Best Foodie Experiences in Champagne

Champagne certainly comes pretty high on the list when it comes to unmissable destinations for true foodies – but what else would expect from the region that invented the world’s most celebrated luxury tipple? Champagne offers the very best in viticulture and wine tours (not to mention the tastings!) but there’s plenty to enjoy when in it comes to what you’ll find on your plate as well as in your glass. If you’re tempted to take a bite out of this region our range of luxury chateaux in Champagne make the perfect place to stay, and to ensure you don’t get peckish we’ve found 10 of the most tempting foodie experiences you can enjoy during your stay.

1. Café du Palais, Reims

A large part of Café du Palais’ appeal lies in the décor: a stained-glass ceiling, artwork-covered walls and a bar lit by strips of coloured neon give the room a chic Art Deco vibe. It is, without a doubt, one of the most stylish dining establishments in Reims and atmospheric setting in which to enjoy a menu of French classics, such as foie gras, snails, morels, and cheese and meat spreads. Outside of lunch and dinner hours, they provide a snack menu with sharing plates.

Location: Café du Palais  14, Place Myron Herrick  51100 Reims

Bookings: Call +33 3 26 47 52 54

2. A La Francaise, Reims and Épernay

A La Francaise tours take groups on private, personalised journeys into the heart of wine country. You can hop between vineyards, learn about the story of Champagne and sip on several flutes safe in the knowledge that someone else will be doing the driving. Different packages include half and full-day tours, which include visits to quality, independent vintners chosen by in-the-know local experts. Pickup and drop-off will be from the villa so you needn’t worry about navigating.

Price Range: Tours starting from €60

Location: 12 rue Corbier 51 160 Mareuil-sur-Aÿ

Bookings: Call + 33 6 69 53 41 59 or email harry@vineescape.com

3. Distillerie Guillon, Louvois

If you prefer malts to grapes then head to the Guillon whiskey distillery, which crafts the rich golden liquor in the woods south of Reims. Learn about the secrets of distilling and the art of tasting, before trying a selection from their range accompanied by specially chosen local meats and cheeses, which will help bring out the flavours. Some of their whisky has been mature in Champagne casks, which gives it a distinctive flavour that sets it apart from many of its Scottish and Irish counterparts.

Location: Hameau de Vertuelle Route de Verzy 51150 Louvois  

Bookings: Online Distillerie Guillon

4. Perching Bar, Verzy

Relax with a drink from local vineyards in an eco-friendly bar situated halfway up a tree. This drinking destination is all about the atmosphere, from the wooden decking and seating of the interior to the balcony with sofas that looks out over the Montagne de Reims Regional Natural Park. The bar is only seven metres high, but in relatively flat Marne, that qualifies as high altitude, and the views are spectacular.

Location: 51380 Verzy France

Bookings: Reserve slots online from €21

5. Le Parc Les Crayères, Reims

As you approach the Les Crayères mansion, it will soon become apparent you will be dining in style. The elegant, symmetrical façade of the early 20th-century chateau is matched in class only by the food served within. There are three different options to choose from at the estate. Michelin-starred Le Parc is their gourmet option and the menu here is deceptively simple, often stripping down the dish descriptions to just a couple of words denoting the seasonal and locally sourced delicacies. The thrill is in the execution; the menu is perfectly imagined by award-winning chef Philippe Mille.

Location: 64 Boulevard Henry Vasnier 51100 Relms France

Bookings: Call +33 3 26 24 90 00

6. Restaurant Racine, Reims

French cuisine meets the culinary delights of Japan in Restaurant Racine’s fusion of flavours, concocted by Chef Kazuyuki Tanaka. The key to Racine’s success is in the matching of meats to vegetables in unexpected ways. You’ll find a Japanese turnip known as kabu in a mackerel dish or veal served with pumpkins. Japanese tea and a fine selection of wines can be found on the drinks menu.

Price Range: Set menu from €110

Location: 8 rue Colbert 51100 Reims

Bookings: Call +33 3 26 35 16 95

7. Champagne Janisson Baradon, Épernay

Five generations worth of knowledge and tradition make Champagne Janisson Baradon a particularly great place to stop, chat Champagne and of, course taste a flute or two of superb bubbles. This is a smaller producer and can offer a more intimate experience and, most memorably, group classes during which they demonstrate how to open a bottle using a sabre – surely the ultimate party trick.

Location: 2 Rue des Vignerons 51200 Epernay

Bookings: Call +33 3 26 54 45 85

8. Tout Simplement Restaurant Bar à Vins, Troyes

If you are searching for something hearty and without a shred of pretension, then this restaurant, whose name denotes its simplicity, is the place to go. The straight-forward nature of the food doesn’t take away from the quality of it. A broad menu, which includes rillettes (a coarse, pâté-like meat spread), slow-cooked lamb and filled pasta, is much like the décor of the building: stylish and unfussy. It makes an ideal lunch stopover during a day’s sightseeing in historic Troyes.

Location: 29 Place Alexandre Israël 10000 Troyes France

Bookings: Call +33 3 25 40 83 72

There’s plenty to enjoy in Champagne no matter your taste – and that goes for accommodation too! If you’re planning a visit and are looking for the perfect place to stay, talk to our concierge team. They’re here to help you find the perfect place to stay – all you need to do is let them know what you’re looking for. Our blog is full of morsels of travel inspiration too – you find more foodie experiences or check out our authentic guide to Champagne so you can live like a local when you head over!

Looking for a full list of villas to rent this year? Check out our villa holidays page here.