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From chalk to vine

A day from Reims that follows the chalk: the morning in the cellars dug beneath the city, the afternoon on the Montagne de Reims, between an old windmill, a lighthouse standing in the vines and the twisted beech forest of Verzy. Your chauffeur tells you the story of each stop along the way.

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  • 8 hoursdoor to door
  • 4 stopsa cellar, a windmill, a lighthouse, a forest
  • €560 (~$625 USD)per vehicle, by sedan

The rock behind the wine and the cellar

Beneath Reims and the Montagne de Reims lies chalk, laid down on the floor of a sea more than 70 million years ago. It soaks up rainwater and gives it back to the roots in summer: the vines get water without getting too much. Under Reims, it was cut into quarries, then into cellars, where bottles age at around 10°C (50°F) all year round.

The day follows that rock. In the morning, you go down into the galleries of a great house in Reims. In the afternoon, you drive about twenty minutes up into the vineyards of Verzenay and Verzy, two villages ranked grand cru, then on to the forest that covers the top of the Montagne.

This is a storytelling day: along the way, your chauffeur tells you where the chalk comes from, why a lighthouse stands in the middle of the vines and what is known about the twisted beeches of Verzy. We book the morning cellar and plan the rest of the route; the name of the house, the grower’s name and the exact times are in the program we send you once the day is booked.

Length
about 8 hours, door to door
Pickup
your hotel, the train station or your address in Reims
Morning
the chalk cellars of a great house in Reims
Afternoon
the Verzenay windmill and lighthouse, the Faux de Verzy
Best for
travelers who want just one cellar, in the morning, and fresh air in the afternoon

Down in the morning, up in the afternoon

Any day from Tuesday through Sunday, with a 9:30 am start.

  1. 9:30 amReims

    Starting from your hotel

    Your chauffeur meets you at your hotel, the train station or your address: the morning cellar is in Reims, a few minutes away.

  2. 10:00 amA great house

    Into the chalk

    A guided tour of a great house’s cellars, dug into old chalk quarries a few dozen meters below the city, ending with a tasting. The tour lasts 75 to 90 minutes.

  3. 11:45 amVerzenay

    The windmill, for the view

    Twenty minutes’ drive south, and you are on the Montagne de Reims. A stop at the Verzenay windmill, standing alone among the vines: it is not open to visitors, but the view stretches far over the slopes and the plain.

  4. 12:15 pmA village on the Montagne

    Lunch among the vineyards

    When your date allows, at the table of a grower who hosts guests for a meal; otherwise at a village restaurant. You know which one before you book.

  5. 2:00 pmVerzenay

    The lighthouse in the vines

    The museum devoted to the vine, the climb to the top for the view over the vineyards, then a glass of Champagne in the garden if you like. In the off-season, the garden closes at 4:30 pm: that is why we go there early in the afternoon.

  6. 3:30 pmVerzy

    The forest of the faux

    A few minutes’ drive away, in the Verzy forest, a marked trail winds among the faux, as these beech trees with twisted trunks and drooping branches are called. Open to everyone, at your own pace.

  7. 4:45 pmReims

    Down to Reims

    About twenty minutes’ drive, then drop-off at your hotel or the train station.

Times are approximate: the morning cellar sets its time slot, the lighthouse its opening hours, and we fit the day around both.

What you hear along the way

Three stops between Verzenay and Verzy, and what your chauffeur tells you about them.

  • 1909

    A lighthouse far from the sea

    The Champagne merchant Joseph Goulet had it built in the middle of the vines to advertise his Champagne. It served as an observation post during World War I, stood abandoned for a long time, and since 1999 has housed a museum devoted to the vine.

  • 1818

    A windmill that no longer grinds

    Built in 1818, it stopped turning in the early 20th century, then also served as an observation post during World War I. Today it belongs to a Champagne house, which opens it only for its own receptions.

  • Protected since 1932

    The Faux de Verzy

    Several hundred dwarf beeches, with gnarled trunks and branches that droop toward the ground, grow in the Verzy forest, one of the largest known stands of their kind. The most widely accepted explanation for their shape is a genetic mutation.

Price for the car and chauffeur

One fixed price per vehicle for the full day, quoted before you book. It stays the same whatever the number of guests, up to the vehicle’s capacity.

Sedan

up to 3 guests · Mercedes C-Class, GLE or Tesla Model Y, depending on availability

Full day
€560 (~$625 USD)

Van

up to 7 guests · Mercedes V-Class

Full day
€690 (~$770 USD)
With 7 guests
€99 (~$110 USD) per person

If the day runs longer

beyond the planned time

Extra hour, sedan
€75 (~$85 USD)
Extra hour, van
€90 (~$100 USD)

The tours, the glass at the lighthouse and lunch are paid separately, on site: we tell you the price before you confirm. The windmill stop and the beech forest cost nothing. For 8 guests or more, ask us for a quote.

