★★★★★
Vintage van in the vines
Into the heart of the vines in a refurbished silver Renault van; we tasted the grapes, then the champagne, standing among them.
Tammi · United Kingdom · August 2026
Epernay Vintage Car Champagne Tasting in the Vineyards
A glass in the vinesEpernay tourist officeMax 7 guests
The ride to book if you want the vineyards for two hours at a low fare. You leave the tourist office in a vintage Renault van, seven people at most. You stop in Aÿ and at Hautvillers, then taste champagne standing in the vines. You are back on the avenue two hours later.
Aÿ, Hautvillers and a glass in the vines
$57 per person
The lowest shared fare in the vines, for two hours with a guide.
A vintage Renault van
A refurbished Estafette Alouette, with room for two to seven people.
Aÿ, 30 minutes
A guided stop in the wine village east of Epernay.
A tasting in the vines
Half an hour at Hautvillers, with champagne poured outdoors.
From the tourist office
You meet at 7 avenue de Champagne, five minutes from the station.
5.0 from 210 reviews
Travellers praise the guides, the stops for photos and the sabrage.
Two hours in a vintage Renault Estafette
The van is the first thing you notice: a refurbished Renault Estafette Alouette, with room for seven. It parks on rue Jean Chandon Moët, around the corner from the tourist office. The guide drives, and talks you through the history of Champagne and the work in the vineyard through the seasons.
This is a ride in the vines, not a cellar visit. No producer opens a cellar for you, and the tasting happens outdoors. That is why the fare is low, and why it pairs well with a house on the avenue the same day. Choosing an Epernay tour? The fares sit side by side, from a cellar hour to a day from Paris.
Aÿ: the stop and what the guide shows
The first leg takes 20 minutes, across the Marne to Aÿ. You get out for a guided stop of about half an hour: the slopes, the rows and the village's champagne houses. Aÿ's historic hillsides are part of the UNESCO property "Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars", inscribed in 2015.
Hautvillers in ten minutes
Another 20 minutes brings you to Hautvillers, where Dom Pérignon ran the abbey's cellar from 1668 to 1715. The guided stop is short, about ten minutes, for the village and its view over the valley. His tomb is in the Saint-Sindulphe church, open all year, if you come back on your own.
The glass among the vines
The last half hour is the tasting, among the vines above Hautvillers. It happens outdoors whatever the weather: rain, cold or wind. Dress for it, because there is no cellar to step into. One traveller tasted the grapes before the champagne, standing between the rows.
The fare covers the tasting but does not say how many glasses. Some travellers wished for a little more. If you want several champagnes side by side, look at a grower's cellar instead.
The EUR 15 sabrage extra
For EUR 15 per person you can buy a bottle and learn sabrage, opening it with a blade. Several reviewers call it the best moment of the ride, even when their own attempt failed. You choose it on the day; it is not in the fare.
How the two hours run
- The start, the tourist office. Meet in front of 7 avenue de Champagne.
- The van to Aÿ, 20 minutes. Across the Marne in the Renault Estafette.
- Aÿ, 30 minutes. A guided stop in the village and the vines.
- The van to Hautvillers, 20 minutes. Up the slopes north of Epernay.
- Hautvillers, 10 minutes. A short guided stop in the village.
- The tasting, 30 minutes. Champagne poured among the vines.
- Back on the avenue, 10 minutes. The van returns you to the tourist office.
Who this suits: a first taste of the vineyards
Book this if
You want the vines, the villages and a glass outdoors in two hours, at the lowest shared fare. It suits a morning or late afternoon beside a house visit on the avenue, and families, since no minimum age is set. You get a small group and a guide who drives.
Book something else if
You want a cellar and a grower: the Bubble tour to the Côte des Blancs pours three champagnes and three local spirits. For lunch, the afternoon with lunch in Aÿ runs five hours from the same door. For a bottle shared with only your party, the jeep ride in the vines takes up to three people per jeep. Every vineyard tour from Epernay is compared in one place.
What the fare covers and what it doesn't
In the fare
- Guide
- Champagne tasting in the middle of the vineyards
Not in the fare
- Buying a bottle and a sabrage introduction
The start at the tourist office, and where the van parks
You meet in front of the Epernay tourist office, 7 avenue de Champagne. The van parks on rue Jean Chandon Moët, beside the office. Start times show when you pick a date, and yours is on your booking. The station is under 500 m away, through the Hôtel de Ville garden, so the ride works on a day trip by train.
The ride returns to the same address two hours later. A private van is sold as a second option on the same booking page. The Epernay map shows the office and the station.
Know before you go
- Dress for the weather. The tasting is outdoors in rain, cold or wind.
- Bring a warm layer. The operator lists warm clothing as the one thing to bring.
- Find the van on rue Jean Chandon Moët. It parks beside the tourist office, not in front of it.
- Budget EUR 15 for sabrage. Buying a bottle and opening it with a blade is extra.
- No cellar visit. Book a house on the avenue if you want to go underground.
- English or French. Choose the language when you book.
What travellers say about the vintage van
★★★★★
Vintage van in the vines
I was hopeless at the sabering, but champagne in the middle of the vineyards was the highlight of the trip.
Stephanie · Australia · August 2026
★★★★★
Vintage van in the vines
Cosy in the vintage car, with several stops for explanations and photos. Well worth the money.
Camilla · Denmark · August 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is a house visit included?
No. The ride stays in the vineyards and visits no cellar. Book Moët & Chandon or Mercier on the avenue the same day; the Epernay champagne houses sets out their tours and prices.
How much champagne do you taste?
The fare includes a tasting among the vines; the number of glasses is not published. For more glasses, the afternoon with lunch in Aÿ pours five champagnes from the same door.
What is sabrage, and what does it cost?
Opening a bottle of champagne with a blade. It costs EUR 15 per person, including the bottle, and you choose it on the day.
Does it run in the rain?
Yes. The tasting takes place in the vines whatever the weather, so wear warm, waterproof clothes.
Can children come?
Yes. No minimum age is set, so families can ride together; the tasting itself is champagne, so plan something else for the children to drink.
Can we have the van to ourselves?
Yes. A private van is sold as a second option on the booking page. The shared ride takes two to seven people.
Other ways to taste champagne from Epernay
Ready for two hours in the vines?
Check dates for the vintage van, with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Check availability