Heading to France early? Sticking around after the wedding?
Here are some of our favorite places to visit.
Le Petit Lutetia
Paris
Classic French dishes. One of Siobhan’s favorite places for escargot and steak au poivre. They are also famous for their espresso martini.
Perruche
Rooftop restaurant in the Printemps Haussmann department store serving classic Provencal cuisine.
Chez Janou
Another bistro that serves the classics. We love it for their duck, the extensive cocktail menu and their infamous chocolate mousse.
FrenchParadox
They excel at and only serve two things- duck and champagne. Highly recommend adding the champagne pairing to your meal and finishing with one of their seasonal desserts.
Le Café de Flore
Touristy, but the hot chocolate is 100% worth it.
Brasserie Des Prés
Located in the Latin Quarter on a pedestrian-only passageway, this is one of our favorite places to grab a table on the terrace for a few hours. A great cocktail lounge is located on their top floor.
Les Deux Magots
Known for it’s literary history, this café has a great outdoor terrace space that is perfect for great people watching. One of our go-to spots for grabbing a bite to eat with a bottle of wine.
Bistrot De La Tour Eiffel
If you want a place with outdoor seating and a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night, this is one of them. Better for a drink or two, not so much their food.
L'Entrecôte de Paris
A “tourist trap” but worth the wait for a table to enjoy set menu of steak frites with it’s famous sauce. Get their crème brûlée for dessert (Ryan’s favorite in Paris). Located right near the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triumph.
Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann
Galeries Lafayette is a century-old department store where you can find everything from skincare to designer items. Their rooftop has a great view of the city as well.
Le Bon Marché et La Grande Épicerie
If you love cooking or baking this is a must stop. Make sure to purchase from their extensive French butter selection and grab a baguette to enjoy at a nearby park (or in bed at your hotel, we don’t judge).
Pharmacie Citypharma
Massive pharmacy offering every French and European skincare brand you could think of. Siobhan could spend hours of her life here.
Epernay
Champagne Boizel - Atelier 1834
One of our favorite champagne houses in Epernay. The maison still remains family owned and creates some of the best vintages in the region.
Moët & Chandon
Visit for a tasting at one of the world's largest champagne producers and see the statue of Dom Perignon, Founder of Champagne
Champagne Mercier
Board their cellar train and explore the emblematic 18km cellars of Maison Mercier followed with a tasting of their vintages.
Le Clos Corbier
A small champagne house located in the neighboring town of Aÿ. It has a small guesthouse with a beautiful pool and gardens. They offer private tours, tastings, classes and lunch/dinner prepared by their private chef. One of our favorite places we have stayed in the area.
A small Champagne House in Épernay, it has one the deepest cellars of all Champagne Houses. The estate dates back to 1764.
Champagne Jacquinot & Fils
This house offers many different experiences from tastings workshops, food pairings and customizing your own bottle. They also have a champagne bar.
Maison Perrier-Jouët
A champagne bar bistro offering champagne tastings, cocktails, beers and a charcuterie menu to pair with their large champagne list.
#Brut - Bar Avenue de Champange
Located on the Avenue de Champagne, this family-run house doesn’t require bookings and you can walk in to sample their latest cuvees while enjoying their beautiful terrace.
Champagne Paul-Etienne Saint Germain
A must visit in Reims. Book the self-guided tour and explore their beautiful cellars that are filled with many different art installations. If it is warm enough, lunch on their patio restaurant is great!
Reims
Champagne Pommery
Champagne GH Martel & Co
A smaller house known for its elegant and refined style, with a focus on traditional methods and a commitment to quality.
Maison Taittinger
The house has recently completed a multi-year renovation and offers updated tours to experience Taittinger’s impressive cellars. We recommend their “Comtes” tour to taste and enjoy their Grand Crus and some of their famous Blanc de Blancs (Siobhan’s favorite!).
Sacré Burger
Yes, a burger place is our favorite restaurant here. They use local ingredients to create a simple, yet unforgettable meal that pairs perfectly with champagne. Their champs list is the size of a large textbook and features amazing smaller grower bottles. Make a reservation in advance as they only offer two seatings for lunch/dinner!
Café Clicquot
Now that you’re a champagne pro from all of your tours, take a break for lunch at Veuve Clicquot’s outdoor cafe. This is a great way to try some of their vintages or lesser-known bottles by the glass without needing a tour. They typically have live music and the space is beautifully decorated.
Notre-Dame de Reims
The cathedral was the traditional location for the coronation of the kings of France. It is beautiful to visit both during the day and when illuminated in the evening. There are many cafes and restaurants overlooking the cathedral if you want a meal with a gorgeous view!
Maison Ruinart
Explore the chalk-walled cellars, known as crayères, followed by a tasting in one of the historic rooms in the Reims estate, which the Ruinart family acquired in the 19th century.
If you’re planning on booking multiple houses in either region, you can find and book the majority of your tours + tastings on Champagne-Booking.com. This site also allows you to filter by area. Larger houses usually book direct on their site. Don’t overdo too many cellar tours (they can sometimes be redundant), mix it up with some tasting-only bookings or fun classes like learning how to properly saber a champagne bottle! No need to worry about a DD, there are plenty of ubers and taxis in the area.
