10+ Best Cities, Villages and Towns in Champagne

Last Updated on 16th March 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

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From little specks of towns surrounded by swathes of world-famous vineyards to medieval cities which were once some of the most important settlements in Europe, Champagne has no shortage of destinations to impress even the most discerning of visitors. Here’s your ultimate guide to the best cities, villages, and towns in Champagne, eastern France.

The Champagne region is a particularly special area of France as it’s the only place in the world where the bubbly sparkling wine known as Champagne is produced. For more inspiration, check out our top fun facts about Champagne and a detailed guide to Champagne bottle sizes.

It’s worth noting that there is no town named simply ‘Champagne’ and the region is actually named for the sparkling drink. With this being said, there are a few towns in Champagne which have ‘Champagne’ in the name, including Mailly Champagne and Châlons sur Champagne.

The Champagne area itself is nestled within the administrative area of Grand-Est, one of the most important regions in eastern France.

Best towns and villages in Champagne

Reims

The King of towns when it comes to settlements in the Champagne region, Reims merits the time to be discovered and is worthy of an overnight stay. Some of the top highlights of the town include marvelling at the grand Gothic cathedral, sipping on a piping hot drink at the Café du Palais, and seeking out all the hidden gems around town.

Anthenay

Anthenay is so small that it cannot really be considered a village but is instead a hamlet (known as hameau in French) thanks to the fact that it has a population of 71 residents.

A smattering of houses surrounds the church of Saint-Symphorien. The church itself is part of a circular trail in the Tardenois which encompasses a whole host of Romanesque churches.

Reuil

Charming and on the wine trail, Reuil has a population of just under 300 residents and lies alongside the River Marne. The most stand-out landmark in town is the church, which is simple in its Romanesque style and is dedicated to Saint Martin.

Mareuil-sur-Ay

Those with a particular interest in seeing some of the most illustrious Champagne houses would do well to visit Mareuil-sur-Ay, a tiny speck of a town with a population hovering around 1000 and whose vineyards are classed Premier Cru.

The town is home to none other than the world-famous Champagne Billecart-Salmon, a medium sized Champagne House, with an annual production of around 2.5 million bottles of Champagne.

Unfortunately, the house is closed to the public apart from by special appointment but you can have a look inside in our behind the scenes look at Champagne Billecart-Salmon.

Epernay 

Epernay is unofficially known as the ‘Capital of Champagne’ thanks to its abundance of Champagne Houses, as well as its enviable location to the South of Reims Natural Regional Park. Epernay is one of three main cities in Champagne, Eastern France (the other two being Reims (25 km away) and Troyes).

The city is best-known for its association with the sparkling wine of Champagne. It’s also served by a train station on the Paris–Strasbourg train line, making it one of the most accessible places to visit in Champagne without a car.

Fontaine sur Ay 

A sleepy little village with little by way of attractions (but with an adorable Airbnb that we chose to make our base when exploring the region), Fontaine sur Ay has a population of just 342 residents.

Located in the heart of the Montagne de Reims Regional Natural Park, just a short drive away from Epernary, Fontaine-sur-Ay is the kind of location where time stands still and nature can be found in abundance.

Hautvillers

One of the more charming and delightful villages to visit in the French region of Champagne, Grand-Est is that of Hautvillers, the historic capital of Champagne. After all, it was here, in this sleepy little town, that Dom Pérignon aided in the development of the sparkling wine that is known globally as Champagne. 

Boursault

The picturesque village of Boursault is presided over by an illustrious Château that also happens to be home to a Champagne house. One of the best things to do in the speck of a settlement today is to visit the Château de Boursault.

Magnificent and imposing, the Château de Boursault stands tall and proud above the swathes of vines that line the Marne department countryside in the Grand-Est region of France. Taking inspiration from the Château de Chambord of the Loire Valley, Château de Boursault boasts a staggering 365 windows and doors.

The Château was constructed in the middle of the 19th-century, when Madame Clicquot enlisted the architect Arveuf to construct a château for the family. Today, you can visit the grounds for a fee (though sadly not the interior) and go Champagne tasting in a nearby building.

