Two cities, two ways to discover the Champagne region
It's a question we often hear at Le Clos Corbier. And every time, we want to give the same answer: don't look for the "best" city, but rather the Champagne experience you want to have.
Because in reality, Reims and Épernay tell different stories. They are close, both are essential, and both belong to the greater Champagne landscape inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. But on site, the experiences are completely different.
In Reims, you enter a spectacular Champagne region. There's the city, the architecture, the grand Champagne houses, the chalk cellars, and an immediate sense of grandeur. The Saint-Nicaise site in Reims is, in fact, one of the emblematic components of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars'.
If you enjoy impressive cellars, large-scale tours, fine dining, and stays with a real urban vibe, Reims ticks many boxes.
In Épernay, the experience is different. Champagne is still there, of course, but it feels closer, more tangible, more rooted in the landscape. The Avenue de Champagne, also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, brings together grand houses, beautiful residences, and over 100 kilometers of cellars with more than 200 million bottles stored beneath the city.
But above all, from Épernay, you quickly transition into the real vineyards: just a few minutes are enough to reach the hillsides, the villages, the roads winding through the vines, and this quieter side of Champagne that visitors don't always imagine before arriving.
It's often there that the trip takes on another dimension. Many travelers first think of the grand Champagne houses. Then they discover that the soul of Champagne also unfolds between Hautvillers, Aÿ, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, in these historic hillsides that are also part of the landscape recognized by UNESCO.
In other words, Reims showcases the power of Champagne; around Épernay, you more easily understand its origins.
So, should you choose Reims or Épernay?
If you're looking for a majestic, urban, heritage-rich Champagne experience, with grand tours and a real city buzz, start with Reims.
If you're looking for a more intimate Champagne experience, closer to the vineyards, easier to explore, and often smoother for a short stay, Épernay is often the best choice.
And if you have two days, the best plan is often to do both, but for different reasons. Reims to be impressed. Épernay and its surroundings to finally feel at the heart of the vineyards.
In the meantime, don’t overthink it : start at Le Clos Corbier. We’ll help you decide where to go next once you’re here, not a bad deal :)