Pedalling in Champagne is a treat for both the eyes and the tastebuds.
This tour will let you see the beauty of Champagne through its countryside, stunning towns, and its cosy villages in 4 or 7 nights. Some of the places you’ll visit, like Reims and Epernay, are home to some of the most famous wine houses in France. A tour of these is the perfect reward to a day’s cycling. Experience cycling through a mix of landscapes, from canal-side paths to backroads through rolling vineyards.
Your tour will start in the town of Epernay where you can experience first hand the rich history and delicious wine that Champagne has to offer. The routes from here will take you past charming towns and beautiful vineyards where a glass of golden fizz awaits you at every turn. The grand Reims and charming Châlons-en-Champagne are both points of call on this cycle tour, with many smaller towns and villages also tempting you to stray a little from the path.
To find out more about our Champagne tours, call our cycle experts today.
We love
The wonderfully easy ride from Epernay to Châlons-en-Champagne along the excellent Veloroute de la Marne.
What’s Included
Did you know that over 30% of our clients choose the greener option of travelling to their destination by train? This tour can be reached by train or car, so talk to tour Cycle Experts today to find out more about how you can make the more sustainable choice for your next cycling holiday.
Day 1 | Arrive in Epernay
Arrive at your first hotel in Epernay and soak up the atmosphere of the “capital of Champagne” before your first delicious dinner.
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2 | Cycle Epernay to Châlons-en-Champagne | Distance: 35km/22 miles
After a short ride out of town, today's route picks up the canal-side cycle path, offering traffic free and pancake flat cycling for most of the day. There are numerous little villages dotted along the route, each with their own charm and their own Champagne houses. Tours-sur-Marne and Conde-sur- Marne are our favourite places to stop, but you might prefer to push on to Châlons-en- Champagne to make the most of a free afternoon in the town.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 3 | Cycle Châlons-en-Champagne to Reims | Distance : 58km/36 miles
Today starts by retracing your tyre tracks from day 2, following the canal-side route back westwards to Conde-sur-Marne, before branching off to follow the smaller canal de l’Aisne a la Marne. A short detour away from the canal takes you through some big rural vistas before you rejoin the canal and follow it all the way into Reims. This is a day where we love packing plenty of picnic supplies and taking a few breaks by the water throughout the day to refuel. Roll into Reims and settled into your wonderful hotel, situated right next to the world-famous cathedral.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 4 | Cycle Reims to Epernay | Distance: 43km/26 miles
The last leg of the tour takes guests through the Montagne de Reims, a wonderful undulating landscape of forest and vines. As their name suggests, this is the one notably hilly route of the tour, with one mile-long climb midway through the main challenge. The good news is that from there it’s mostly downhill for the second half of the day, meaning a nice easy return to Epernay in time for a final dinner and another good night's sleep in our handpicked hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 5 | Departure
Our itinerary ends after breakfasts you head off home.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Not to be missed
The grand Cathedral of Reims
Charming villages between gorgeous vineyards
Tasting exceptional wine and exploring the historic winemaking sites
Day 1 | Arrive in Epernay
Arrive at your first hotel in Epernay and soak up the atmosphere of the “capital of Champagne” before your first delicious dinner.
