Reims isn’t a place I linger. You go for the cathedral and the champagne.
But the real shift happens underground.
At Moët & Chandon Champagne House, the experience moves into miles of chalk cellars carved beneath the vineyards.
Founded in 1743 by Claude Moët, the house quickly became a favorite of the Paris elite, including Louis XV.
Beneath the city, miles of tunnels carved from chalk stone create the perfect conditions for aging champagne.
Cool, dark, and humid. It’s here that the bottles quietly mature.
Today, over 330 million bottles of champagne are produced. Somewhere in the world, a cork from Moët & Chandon pops every second.
Here’s how to visit and what to see.
>>> Click here to book a day trip from Paris to Moët & Chandon
Moet & Chandon Tour: What To See
You enter through a beautiful Neoclassical-style building with decorative flourishes dubbed the Trianon. Those tall French windows give it a pavilion-like feel, almost like a garden orangery.
This is where you’ll meet your guide and watch a short video on the history of the vineyards and cellars.
Galerie Impériale
The first space you’ll tour is called the Galerie Impériale. It’s a featured section of the cellar tour.
The gallery is used for contemporary art commissions and special displays. It was designed as a kind of showpiece gallery within the tunnels.
You’ll see jeweled objects from an exhibition called “Memories of Tomorrow”, created for Moët’s 280th anniversary.
They’re described as “bejeweled symbolic objects” or “totems” that reinterpret the house’s history. Royalty, nature, and celebration are shown through couture level craftsmanship.
Cellar Tour
The visit to the cellars is on foot. It lasts approximately 45 minutes, and is all underground.
The caves took over 200 years to complete and are simply vast. Legend holds that you can get to Paris through the caves.
They’re quite dark and cold. Expect temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Along the way, you’ll see chalk tunnels dug into soft white chalk, rounded ceilings, and endless rows of bottles. It feels rather repetitive and almost hypnotic.
Of note, you can see the oldest bottle left, dating from 1869. And you can see the 800 kilos of port wine that Napoleon sent to France from Portugal.
The grand master (technically Chef de Cave / Cellar Master) at Moët & Chandon is Benoît Gouez. He’s been in the role since 2005.
He’s essentially the person responsible for the style and blending of everything, from Brut Impérial to the Grand Vintages.
The Champagne
Champagne isn’t just another sparkling wine with better PR. It’s tightly controlled, almost obsessively so.
The name is protected under France’s AOC system, which means only wine made in the Champagne region, using very specific methods, can legally be called Champagne. Everything else—Cava, Prosecco—is playing by a different set of rules.
The key difference is the process. Champagne undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, which is what creates those fine, persistent bubbles. It’s slower, more labor-intensive, and very deliberate.
Then there’s the place itself. The cool climate and chalky soil aren’t incidental. They shape the wine. What you get is something sharper, more structured, with that crisp acidity and layered, slightly toasty complexity.
Over time, “Champagne” stopped being just a place name. It became shorthand for the top tier.
If you want a quick cheat sheet for ordering:
- Easy, safe choice: Brut (NV)
- More interesting: Blanc de Blancs or Rosé
- Step up: Vintage
- Splurge: Prestige cuvée
Champagne isn’t immune to climate change.
Warmer summers are pushing ripeness earlier and harder, especially for Chardonnay, which can lose its edge if it gets too much heat.
The balance shifts. Less tension, more sugar, less of that clean, sharp line.
Pinot Noir, on the other hand, handles heat better. It ripens more reliably and keeps its structure. So you can see where this is going.
You’ll likely see more rosé being sold. It’s not just as a trend, but a practical response.
Dinner
My group had a private dinner in the courtyard of the Trianon building. We were lucky the weather was lovely in April.
You go from something quiet and almost monastic to something more social. Tables, conversation, and a steady stream of champagne.
During dinner, you’ll have six courses of seasonal cuisine paired with champagne. It’s the reverse of the typical meal. The food is chosen to match the champagne, not vice versa.
And you are given the good stuff, the premiere crus.
Tours & Where To Stay
You can only visit the cellars on a guided tour in French of English.
If you’re already in the area, you can simply book a private Moet tour.
If you are coming from Paris, you can book a private tour to Moet & Chandon. Or take a Champagne day trip with 6 tastings.
You can also book a tour that combines champagne and Reims. Reims Cathedral is an absolute must see!
If you want to overnight, I stayed at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. It’s a full-on 5 star, modern, glassy, perched-over-the-valley design. There’s a huge spa, Michelin-level dining, and sweeping vineyard views.
Practical Information for Visiting Moet & Chandon
Address: 18 Avenue de Champagne, 51200 Épernay, France
Hours: Generally open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30/5:30 pm (last tours mid-afternoon)
Tickets: The entry-level experience is € 48 and includes 2 glasses of Champagne and the cellar tour. You can pay €65, €85, up to €190+ for higher end tastings.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to visiting Moet & Chandon. You may find these other France travel guides useful:
- 3 days in Paris itinerary
- 4 days in Paris itinerary
- Hidden gems in France
- Medieval villages in France
- One week itineraries for France
- 10 days in southern France itinerary
- One week in Provence itinerary
- One week in Burgundy itinerary
- One week in Normandy itinerary
- One week in Dordogne itinerary
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