Champagne by bike

The Marne Valley and Champagne by bike

Experience a cycling trip in the heart of the Champagne region, marked by the history of France and by arts and culture. Champagne is marked by the omnipresence of vineyards. You will cycle through the countryside between the Marne Valley and the Reims Natural Park Mountains, admiring the beautiful scenery. You will meet people who are passionate about their region. Champagne also has a rich religious heritage with notably the Gothic Cathedral of Reims. 

Highlights of the trip : 

• Discovery of the most beautiful villages of the Champagne region
• Epernay, capital of champagne wines
• visit of historical monuments
• Reims 

Day 1 - Arrival in Reims

You are expected at your hotel in Reims in the afternoon. At the reception of the hotel you will be given some essential information on the course of the trip. 
Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 2 - Reims - Matougues~ 50 km

After breakfast, you will take the bikes towards Epernay. You will have the pleasure to cross the typical villages of the vineyards of the "Montagne de Reims" such as Mailly Champagne, Verzenay and Bouzy.  This first cycling stage ends in Matougues in a charming bed and breakfast where you will spend the night.

Day 3 - Matougues - Epernay ~29 KM

After breakfast, you will have a pleasant ride to Epernay along the Marne canal. In the afternoon, you can visit the capital of Champagne wines: Epernay. This is also an opportunity to visit its most impressive cellars.

Day 4 - Epernay, Loop in the Marne Valley ~ 36 KM

This beautiful stage guides you through the vineyards and mountains on the Route de Champagne along Marne la Vallée. Here you will be able to admire a rich wine heritage. This bike route will offer you breathtaking views of the Marne Valley. This path through the vineyards leads you to Hautvillers, a charming village known for its Benedictine abbey.

In Cumières, you can have your meal in a restaurant carved in stone. On the way to Venteuil, you can admire the view of the Château de Boursault. The valley road goes through villages, vineyards, fields, forests until Reuil. Return to Epernay by taking the other side of the Marne. 
Overnight stay in a 3* hotel in Epernay or in a charming bed and breakfast.

Day 5 - Epernay - Loop in Côte de Blancs ~28 km

Today, you will visit the vineyards of the Côte de Blancs, birthplace of the Chardonnay grape. You will take the Champagne Route to Pierry, where you will be able to visit its 18th century castle and its cellars.  You will then continue the itinerary by bike to the church of Chavot-Courcourt (12th century).

After Cuis and its superb Romanesque church, the path will take you near the cliffs to Cramant where you can see its oversized bottle (8m50) nestled on the heights. Nearby, you will find the small wine village of Avize decorated with frescoes. Return to Epernay in the afternoon.

Overnight stay in a 3* hotel or in a charming bed and breakfast.

Day 6 - Epernay - Reims ~ 35 km

After breakfast, the last cycling stage in Champagne will allow you to explore the national forest of Hautvillers by crossing the Golden Valley of Avenay and Germaine. The trip ends in Reims passing by Ludes by bike.
Overnight stay in Reims.

Day 7 - End of the bike trip

Your cycling trip ends after breakfast. You have the possibility to book an extra night to enjoy the city of Reims. 

General information:

• 7 days and 6 nights
• Level of comfort of accommodation : 3* hotels

Dates :

Achievable between April and October 2023 every day except Saturdays. 

Included :

• Loop tour in freedom
• 6 nights in hotels
• 6 breakfasts
• GPS application
• Luggage transportation
• Assistance in case of breakdown (except flat tire).

Not included :

• Transportation to the place of departure
• Personal expenses
• Visits other than those included in the program.

Options :

• Renting of VTC or VAE
• Half board
• Extra night in Reims and Epernay
• Visit of a small or large Champagne house
• Theft insurance for the rented bike
• Cancellation insurance

Levels :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Terrain :

Hilly roads. The route requires a good physical level and is for cyclists with a minimum of experience. 

Climate:

Pleasant, little precipitation, localized rainfall.

Technicality :

35 to 60 km of riding per day, approximately 2 to 4 hours of cycling.
Itinerary on small paved vineyard and country roads as well as on bicycle paths. 

No or very little traffic. 

Additional nights: 

An extra night is offered in Reims and Epernay. 

Meals :

Breakfasts: copious (coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, butter, bread, jam, orange juice) or buffet.
Lunches : not included
Dinners : optional

Bicycle :

- Rental bike: 24 speed VTC which will be given to you upon arrival. Possibility to rent an electric bike on request.  The bikes are equipped with a repair kit, a lock, a smarphone holder, a front and rear pannier and a helmet (recommended). 
At the end of the tour, you will have to leave the bike at the last hotel and inform the reception. We will take care of its return.

- Personal bike: We do not recommend bikes with small tires. Mountain bikes are excellent. Remember to check your bike before you leave.
At the end of the tour, you will be responsible for your own bike.

Assistance :

Assistance in case of breakdown (except for flat tires for which we do not intervene).

Luggage:

They are transported by a courier or by our team and limited to one piece of luggage per person (max. 20 kg).

Travel book :

We will provide you with access to a GPS application and a travel log. 

Transportation : 

- By train: Reims train station in 1 hour from Paris. The station is a 5-minute walk from the hotels. 

Parking in Reims:

The hotels do not have private parking. You will find secure and paying parking lots in the city center. 

Cancellation insurance:

In order to guarantee the reimbursement of expenses in case of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance.