Champagne Tour This sample trip was an actual tour in October 2023
Champagne
VIP Wine Tour
4 day trip (sample Wine Tour)
Aprox Price £1800 - £2000 per person
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VIP Wine Tours in association with the Wine School of Cheshire and Bond Travel are able to offer you an exclusive tour of the Champagne wine region, the most northerly wine growing region in France, visiting the region’s most prestigious Champagne Houses.
Richard from the Wine School of Cheshire will be joining us on the trip as our wine expert.
There are around 14,000 wine growers in the Champagne region, 30,000 hectares of Champagne vineyards, and more than 320 million bottles sold every year with demand growing.The Champagne region is the only area in the world that can legally produce and market bottles labelled 'Champagne' and there are specific laws in place that govern where and how the grape is grown.
We will be visiting the regions of Reims, Epernay, Pierry, Mareuil sur Ay and Bouzy.
Reims is an Art Deco style city, due to most buildings being destroyed in the First World War, and the city was extensively rebuilt in the 1920s in an Art Deco style.
Most of the larger Champagne Houses referred to as 'Les Grandes Marques' have their head offices in Reims.
We will be staying for three nights in Privilege rooms in the 4 star contemporary Hotel de la Paix in the heart of Reims on a bed and breakfast basis.This is an upgrade on the room category compared to the previous Champagne trip.
The hotel is a short walk from the Notre Dame Cathedral where the Kings of France were crowned and is well worth a visit. There is also a pedestrianised area with shops, bars and restaurants, perfect for your free time.
The Hotel de la Paix has air conditioning and free wifi, there is a bar, indoor swimming pool and a restaurant, the Restaurant Cafe de la Paix.
Day 1
You will be met at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport where your private transport awaits you. On arrival in the Champagne region our first stop will be for a gourmet wine paired lunch served in the Orangerie of the 17th century Château d’Etoges.
After lunch we will travel to Epernay to visit Champagne de Castellane founded in 1895. There will be a visit to the winery, its emblematic tower, its historical museum and the famous cellars, classified a UNESCO Heritage usite. After a tasting of their champagnes we will head to Reims to check in to the Hotel de la Paix, your home for the next three nights. You will have the evening at leisure to enjoy the atmosphere of Reims.
Day 2
After breakfast we will visit a very small family run Champagne house in the grand cru village of Bouzy, where the vineyards are classified as 100% Grand Cru. Here you will experience how a small passionate family works so hard to achieve great things with their
small production. After a tour of their tiny Champagne House and a tasting of their superb traditional champagnes lunch will be at a traditional family run restaurant in Epernay. The restaurant opened in 1946 and they only use local seasonal produce.
After lunch our next visit will be to Champagne Boizel established in 1834, for a tour of their small intimate cellars and a tasting of their fabulous champagnes.
You will then have time to stroll along the famous Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, home to many of the worlds most celebrated Champagne Houses. You could choose to relax on one of the outdoor terraces whilst enjoying a bottle of champagne or visit the small town of Epernay with the lovely wine shops and cafes.
There will be free time this evening, on returning to the hotel in Reims.
Day 3
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This morning we will visit Champagne Palmer and Co in Reims, a premium quality Champagne House with over 220 hectares of the finest Premier and Grands Crus in the prestigious Montaigne de Reims area.
After our visit and tasting you will then have some free time in Reims where we would recommend you visit the gothic cathedral of Notre Dame, a UNESCO World Heritage site that has played a central role in the history of France for 800 years. The kings of France were crowned here. Worth a mention also is the Museum of Fine Arts, the Palais du Tau and the Musée de la Reddition (Museum of Surrender) where Germany unconditionally surrendered to General Eisenhower in 1945. Reims City Centre is the largest shopping centre in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, home to over 400 shops. There are also many delightful cafés and restaurants in the pedestrianised area, so there is plenty to do and see during this free time.
