ADVENTURE CHAMPAGNE WEEKEND
Adventure Champagne Tasting Tour - Abseiling and Sabrage
The Grape Escapes Adventure Champagne Tasting Weekend includes two nights’ accommodation in your chosen Reims hotel, plus a full day tour around the Champagne region. Unfortunately due to operational reasons, there will be no Adventure tour until at least October 2011. Please contact us for further information.
Champagne Making Process
Your Adventure Champagne Tour is designed to give you a full insight into the Champagne making process. You will visit one of the prestigious Houses based in the centre of Reims or Epernay. The sight of millions of bottles of Champagne maturing in the underground cellars is truly breath-taking. Some of the cellars are within chalk Crayères which were excavated by the Romans and others were purpose built over the last 150 years. The visit to the prestigious House will include a tour of the cellars and conclude with two tastings of their Champagnes.
Abseiling
Whilst the large Houses show the majesty and grandeur that can be found in Champagne making, there is nothing better than meeting the maker and seeing the passion which he or she puts into their art. We therefore focus our tours on visiting the smaller houses where you can do just this. Your Adventure Champagne Weekend Tour will include a visit to a medium sized House where you will start off the tour by abseiling 100ft into their cellars (stairs available at no extra cost). Once down, you will receive a tour of their cellars and House before finishing by tasting several Champagnes.
Fine Dining with Sabrage
As seasoned Grape Escapes clients will know, in addition to the Champagne, we also consider fine dining to be a prerequisite. Therefore our Adventure Champagne Weekend Tour will include a traditional three course lunch as the guests of yet another Champagne House. You will start your visit here by learning Sabrage (the art of opening the Champagne bottle with a sword). This was Napoleon's favoured method for opening his Champagne! After this, you will enjoy lunch accompanied by all of the Champagnes that the group has opened. The visit will conclude with a tour of the full Champagne making process at the House.
Tour Guide
As well as learning about the champagne making process, our Adventure Champagne Tour includes a local English speaking tour guide who will give you information on the region, its specialities and history.
What's Included
For full details of what is included, please see the description below:
As well as learning about the champagne making process, our Adventure Champagne Tour includes a local English speaking tour guide who will give you information on the region, its specialities and history. The Adventure Weekend includes:
- Return Dover to Calais ferry crossings with P&O Ferries for a car and two passengers (other options available).
- Two nights’ bed and breakfast at your chosen hotel.
- A full day private tour in a luxury coach on the Saturday (or Sunday if it is a Bank Holiday Weekend) to include:
- A visit to a medium sized Champagne house. You will start by abseiling 100ft into their cellars (stairs available at no extra cost), then have a tour of the cellars and House before finishing by tasting several Champagnes.
- Lunch will be served as the guests of a Champagne house. You will start your visit by learning Sabrage (the art of opening the Champagne bottle with a sword) before enjoying lunch accompanied by all of the Champagnes that the group has opened. The visit will conclude with a tour of the full Champagne making process at the House.
- The day will conclude with a visit to a large, prestigious Champagne House (e.g. Moët and Chandon, Ruinart, Pommery etc.) including a tour of their cellars and two tastings.
- An English speaking guide for the tour who will provide information on the region and the wines.
Extend Your Stay
If you wish to extend your stay to visit more of the Champagne region, or even head down to Burgundy, we can provide an excellent tour itinerary which includes the very best places to visit. Please call us on 08456 430 860 for details and prices.
Premium Weekend Upgrades
If you would like to upgrade your Premium weekend, there are a number of additional activities that we can arrange. To complement the Premium experience, these could be arranged for the afternoon of your arrival or the morning of your departure or we can arrange an extra night’s stay in your preferred hotel. Here are some ideas:
- VIP Dom Perignon Tour: For those who wish to sample the most famous of all Champagnes in its home, we can arrange a private tour of seldom-visited areas of the Moët and Chandon cellars. The tour concludes with a flute of Dom Perignon in a private reception room at the Moët Mansion. You will need to take a short train ride from Reims to Epernay for this visit.
- Grande Dame Tour: If the old widow (Veuve Clicquot) is your favourite Champagne, then we can arrange a tour of Veuve Clicquot followed by a tasting of their yellow label and their prestige cuvee. This visit is not available on Sundays or Mondays.
- Dom Ruinart Duo: Visit Champagne Ruinart, the oldest Champagne House and the only one with cellars which are classified as a historical monument. Your tour will conclude with a tasting of the House’s two vintage prestige cuvees, Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rosé.
- Half Day Vineyard Experience: You will be given a very special and exclusive tour in the Montagne de Reims. This will include a look at several vineyards, in particular a visit to the guide’s family vineyard. Here, you will be able to spend time learning about the seasonal work in the vineyard, and you will also have the chance to enjoy a unique, hands-on experience tailored to the season of your visit. This tour is not available on Sundays.
- Champagne-tasting Lunch or Dinner: Enjoy a three course lunch or dinner in a traditional restaurant in Reims. Each course will be accompanied by a different single varietal Champagne (one glass of Champagne made from just Pinot Meunier, one glass of Champagne made from just Pinot Noir and one glass of Champagne made from just Chardonnay).
- Reims City tour: This tour will be led by a registered city guide and will include visits to many of the city’s famous sights. The tour can be on foot or in a mini-coach (as preferred) and can be adapted to suit your individual requirements.
Prices for these options are available upon request.
Reims Hotels, Tour Dates and Prices
The Grape Escapes Adventure Champagne Tasting Weekend includes two nights’ accommodation in your chosen Reims hotel, plus a full day tour around the Champagne region. For prices, please see our dates and prices page.
Other Champagne Tasting Tours
Please see our Champagne Tasting Tours page for details of the other Champagne Tasting tours we offer.
We also arrange many private Champagne tasting tours for individuals, groups and corporate clients. So, if the above trips are not exactly what you are looking for, please give us a ring on 08456 430 860, or email us at info@grapeescapes.net to arrange your perfect Champagne Tasting Tour