Épernay
Épernay is a town in northern France where champagne is bottled and stored in cellars cut into the chalk beneath the streets, and leading houses line the Avenue de Champagne.
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Épernay is a town in the Marne department of northern France, on the left bank of the Marne river, about 130 km north-east of Paris. It is the main trading center for champagne, the wine made in this region. Leading champagne houses line Avenue de Champagne, and the wine is bottled and stored in large cellars under the town.
The old center has narrow, irregular streets, and the newer suburbs are more spacious. La Folie, east of the center, has villas that once belonged to wealthy wine merchants. Château de Pierry, Château de Montmort and Château de Condé sit in the countryside outside town. Trains run from Épernay station to Paris, Reims, Strasbourg, Metz and Nancy, and Paris Charles de Gaulle airport is about 132 km west. Plan at least one night here, since staying overnight lets you taste without driving.
Épernay in five
- Book cellar visits before you arriveMost Champagne houses ask for a reservation, especially in summer and during harvest. Book tastings a few weeks ahead and confirm the language and cellar tour length.
- Ride the train from Paris Gare de l'EstDirect trains link Paris with Épernay in about 1–1.5 hours, so a long day trip works. An overnight stay is better if you want more than one cellar.Plan your rail trip
- Do not drive after a tastingDistances between the houses are short, but tastings add up. Choose a taxi, a guided tour with a driver or a hotel in town, and keep French drink-drive rules in mind.
- Add Reims for the cathedralReims is about 25 minutes away by train and has its own cellars and a coronation cathedral. Pair the two towns if you have two days.Reims travel guide
- Check harvest dates if you plan a September tripPicking usually runs through late summer and into early autumn, and some houses close or limit visits during the busiest days. Confirm opening before you book a room.
Need to know
- Getting there
- Train from Paris Gare de l'Est about 1–1.5 hours
- Getting around
- Walkable center; taxis for cellars outside town
- Best base
- Near the station or the Avenue de Champagne
- Time needed
- 1 day; 2 with Reims and vineyards
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low1°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 87 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh9°Low2°Cold, dryFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, dry
- MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh12°Low3°Mild, freshMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fresh
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh15°Low5°Spring, cellarsAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, cellars
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Warm, vines greenMayPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, vines green
- JuneRain12 rainy daysHigh23°Low13°Warm, busyJuneRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- JulyPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Hot, busyJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- AugustPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh25°Low15°Hot, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 56 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh22°Low12°Harvest, busySeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Harvest, busy
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Autumn, coolOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn, cool
- NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Cold, wetNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, wet
- DecemberRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low3°Cold, festiveDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, festive
Average daily high and low in Épernay, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Épernay
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
8
- Feels like
- 6°
- Humidity
- 93%
- Wind
- 11 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 20%
Champagne
09:46 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°5°20%Monday: Rain. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Tue9°4°10%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Wed9°3°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°2°0%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri8°1°5%Friday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Sat7°-1°9%Saturday: Fog. High 7°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 9%.
- Sun11°1°30%Sunday: Fog. High 11°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 30%.
Updated 07:08 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Day trips by train
- Reimsabout 25 min by trainThe coronation cathedral and its own champagne houses.Read the guide
- Hautvillersabout 10 min by carThe village linked to Dom Pérignon, with views over the vines.
- Troyesabout 1.5 hours by carA half-timbered city at the southern edge of Champagne.Read the guide
Before you go to Épernay
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Rules for Épernay, checked
- Check whether you need a visa for France and the Schengen area on the French foreign ministry site before you book.Source
- France's drink-driving limit is 0.5 g/L of blood alcohol, and it is lower for drivers who have held a license for less than three years.
- Dial 112 for police, fire and ambulance from any phone in France.
- Liquids over 100 ml, including champagne bottles, cannot go in cabin bags. Pack them in checked luggage and check your airline's liquid rules.
Plan around Épernay
Regions, cities and how to plan the whole trip
Read the guideChampagne regionVineyards, villages and the cellar towns
Read the guideReimsThe cathedral city, 25 minutes away
Read the guideDijonBurgundy next door by rail via Paris
Read the guideTrain or passWhen a Eurail pass pays in France
Read the guideÉpernay FAQ
Is Épernay worth visiting?
Yes if champagne is the goal. The Avenue de Champagne has the largest concentration of houses, and Épernay is calmer than Reims. Skip it if you want a big sightseeing city.
How many days do you need in Épernay?
One day for a visit to one or two houses and a walk in town. Stay a night to taste more without a rush, or to add Reims and the vineyard villages.
Can you visit Épernay as a day trip from Paris?
Yes. Trains run from Paris Gare de l'Est in about 1–1.5 hours each way, so you can fit a cellar visit and lunch. Check the last train back before you book a late tasting.
Épernay or Reims: which should I choose?
Épernay for a compact, cellar-focused visit. Reims for a bigger city with a cathedral and more restaurants. Two nights lets you do both, 25 minutes apart by train.
Do you need to book champagne tastings in advance?
For most houses, yes, especially in summer and harvest. Smaller houses may take walk-ins in the off season, but check the house's website for opening days.