Cycling in Champagne and the Marne Valley

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 renowned for its vineyards. You will cycle through the countryside between the Marne Valley and the Reims Natural Park, admiring the beautiful scenery. You will meet residents who are passionate about their region. Champagne region also has a rich religious heritage with especially the Gothic Cathedral of Reims. 

Highlights of the tour: 

• 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 can arrive at your hotel in Reims in the afternoon. At around 6 p.m., you will receive a briefing on your trip. You can then take a stroll through the streets of Reims.

Overnight in Reims.

Day 2: From Reims to Châlon-en-Champagne (55 km / +430 m)

After a good breakfast, hop on your bike and cycle through the Montagne de Reims. Along the way, you'll pass through charming villages, typical of the region: Mailly-Champagne, Verzenay, Bouzy... In the late afternoon, you'll arrive in Châlon-en-Champagne, a beautiful medieval city. Stroll through the city center to admire the half-timbered houses or enjoy the lovely, peaceful parks.

Overnight in Châlon-en-Champagne.

Day 3: From Châlon-en-Champagne to Épernay (35 km / +120 m)

You'll cycle mainly along the Marne Canal to Épernay. This stage is shorter and has much less elevation gain than the previous day's, giving you plenty of time to explore the capital of Champagne wines. You can visit one of the prestigious Champagne houses.

Overnight in Epernay.

Day 4: Epernay, loop in the Marne Valley (39 km / +450 m)

This beautiful stage takes you through vineyards and hills, along the Champagne Route and the Marne River. Here, you can admire a rich winemaking heritage. This cycling route offers breathtaking views of the Marne Valley. The route winds through vineyards and leads you to Hautvillers, a charming village known for its Benedictine abbey. Then, on the way to Venteuil, you can admire the view of the Château de Boursault. You will cross to the other side of the Marne to return to Epernay.

Overnight in Epernay.

Day 5: Epernay, Côte des Blancs Loop (41 km / +450 m)

Today, explore the vineyards of the Côte des Blancs, the birthplace of the Chardonnay grape. Following the famous Champagne Route, you'll reach Pierry, where you have the opportunity to explore an 18th-century château and its historic cellars. Your route continues by bike towards the church of Chavot-Courcourt, an architectural gem from the 12th century. After a stop in Cuis, home to a superb Romanesque church, the path leads you to Cramant, at the foot of the cliffs. A monumental 8.5-meter-high Champagne bottle, proudly perched on the heights, awaits you there. Nearby, visit the charming wine-growing village of Avize with its frescoed facades. To return to Epernay, make a detour to Aÿ-Champagne and its wine museum, Pressoria.

Overnight in Epernay.

Day 6: From Epernay to Reims (39 km / +470 m)

For this final stage of your cycling tour in Champagne, you'll discover the Hautvillers National Forest. Numerous wine-growing villages dot the route, such as Nantueil-la-Forêt, Pourcy, Ecueil, Sacy, and Bezannes. The arrival in Reims is pleasant thanks to recent improvements in cycle paths. Overnight 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
• Standard version: 3* hotels and guesthouses

2026 Dates :

Departure possible everyday from Mars to October

Included :

• 6 nights with breakfasts
• Tourist taxes
• Welcome briefing at the beginning to the stay
• GPS application
• Luggage transportation
• Telephone support 7 days a week

Not included :

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

Options :

• Standard bike or ebike rental
• Half board
• Extra night in Reims (on request)
• Visit of a small or large Champagne house
• Theft guarantee for the rented bike
• Cancellation insurance

Level :
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. 

Itinerary on small paved vineyard and country roads as well as on bicycle paths. 

No or very little traffic. 

Climate:
Pleasant, little precipitation, localized rainfall.

Technicality :
30 to 50 km of riding per day, approximately 3 to 5 hours of cycling.

Additional nights: 
An extra night is offered in Reims. 

Meals :

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

Bicycle :
- Rental bike: Standard bike or ebike will be given to you upon arrival. 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. Hybrid 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 roadbook. 

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

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