Cycling the Vineyards of Champagne - short break

Cycling the Vineyards of Champagne - short break

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Cycling the Vineyards of Champagne - short break

4 Days Starting and ending in Epernay

Visiting: Épernay , Hautvillers , Œuilly , Ay, Condé-sur-Marne, Allée de la Côte des Blancs, Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Épernay

Tour operator:

Exodus

Tour code:

C03CH

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 16

Physical rating:

Low, Leisurely / Moderate

Age range:

12 to 99

Tour operated in:
English
Trip Styles:

Adventure Tours

Interests:

Cultural, History

Activities:

Cycling, Sightseeing, Walking

This tour is no longer available

Tour Overview

Explore the Champagne wine-growing area, listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, and the stunning villages, birthplace of Champagne, which owes its renown to Dom Perignon.Known around the world for its wines, Champagne is also a popular destination for cycling, offering an ideal playground. Ride among the vineyards and terraced hillsides where Champagne villages, chateaux, and churches are nestled. Enjoy panoramic viewpoints overlooking the vineyards and picturesque villages. The winemakers' open their doors to you, for tastings and tours of the cellars. They will passionately explain their know-how while showing you around their property.During this tour, explore and taste every day what is hidden behind the bubbles that help us toast good news. Pop the cork and let the bubbles speak for themselves.

Highlights

  • Explore Epernay, capital of Champagne

  • Discover this worldwide known vineyard and its quaint wine villages

  • Relax in a 4-star Hotel in an 18th century style architecture building

Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1 : Arrive In Epernay
Location:

Épernay , Hautvillers , Œuilly


Accommodation:

Hotel


Accommodation Name:

Hotel Jean Moet


Meals Included:

Breakfast


This town is entirely surrounded by vines. Walk down the Avenue de Champagne,
with its magnificent mansion facades and opulent middle-class homes occupied
by famous Champagne Houses, and you can see why Epernay competes for the
title of 'Capital of Champagne'. Here, are miles of underground galleries and
millions of bottles of preciously kept champagne away from light and heat...
In Epernay, cellar visits to the largest champagne houses are among the
highlights of the tour... And they sparkle with stories and expertise.
Alternatively you can have a first ride with a loop to Hautvillers 43 km
Today, you will learn about 'Blanc de Noirs' champagne which is made using
only black grapes (Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier). Two grape varieties with
darker skin and white flesh. Follow the cycling routes bordered with
vineyards, offering magnificent landscapes over the undulating Marne Valley,
until Dom Perignon's village: Hautvillers ! It is here that the legend of
Champagne was born, thanks to the Benedictine monk Dom Perignon, who was said
to have accidentally invented effervescent wine at the end of the 17th
century. He's buried in the abbey of Hautvillers, leaving his name to a
vintage produced by a famous Champagne House. Continue through quaint wine
villages like Fleury la Riviere or Oeuilly.

Day 2 : Loop To Marne Valley
Location:

Ay, Condé-sur-Marne


Meals Included:

Breakfast


Today you will have a taste of the pinot meunier which grow in the Marne
Valley and brings its full fruity flavour to rose champagnes. The cycling
route, longing the Marne River, will lead you to the village of Ay where, you
will be able to discover a high Gothic-style church and wood-frame houses,
including one that is reputed to have served as Henri IV's fermenting room.
Next stop will be Conde sur Marne. Enjoy the highlights of the Marne valley
such as the roman church of Conde or the Montebello castle in Mareuil sur Ay
and breath-taking panorama.

Day 3 : Loop To Cote De Blanc Vineyards
Location:

Allée de la Côte des Blancs, Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger


Meals Included:

Breakfast


The taste of day will be 'Blanc de Blancs' Champagne using chardonnay only, a
white grape. The Cote des Blancs and its chalky soil is a promised land for
the elegant chardonnay. Ride along some of the classified Grand Cru villages
and pedal on the slopes producing Chardonnay grapes. Discover wine villages
nested between the vineyard and the lush forest: Avize, Cramant,
Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Day 4 : Leave Epernay
Location:

Épernay


Meals Included:

Breakfast


Leave Epernay

What's Included

  • 3 nights single centre in a 4 star hotel

  • Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent

  • GPS Route directions and maps

  • All breakfasts

  • High quality bikes

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Visas & vaccinations

Food

Accommodation

The Hotel is ideally situated in the center of Epernay, established in a building of 18 th century style architecture. The interior of the Hotel was entirely renovated between 2012 and 2016. A few steps from the Hotel you will find the magnificent Avenue de Champagne, where there lies, hidden, 110 kilometers of cellars (listed in the World Heritage Site - UNESCO).

Check out our Q&As

  • Do you require a visa for this holiday?

