We went to Europe for 23 days back in April of 2023, and it was life changing in all the best ways. I somehow planned the entire trip..start to finish. It was a labor of love, and I can’t believe it turned out and we survived. This entire trip was a dream that came to life. I can’t wait to share all about it! Being able to plan a trip like this made me much more confident in my travels, and made me fall in love with travel even more.

Some quick history; Champagne is a region in France where…you guessed it… champagne is made! We decided to stay in Reims, which is the capitol of Champagne. However, there are so many stunning places that would be great places to stay. We chose Reims for the close transportation, and for having the most to do.

Now back to how we got to Champagne region. We flew into the Paris airport and got a driver to Reims (it would be much cheaper to take a train). However, in the beginning of planning, I was nervous about the train system… The thought of scrambling to figure the train system right after a flight sounded intimidating. Another reason for getting a driver was to allow for a few stops I wanted to do between Paris and Reims. One being a popular luxury outlet mall! I am happy with the route we went with; it turned out the whole country was practically shut down the day we arrived due to strikes. Strikes are a very normal thing in France..and honestly it’s part of their culture.

*This is the luxury outlet right outside of Paris! La Vallée Village*

*Some of the stops we did on our way to Reims.*

Once we arrived in Reims we got checked in at our hotel, Best Western Premier-Hotel de la Paix. It was simple, clean, and all we needed for 2 nights. After check-in we immediately went out to explore and look for dinner. I would describe Reims as a miniature Paris. It was full of life, character, and stunning architecture. We stumbled into the cutest little pizza joint, with pizza to match the quality of their marketing. Delicious and adorable; the best combo.

The main attraction of Reims is the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Reims. Stunning. A must see. We went back multiple times because the view was worth every second. Otherwise, we just wandered and enjoyed the view of every corner the town had to offer.

Outside of Reims we spent a day going to champagne houses. We found this awesome tour that had a private driver that took us to Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. In between houses, we had a stunning lunch with a beautiful view. Everything about this day was top notch. Heads up, there are MANY champagne houses. I suggest getting a driver so you can drink and not worry about driving..If we had more time I would have loved to explore some small batch champagne houses. At the two places we visited, we went into the cellars and that was THE experience! It is pretty far down, it’s cold, and beyond fascinating to see how they make champagne. There are also some great history bits we got regarding World War II and how the cellars played a crucial role in keeping people safe.

Champagne region is worth the visit! We loved our stay and wish we had more time. The train station in Reims is super easy to get to and navigate. We took a train back to Paris where I will share about that leg of our trip! For now, I loved reminiscing and reliving how amazing this part of the world is.

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