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Europe / France / Champagne Champagne Bike Tour Taste the Stars at Essential Domaines: Épernay to Reims

© 2021 DuVine Adventure + Cycling Co. Venture into the cellars of the region’s most illustrious Champagne houses, including Pommery, Mercier, or De Castellane Visit Hautvillers, the village where the monk Dom Perignon discovered a fermentation process to produce Champagne as we know it today Marvel at the 800-year-old Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral, the coronation site for every French king Tour WWI battlegrounds, monuments, and museums, including Le Centre d’Interprétation Marne Spend three nights at the exceptional Château Les Crayères and raise your glass at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant Arrival Details Departure Details Airport City: Airport City: Paris, France Paris, France Pick-Up Location: Drop-Off Location: Epernay Train Station Reims Train Station Pick-Up Time: Drop-Off Time: 12:00 pm 11:30 am

NOTE: DuVine provides group transfers to and from the tour, within reason and in accordance with the pick-up and drop-off recommendations. In the event your train, flight, or other travel falls outside the recommended departure or arrival time or location, you may be responsible for extra costs incurred in arranging a separate transfer.

Emergency Assistance For urgent assistance on your way to tour or while on tour, please always contact your guides first. You may also contact the Boston office during business hours at +1 617 776 4441 or [email protected]. Tour By Day

DAY 1 Bring on the Bubbles

Your guides will greet you at the Épernay train station, and the Champagne adventure begins. A short transfer brings us to Ay, one of the region's small villages of Champagne producers. After lunch at the town's auberge, get fitted to our bikes and gather for a safety briefing, then start riding along some of the classified Grand Cru villages on the slopes producing Chardonnay grapes. Our ride finishes at a small domaine in Hautvillers, hometown to the famous Dom Pérignon. Take some time to settle into the hotel before we gather and toast a glass of bubbly to a wonderful week ahead. Dinner is served at our hotel’s airy restaurant, Le Bellevue.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Ay, Avenay-Val-d'Or, Germaine, Saint-Imoges, Hautvillers, Champillon Accomplished: 14 miles / 22 km, elevation gain: 1,181 feet / 360 meters Longer Option: 24 miles / 38 km, elevation gain: 2,043 feet / 623 meters Accommodations: Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa or Villa Eugène

DAY 2 Drinking Champagne in Épernay

Enjoy a pleasant ride through the rural countryside west of Épernay on our way to the Marne River Valley. Pedal through the valley on roads that wind through the vines and overlook the Marne river and fairytale châteaux below before we break for lunch. This afternoon, take the time to indulge in the hotel's spa services. We'll head to Épernay for a stroll down the Avenue de Champagne and a visit to Mercier or De Castellane. To cap off our delightful day, we'll dine at a classic brasserie in the heart of town.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Fleury-la-Rivière, Oeuilly, Boursault, Vauciennes, Hautvillers Accomplished: 27 miles / 44 km, elevation gain: 2,234 feet / 681 meters Accommodations: Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa or Villa Eugène

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications. DAY 3 Around the Mountain to Reims

Depart Épernay this morning toward the region’s historic capital, Reims. Pedal through serene vineyards and countryside, past historic WWI battlegrounds. On our way to lunch we’ll spin by poppy-studded cornfields, with the city of Reims as our backdrop. After lunch, we’ll ride along the canal into the heart of Reims, France’s great coronation city. The great Cathedral de Reims will guide us into town, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Then off to our next hotel, where we’ll be treated like royalty for the next three nights at Château les Crayères. After settling into our luxurious accommodations, we’ll regroup for a visit of the grand cathedral before a quintessentially French dining experience in the city’s best bistro.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Reims, Épernay Accomplished: 35 miles / 56 km, elevation gain: 1,469 feet / 448 meters Accommodations: Château Les Crayères

DAY 4 The Champagne Countryside

Cycle through the quaint, lesser-known villages of Champagne. Following the bike path along Canal d’Aisne, we’ll ride beside slow moving barges and fishermen towards the gentle hills and sleepy villages of Loivre, Hermonville, and Trigny. A Champagne lunch extravaganza awaits us at a chic and trendy country bistro, along with a unique tour and tasting at a locally operated Champagne cooperative. Riding back to the city, we’ll again be treated to inspiring views of the great Cathedral of Reims. Back at the hotel we’ll leave the bikes and meander over to the Maison Pommery where we are in for a treat as we are taken deep into cellars of one of Reims’ most famous and historic Champagne houses. We’ll enjoy an informative visit of this important producer before you head out on your own for an open dinner out on the town.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch Destinations: Hermonville, Trigny, Reims Accomplished: 16 miles / 26 km, elevation gain: 1,351 feet / 412 meters Accommodations: Château Les Crayères

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications. DAY 5 The Frontline in Champagne

Sleep in this morning before a sumptuous breakfast at Les Crayères. Today we’ll visit some of the nearby war memorials and cemeteries, including some perfectly reconstructed battle trenches. With its strategic position on the Western Front, this region bore witness to some of the heaviest fighting in WWI. This afternoon we’ll cycle through the fields where the front lines stood for over three years, finishing the ride with a hearty country-style lunch at a favorite local café. After lunch, its back to Reims to relax on the grounds of our gorgeous hotel. Before dinner we’ll raise our bubbles once again to a wonderful week full of memories! But save some excitement for what’s next, a Michelin-starred meal at the hotel’s restaurant, paired with some great Champagnes from their cellars. This is a meal we will never forget. Santé!

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Destinations: Cernay-en-Dormois, Manre, Sommepy-Tahure, Aubérive Accomplished: 25 miles / 41 km, elevation gain: 902 feet / 275 meters Accommodations: Château Les Crayères

DAY 6 Au Revoir

Enjoy one last glass of Champagne at breakfast or take a stroll in the historic center of Reims this morning before your guides see you off at the train station.

Meals: Breakfast

DuVine itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications.