothic landmarks, where centuries of royal coronations and craftsmanship are etched into every detail. With an expert guide illuminating its architecture, sculpture, and stained glass, the cathedral reveals itself as both a historical monument and a living work of art at the heart of Reims.

Tasting and lunch at landmark producer Krug

This bucket list tasting and lunch promises to be one of the highlights of the trip. Both the lunch and the tasting center on a philosophy that treats each cuvée as a fully realized composition, built from multiple vintages to achieve depth and precision. Carefully matched dishes draw out the nuance and texture of the wines, revealing the house’s unmistakable richness and complexity.

Private tour and tasting with sommelier-favorite grower Billecart-Salmon

Precision and restraint define the experience at Champagne Billecart-Salmon, a family-run maison revered for its elegance and meticulous attention to detail. During the tasting, a lineup of finely etched cuvées highlights the house’s signature freshness, balance and quiet complexity.

Rest and relaxation or optional painting workshop with local artist

Back at the hotel, relax on the hotel’s calming grounds or in your room, or join us for a painting workshop with talented local artist Francine Kutten.

Farewell fried chicken & Champagne dinner at Chicken Good

A relaxed, down-home sendoff takes shape at Chicken Good, where crisp, golden chicken and comforting sides bring a satisfying, no-frills close to the journey. Easygoing and full of flavor, it’s a fitting final gathering that trades formality for warmth and simple pleasures – including the always perfect pairing of fried chicken and Champagne.

ADIEU

Check out and morning departures.

**Vines itineraries are highly unique and customized, and the overall schedule, events and timing are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.