Private Train Trip, Lunch Included

Private Champagne Day Trip: Reims Cathedral, Tastings & Vineyards

★ 4.6 7 reviews

10 hours, lunch included, free cancellation.

from $681.92 per person

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Duration: 10 hours
Meeting point: Café de l'Est, 78 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris
Cancellation: Free cancellation
Meal: Meal included

Overview

This is a private, ten-hour day trip from Paris to Champagne run by Bonjour Local Tours, built around the high speed train rather than a coach. You meet a local guide near Gare de Paris-Est in the morning, ride the train to Reims, and spend the day between the city and the vineyards with a private driver handling transfers once you arrive.

The day mixes sightseeing and tasting. In Reims you get time around Place Drouet-d'Erlon and a full hour inside the Cathedrale Notre-Dame, then the trip moves out of town. Two champagne houses are on the schedule, with six glasses of champagne included in total, plus a traditional French lunch at a countryside restaurant. The vineyards around Mailly-Champagne are also part of the route before the train back to Paris.

Because it is private, only your group takes part, which suits travellers who want a set itinerary without strangers. It is a long day on your feet in places, and one cellar visit involves 100 steps with no elevator, so it is not for everyone. Under 18s cannot take part in the alcohol tasting, and hotel pickup is not included, so you need to make your own way to the meeting point.

What's Included

Included

10h tour with a local guide
Return tickets in high speed train
Tasting 6 glasses of high quality champagne
Visit the city of Reims and its landmarks
Visit Reim's Cathedral
Visit 2 champagne houses and the champagne region vineyards
Traditional French lunch in a countryside restaurant
Private driver for transfers between champagne houses, restaurant and train station

Not Included

Alcohol tasting restriction for the under 18 years old

Itinerary

Meet near Gare de l'EstMeet the guide at 78 Bd de Strasbourg, 75010 Paris, in front of the Café de L'Est at 8:00. The tour starts and ends at this point.
Train to ReimsReturn high speed train tickets are included. The TGV ride from Paris takes about 45 minutes.
Place Drouet-d'ErlonA 30-minute stop in central Reims, free to enter.
Reims CathedralOne hour at the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Reims.
Reims visit1 hour 55 minutes in the city and its landmarks.
Champagne house and lunch1 hour 40 minutes at the Ugolf Reims-Bezannes lunch stop, with your meal at the golf club restaurant included in the tour. The traditional French lunch is included, though one reviewer noted the restaurant is a golf club venue.
Mailly-Champagne vineyards1 hour 55 minutes in the vineyard area, with a second champagne house visit included in the day's six tasting glasses.
Reims and return train1.5 hours back in Reims before the private transfer to the station and the high speed train to Paris.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing and from traveller feedback that are worth knowing before booking this day trip.

Getting there. There is no hotel pickup. You need to be at 78 Bd de Strasbourg, in front of the Café de L'Est, for the 8:00 start. The area is near public transport, which makes the early meeting time easier to hit.
Fitness and stairs. One of the cellars requires going down 100 steps with no elevator, so comfortable shoes and reasonable mobility matter. The day also runs a full 10 hours with several walking stops in Reims. The tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Eating and drinking. Six glasses of champagne across two houses and a traditional French lunch at a countryside restaurant are all included. Under 18s cannot take part in the tastings. One reviewer was unimpressed that lunch is served at a golf club restaurant, so set expectations accordingly.
Group feel. This is a private tour, so only your group participates, with a local guide and a private driver for transfers between the houses, the restaurant and the station. Infants must sit on laps, and pushchairs are allowed.
Who it may not suit. The listing states the tour is not recommended for pregnant travellers. Tasting alcohol is restricted for under 18s, which leaves them lunch, the city and the cathedral but not the full tasting experience.
Cancellation terms. Free cancellation applies only if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 8:00 start, based on local time. Inside that window there is no refund and changes are not accepted, so plan around it.

Common issues. The single review available is strongly negative: one reviewer among seven called the tour poor value, said the timing was not well planned for the day, and did not like that lunch was at a golf club restaurant. That is one person's account, but it flags real things to weigh, the lunch venue and the pacing. From the listing itself, the day is long, one cellar has 100 steps and no elevator, the tour is not wheelchair accessible, it is not recommended for pregnant travellers, under 18s cannot taste, and there is no hotel pickup.

Common Questions

What Is Included In The Price?

The 10-hour private tour with a local guide, return high speed train tickets, six glasses of champagne across two champagne houses, visits to Reims and its cathedral, the vineyards, a traditional French lunch, and a private driver for transfers between the houses, restaurant and train station. Hotel pickup is not included.

Where Does The Tour Meet?

At 78 Bd de Strasbourg, 75010 Paris, in front of the Café de L'Est, at 8:00. The tour ends back at the same point. The spot is near public transport.

Is Lunch Included, And Where Is It Served?

Yes, a traditional French lunch at a countryside restaurant is included, along with the day's six champagne tastings. One reviewer noted that the restaurant is located at a golf club, which they felt was out of place for a Champagne region trip.

Can Children Or People With Limited Mobility Join?

Children can attend in principle, but under 18s cannot take part in the alcohol tasting and infants must sit on laps. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and one of the cellars involves descending 100 steps with no elevator, so limited mobility is a real obstacle.

What Is The Cancellation Policy?

Cancel at least 24 hours before the 8:00 start for a full refund. Cancel or request changes inside that window and no refund or change is accepted. Cut-off times follow local time.

How Long Is The Day, And How Much Walking Is There?

The full tour runs 10 hours from the 8:00 meeting time. Expect walking stops in Reims, an hour at the cathedral, time in the vineyards, and a cellar visit with 100 steps down and no elevator, so wear comfortable shoes.