    No visa required for British passport holders.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    There are no specific health risks.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews of this Operator

Gergana Racheva  

Very helpful and prompt service

06-Jan-2023

Very helpful and prompt service. I called to check for an already booked trip and once we sorted this, the agent was ready to help me with another booking as well. He actually waited for me to book my flight tickets, answered all my questions, informed me of all my options. Exodus is a tour company I am using regularly due to the quality of their trips, ease of booking and helpfulness of their customer service team

Trustpilot
Tim Hardy  

Stunning walking. Walking the Amalfi Coast

04-Nov-2021

This trip takes you through the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean walking with a guide and also discovering the wonders of Pompeii and Vesuvius. The hotel had a nice feel as family run, spotless and comfortable rooms, we were well looked after for breakfasts and dinner each day, and the barmen fixed some mean cocktails for us.!

Paul Green  

It's amazing what you can do in a week! Cycling the Dalmatian Coast.

08-Oct-2021

This holiday was extremely enjoyable. The itinerary is well planned and the route takes you to a variety of destinations. Not having been to Croatia before I didn't know there were so many beautiful small islands and I loved the ferry and catarmaran rides. The coastal route we took was dramatic and the World Heritage sites in Split and Dubrovnik very interesting and worth visiting. The Adriatic Sea was warm, blue and inviting, good for swimming even in October. The hotels we stayed in varied in size from medium to large. I particularly liked the one just outside Dubrovnik as I had a sea view. Tourists were plentiful in Split and Dubrovnik but in the other places we stayed there was an end of season feel and it was quiet on the roads and in the resorts. The food was good and our guide was always able to recommend a nice restaurant for our evening meal. The weather in October was good for cycling - not hot, partly cloudy most days and one day it rained!

Mrs Y Morrison  

Fabulous company and trip

06-Jan-2023

We went overland from Cape Town to Zimbabwe through Botswana and Namibia. What a fantastic trip. Our first time with Exodus although we have travelled extensively around the world. We would highly recommend this company for such a brilliant trip - we got everything and more all at a good price. Thanks to everyone involved. We are looking at our next trip!

Trustpilot
John Edwards (Google Reviewer)  

19-Aug-2023

I went cycling in Albania with exodus as my first holiday with them. Such a well organised and wonderful experience where I met multiple fellow travellers who have been advocates of them for many years. You can't argue with happy repeat customers and I'm planning my next adventure with them soon

Rob Burridge (Google Reviewer)  

17-Jul-2022

I'v just come back from an amazing Wildlife & Wilderness trip in Botswana and I highly recommend Exodus Travels. Our guide Brian, was extremely knowledgeable on both the wildlife and history of Botswana and neighbouring countries. The other three staff, Abbis, Chief & Mr T, who accompanied us through out our 2 week trip, put in the hard work and made sure our camp was always prepared and that we we're well fed and looked after. The tour took us to some beautiful places and we saw some amazing wildlife, and on several occasions this was due to Brian's knowledge of the area and wildlife behaviour. Exodus have been very quick to respond to any queries I had, and the whole experience ran smoothly. I was also pleased to hear that during lockdown they provided staff with food packages 👍. I'd normally go on self organised trips, however, with this trip, the tour and guide Brian took us to places not possible otherwise and showed us things that we would'v missed out on. All of which were the highlights of the tour.

Daphne Partridge (Google Reviewer)  

26-Nov-2023

After 14 roup adventure holidays with Exofus we would not hesitate to recommend them as an excitingholiday company. They take you off the beaten track but offer great support and expertise :)

Katrina Handford  

A wonderful trip! Sierra de Aitana Trek

01-Nov-2021

I couldn't speak more highly of this trip. The scenery was absolutely stunning; the areas provided a great variety of walks with spectacular views. The accommodation was perfectly situated to start most of the walks directly from the hotel. It was also within walking distance of the bars and restaurants in Benimantell and Guadalest. Having said that, the food at the hotel was wonderful and so there was little need to venture further afield. Homecooked, nourishing and delicious food from the hotel was perfect fuel for the trekking.

Stella Jales (Google Reviewer)  

26-Jul-2023

We usually travel with Exodus on small group holidays and have visited many countries with them. They employ local guides which as well as giving us information and history of the sites also gives employment to the local people. The hotels are always good and the guides know the local places to eat.

Alison Payton (Google Reviewer)  

17-May-2023

I've done 8 trips in the last 14 years with Exodus, and have been rewarded with a 10% discount on all future bookings. I feel very confident that I'll receive pleasant, efficient service, and have the unusual holiday experience that I'm looking for each time. I've trekked to the top of snow-capped peaks, wild-camped in the desert, seen amazing spectacles of nature, visited 4 capital cities in a week, and learned about local culture and experienced local hospitality in a way that I simply wouldn't on a conventional holiday. The quality of the accommodation and guides can vary, but this is mainly down to cultural differences and things that Exodus can't control. I've only ever complained once, my complaint was taken seriously, and I was sent a discount voucher - you can't say fairer than that. I remain a loyal customer.

Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.

    Up to 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 20 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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