On your return to the hotel you have time to refresh for dinner before travelling to Château de la Marquetterie, an 18th Century Château privately owned by the Taittinger family, for a wonderful private dining experience.
Founded in 1734, the Taittinger Champagne house is based in Reims and is run by a family dedicated to keeping their legacy alive by honoring its rich history and dedication to producing fine wine.
Taittinger is one of the last great Champagne Houses to be owned and actively managed by the family named on the label.
The family are guardians of Taittinger's style, quality and integrity. With its vineyard ownership being one of the largest in Champagne, Taittinger can guarantee a flawless signature, and wines heralded worldwide for their consistent quality.
Today the Reims based House is headed up by Pierre's grandson, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger and his son and daughter Clovis and Vitalie.
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Château de la Marquetterie is a gem of Louis Quinze style, preserved for posterity by Champagne House Taittinger. The Château clings to a Champagne hillside covered with vines, overlooking the western part of the village of Pierry, south of Epernay.
From 1760 until the French Revolution this handsome 18th Century stately home was the country retreat of famous writer and father of French fantastic fiction Jacques Cazotte.
At harvest time, Château de la Marquetterie would become the venue for a glittering gathering of the French literati of the 18th Century, Voltaire and André Chénier to name but two. Two centuries later, young cavalry officer Pierre-Charles Taittinger also fell under the charms of Château de la Marquetterie, which he discovered on joining the command of Marshall Joffre who made his headquarters here in 1914. So smitten was Pierre-Charles that he acquired the Château in 1934, placing a precious piece of Champagne heritage in the safe-keeping of the Taittinger family whose emblem it remains to this day.
This is a private Château and is not open to the public. We are very privileged to have access to this wonderful venue for a very special dinner paired with Taittinger champagnes. This is an occasion to dress up for.
Day 4
After breakfast and checking out of the hotel we will travel to Mareuil sur Ay to visit a lovely Champagne House linked to the history of the famous Philipponat Champagne House. It was renovated in 2012 and converted to a charming guest house and restaurant. Here we will enjoy a lunch paired with the family wines and champagnes before heading back to Paris for the return flight to Manchester.
A detailed itinerary with times will be sent a couple of weeks prior to departure.
The flights we will be meeting are as follows.
EasyJet EZY2105 depart Manchester 07:00 Arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle 09:35
EasyJet EJU2108 depart Paris Charles de Gaulle 17:15 Arrive Manchester 17:40
BA0304 depart London Heathrow Airport 06:55 Arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle 09:10
BA0323 depart Paris Charles de Gaulle 19:00 Arrive London Heathrow Airport 19:15
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You are welcome to book any flights as long as you can meet us in Arrivals for the arrival time of the incoming flight and can make your own way to your return flight after arriving at the airport for the aforementioned return flight.
What’s included
- Transport for the whole trip including transfers to and from the airport.
- Accommodation in 4 star hotel in Privilege rooms, based on two people sharing a twin or double room.
- Breakfast each day and one other meal per day including drinks, as per itinerary.
- Champagne house visits and tastings.
- Hotel taxes
What’s not included
- Flights (these can be arranged by Bond Travel on booking confirmation and the cost of the flight will be added to the cost of the Wine Tour).
- Meals not included in itinerary.
- Drinks extra to those included with meals.
- Compulsory travel insurance with medical expenses and repatriation.
- Personal expenses at the hotel
- Single room supplement of £........
- Optional upgrade on request subject to availability.
Total cost for 4 day Champagne tour (excluding flights) £...........
The trip is subject to a minimum number of 10 people booking, maximum 15 people.
All bookings are made through our partner travel agent Bond Travel for your financial protection. Flights booked directly with Bond Travel will add ATOL protection to your trip.
A 30% non refundable deposit is payable on booking, with the remaining balance to be paid by 18th July 2023.
For any further information please contact Karen at karen@vipwinetours.co.uk
Tel: 0208 144 0756
Or
Bond Travel at jayne@bondtravel.co.uk Tel: 01925 757757