What is included, what you pay on site

Included in the price

  • The car and your chauffeur, from your address in Reims and back
  • Fuel, tolls and parking
  • Your chauffeur waiting during the visits
  • Planning the route and booking your visits with the houses
  • The stories of the day, told by your chauffeur: the chalk, the windmill, the lighthouse and the beeches
  • Your chauffeur’s lunch

Paid on site

  • The morning cellar tour and its tasting: we tell you the price before you confirm
  • Admission to the lighthouse museum, and the glass of Champagne if you have one
  • Lunch, at the grower’s or at the restaurant
From Paris

The full day from your Paris hotel

Starting from Paris, add about two hours’ drive in the morning and the same in the evening: the day starts earlier and is quoted on request. For reference, our Champagne day trip from your Paris hotel is €1040 (~$1165 USD) per vehicle by sedan.

See the day trip from Paris · The full day from your Paris hotel

Questions we often get

What days can we do this?

Tuesday through Sunday, February through December. The lighthouse museum is closed on Mondays from October through March, and all of January: in January, we suggest another day rather than a stop that is closed.

Is there a lot of walking?

More than on our other days. Stairs in the cellar, the steps up the lighthouse, and a forest trail you follow at your own pace. Wear flat shoes and bring a jacket, even in summer: it is about 10°C (50°F) underground.

Is the windmill open to visitors?

No. It belongs to a Champagne house and opens only for its receptions. The stop is for the view and the photos, and it costs nothing.

Do we have lunch at a grower’s?

When possible. Some growers on the Montagne host guests for a visit followed by a meal, depending on their calendar. If that is not possible on your date, we book a village restaurant, and you know before you book the day.

Is this a good day for kids?

Better than a day of cellars: the museum, the climb up the lighthouse and the forest keep them busy, and much of the day is spent outdoors. The tastings are for adults only.

We have already toured the chalk cellars of Reims. Is this still worth doing?

Yes. Tell us which house you visited, and we pick a different one for the morning cellar. And the cellar only takes up the morning: unlike the Champagne Crayères Tour, the afternoon is spent outdoors, on the Montagne de Reims.

How do we book?

Send us the date, the number of guests and your pickup address, through the form or by phone. We reply within 2 hours during the day with the plan and the fixed price. Your booking is confirmed once you sign the quote.

How do we pay?

By card (secure payment link) or by bank transfer, when you book. We do not take cash. We can issue the invoice in your company’s name.

What languages do your chauffeurs speak?

Our chauffeurs speak French and English. A Japanese-speaking guide is available on request, at extra cost.

What if we need to cancel?

Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before pickup. Between 48 and 24 hours, half the price is due, and the full price after that. The houses have their own cancellation terms for their tours. Details are on our cancellation and refund page.

More days in Champagne

Each day is priced per vehicle and planned around your dates.

Guides to help you plan your visit

From under the streets of Reims to the beeches of Verzy

Tell us your date, the number of guests and where to pick you up. We reply within 2 hours during the day with the plan and a fixed price.

Request a quote +33 6 51 49 90 81
Google reviews

What our clients say

4.9
★★★★★
52 Google reviews

★★★★★ 5.0 on Tripadvisor · 3 reviews

★★★★★

Louis and his team were outstanding! The communication was quick, clear, and accurate. Our driver Abdellatif was on-time and professional. 5-star service. Louis checked in through our day. We will always use VTC Reims for our annual trip…

GCGlen Campbell
October 2026
★★★★★

We had a wonderful experience in September. We decided to visit France for my wife’s bday week on rather late notice. I wanted to include some special visits as we both enjoy champagne. We were able to get a wonderful Dom Perignon tour w…

TDThomas Donahue
October 2026
★★★★★

Thank you to Louis for helping us schedule and to Cyril for giving us the best day trip to Reims/Champagne/Hautvillers. We had 3-4 things we really wanted to do and see, other than that we let them take the wheel (literally), and we had…

NWNikki Wyatt
October 2026
★★★★★

VTC Reims is an excellent car service for the Champagne region. I contacted them on the plane to France and received very fast response from Louis. It must’ve been middle of the night for them and yet they were prompt and booked my priva…

WLWendy Liu
September 2026
★★★★★

I hosted a group with private transfer from Paris to Champagne and also travel to vineyards all over Champagne. First class service by Cyril and his team. Beautiful vehicles and willing to accommodate some late changes in our schedule. I…

MMMatthew Massey
June 2026
★★★★★

On time. Efficient. Perfect service.

JWJennifer Wilwant
October 2026

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