Damery

Of the 1544 hectares that are considered to be within the jurisdiction of the village of Damery, 334 are cultivated vines. Like many other villages in the Champagne region, the main highlight of the village is its church, which is dedicated to Saint George and dates back to the 12th-century.

Chigny Les roses 

Chigny-les-Roses is a Premier Cru Village. It is one of 44 such Premier Cru Villages. Champagne made in one of the designated areas is allowed to have ‘Premier Cru’ written on the bottle. Chigny-les-Roses is located around halfway between Reims and Epernary (the Champagne capital).

The village itself is a pretty delightful Champagne settlement of around 500 inhabitants. Other highlights of the village (other than Champagne tasting- my favourite house being Gounel Lassalle) includes a church dedicated to Saint-Nicolas and a calvary.

Bouzy 

If you’re an English speaker, then no doubt one of the funniest place names in Champagne that you’ll come across in Bouzy (literally pronounced boozy). This attractive settlement has several Champagne houses (a personal favourite of mine being Gaston Collard) and also has a statue of Dom Perignon in the centre of town.

Verzy

Verzy is famous thanks to its nearby forest, the Faux de Verzy, an enchanting and magical forest that boasts just under a thousand unique dwarf beech trees.  Since 1932, the forest has been classed as an important national asset.

In 2016, the park was designated an “Exceptional Forest” and now receives around 300,000 visitors on an annual basis. The trees are particularly fragile and susceptible to damage, so make sure to keep to the way-marked path.

Verzenay

The little town of Verzenay is a stand-out village in Champagne thanks to the two monuments which flank the hills either side of the town. Both the Phare de Verzenay and the Moulin de Verzenay were erected to promote local Champagne houses.

Today the Phare (lighthouse in English) has been transformed into a small museum. One of the top things to do when visiting the lighthouse today is to climb the 101 steps to reach the top of the lighthouse, where you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking 360 degree view of the Champagne countryside.

Mailly Champagne 

Mailly Champagne boasts the rather unusual distinction of being one of the only towns in Champagne to contain the word ‘Champagne’ within its name. Upon entering the village, visitors are greeted with a sign created from a wooden barrel that was once used to age wine!

The little settlement has a population under 700 and the main attraction in town is the church of Saint-Calixte, which is surrounded by a cemetery, is built in the Romanesque architectural style and dates back to the 11th-century.

Ville en Selve

For such a small village (population 271), Ville en Selve has a surprisingly well appointed mairie (town hall) which is painted canary yellow and can be spied immediately upon entering the village.

Another highlights of Ville en Selve is its church, which is dedicated to Saint-Remi de Ville-en-Selve and contains a stained glass window from 1922 that commemorates those of the village who died for France in WWI.

Germaine

Germaine is an attractive Champagne sat on a hill surrounded by swathes of vineyards, some of which are owned by Moët & Chandon. As well as a church and mairie (town hall) in the centre of town, there’s also an old lavoir (outdoor washhouse where people would have done their laundry). The nearby hamlets of Vauremont (hameau de Vauremont) and Haies fall under the jurisdiction of Germaine.

Saint Imoges

Truth be told, if you’re looking to enjoy a particularly unusual vending machine when it Champagne (yes, this is a rather unusual attraction to go out of your way to see!) then you should be sure to head to Saint Imoges.

Though the Champagne village offers little by way of attractions otherwise, it does have a baguette vending machine. Filled by a nearby bakery on a near daily basis, you can pay by debit card to acquire a fresh baguette or pastry from one of the food vending machines on the edge of the village.

Cumières

Lying lazily alongside the river Marne (one of the most important rivers to pass through the Champagne region), Cumières is a sunny settlement with a population around 800 residents. One of the best things to do in the village is to have a picnic or walk alongside the River Marne, where there is a free to visit open air museum about working with Champagne.

Châtillon sur Marne

Yet another sleepy little village that is more of a place to enjoy while driving by rather than a destination you should seek out in its own right is Châtillon sur Marne.

It’s hard to miss Châtillon sur Marne thanks to its large and imposing statue which presides above the rest of the Champagne countryside. Dedicated to Pope Urban II, the 11th century pope actually hailed from the Champagne region.

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