Planning a private champagne experience in France: houses, chalk cellars and cuvée sourcing

Why use a concierge

Champagne houses offer very different formats: cellar tours, commented tastings, dinners, bars, working sessions. Small-group places are limited and each house sets its own availability. Our role is to turn your wishes into a coherent programme, book at the right time and handle everything around the visit: transport, hotel, tables and gifts. See our champagne concierge page.

The vineyards in four stops

• Reims: the coronation cathedral, the Saint-Nicaise hill chalk pits and the great houses. The natural starting point from Paris.
• Épernay: the UNESCO-listed Avenue de Champagne and its cellars.
• Montagne de Reims: wine villages and forest between Reims and Épernay, for a stop among the vines.
• Côte des Blancs: south of Épernay, chardonnay country, for lovers of blanc de blancs.

Ruinart: the chalk cellars of Reims

Ruinart, the oldest champagne house, welcomes guests at 4 rue des Crayères in Reims, in chalk cellars dug nearly 40 metres underground and UNESCO listed. Several formats exist: Dinner in the Crayères, the Petit R experience, Instant d’Exception, Le Bar by Ruinart or a private visit. We choose the format with you and organise the day, subject to the House’s availability. Full details on our Ruinart experiences in Reims page and in our private guide to Maison Ruinart.

Comte de Mazeray: champagne to give

Comte de Mazeray creates “jewels to drink”: champagnes enriched with 24-carat gold flakes. The A Pure Gold cuvée blends 90% pinot noir, 7% chardonnay and 3% pinot meunier, from half-bottle to jeroboam. We handle sourcing, personalisation and delivery, for a gift or a celebration table. Read our Comte de Mazeray article.

Composing the day or the stay

1. The brief: occasion, number of guests, preferred houses, dietary needs, language of the visit.
2. Transport: TGV from Paris-Est or a door-to-door chauffeur, then a chauffeured car between houses.
3. Tables: cellar dinner, lunch in the vineyards, gastronomic tables in Reims and Épernay, or a private chef.
4. Accommodation: a night on site is advisable to enjoy Épernay and the vineyards.
5. The return: the cuvées you chose are shipped to your home or event address.

Sourcing cuvées and large formats

For a private cellar, an anniversary or a corporate event, we search for prestige cuvées, vintages and large formats, reviewing the provenance of each lot. No bottle is promised before its actual availability is confirmed. For more on wine, see our fine wine and gastronomy page.

The timeline

Allow four to eight weeks, more for harvest time and December. For a seminar or a celebration, see also our event concierge.

Frequently asked questions

Can it be done as a day trip from Paris?

Yes. Reims is about 45 minutes from Paris-Est by TGV. For Épernay and the vineyards, a night on site is better.

How far ahead should I book?

Four to eight weeks, more for harvest and December. Formats and dates always depend on the houses.

Can you arrange a private cellar dinner?

Yes, depending on each house’s formats and availability, for example the Dinner in the Crayères at Ruinart in Reims.

How do I contact AC PRIVATE - A List concierge?

Via the contact page or at [email protected]. Reply within 24 hours.

Please drink responsibly. Ruinart and Comte de Mazeray are trademarks of their respective owners.