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2 | Optional Round Trip: Ay & Hautvillers | Distance: 26km/16 miles
Our local team will meet you after breakfast to hand over your bikes and set you off on your first ride. We have a lovely ride into the nearby villages to get the wheels in motion. First up is Ay, a village considered the driving force behind a lot of the region's wine production and home to a lot of the major Champagne houses headquarters. From here the route takes you along the canal to Cumieres, before a bit of a hill up to the wonderful Hautvillers, the birthplace of the Champagne process and one of the best viewpoints in the area. From here you descend through the vines back to Epernay.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 3 | Cycle Epernay to Châlons-en-Champagne | Distance: 35km/22 miles
Time to move on from Epernay and what a way to do it. After a short ride out of town, today's route picks up the canal-side cycle path, offering traffic free and pancake flat cycling for most of the day. There are numerous little villages dotted along the route, each with their own charm and their own Champagne houses. Tours-sur-Marne and Conde-sur- Marne are our favourite places to stop, but you might prefer to push on to Châlons-en- Champagne to make the most of a free afternoon in the town.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 4 | Optional Round Trip: l’Epine | Distance: 46km/29 miles
A day of rest and exploring Châlons-en-Champagne on foot is an option today. For those looking to cycle we have a nice route out to one of the Champagne region's most important historical sites – The Basilica of Notre Dame de l’Epine. What would normally be a sleepy, rural village is home to a spectacular building from the 15th century that would rival many cathedrals in major cities for its grandeur and scale. From here the route descends back to the Marne and follows its course back to the hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 5 | Cycle Châlons-en-Champagne to Reims | Distance : 58km/36 miles
Today starts by retracing your tyre tracks from day 2, following the canal-side route back westwards to Conde-sur-Marne, before branching off to follow the smaller canal de l’Aisne a la Marne. A short detour away from the canal takes you through some big rural vistas before you rejoin the canal and follow it all the way into Reims. This is a day where we love packing plenty of picnic supplies and taking a few breaks by the water throughout the day to refuel. Roll into Reims and settled into your wonderful hotel, situated right next to the world-famous cathedral.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 6 | Optional Round Trip: Massif de St Thierry | Distance: 38km/23 miles
Reims is one of France’s most historically interesting cities and is well worth spending a day exploring if you would like to give your legs a break for a day. The cathedral and countless Champagne bars are tempting enough for most! But if you do want to cycle again, we have a nice route out into the Massif de St Thierry, an area of wonderful rolling vineyards and forest to the west of the city.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 7 | Cycle Reims to Epernay | Distance: 43km/26 miles
The last leg of the tour takes guests through the Montagne de Reims, a wonderful undulating landscape of forest and vines. As their name suggests, this is the one notably hilly route of the tour, with one mile-long climb midway through the main challenge. The good news is that from there it’s mostly downhill for the second half of the day, meaning a nice easy return to Epernay in time for a final dinner and another good night's sleep in our handpicked hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 8 | Departure
Our itinerary ends after breakfast as you head off home.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Not to be missed
The grand Cathedral of Reims
Charming villages between gorgeous vineyards
Tasting exceptional wine and exploring the historic winemaking sites
A sophisticated and modern hotel in a grand and ancient city, La Caserne Chanzy in Reims is a real stand-out. A converted fire station, the clean lines and minimalist decor juxtapose the eccentric gothic architecture of the cathedral across the street. One of the best hotels to immerse yourself culturally in Champagne, there is also a spa for you to unwind and relax.
A beautiful hotel in the heart of Epernay, Hotel Jean Moet is our handpicked accommodation for your stay here. The glass canopy breakfast room is a truly unique experience and is the perfect start to a day cycling. The hotel is also situated right next to their Champagne Bar, where your wine-tasting adventure can start with a selection of family-produced Champagne.
A beautiful and grand place to stay, Hotel Pasteur is our choice for Châlons-en-Champagne. Staying here is all about comfort, with soft lighting and plush decor. From this hotel you can easily explore this charming town and its peaceful canal-lined streets. To really enjoy Châlons-en-Champagne, a canal cruise is a must.
| Available | Duration | Tour Only | Package
(Flights & Transfers Included) |
Self Drive
(Eurotunnel Included) |
Board Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14th Apr 2024 to 10th Oct 2024 | 7 Nights | £1,795pp | £2,190pp | £1,985pp | Bed & Breakfast with 4 Dinners |
| 14th Apr 2024 to 10th Oct 2024 | 4 Nights | £1,245pp | £1,585pp | £1,375pp | Half Board |
| 14th Apr 2024 to 10th Oct 2024 | 7 Nights | £1,595pp | £1,950pp | £1,735pp | Bed & Breakfast |
| 14th Apr 2024 to 10th Oct 2024 | 4 Nights | £995pp | £1,345pp | £1,130pp | Bed & Breakfast |
*Where tour pricing is displayed in your local currency, please note this is for indicative purposes and your final holiday will be confirmed and transacted at the time of booking with our team in Pound Sterling.
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Cycling along the cycle path by both canals was particularly enjoyable.
Great hotels and restaurants along with well-thought-out and varied rides. Communication was excellent throughout with good guidance on any queries we had.
Our last ride through the vineyards in the middle of harvest into Epernay was an absolute highlight! A memory I’ll cherish.
Cycling in Champagne was amazing. The routes going through vines and lovely villages, stopping over in luxury accommodation, having our bags arrive before we did.
The experience, the routes, the Champagne tasting, the people, and the place were simply the BEST! Loved our holiday and booking again.