Champagne Vip Day Trip From Paris With Local Private Wine Expert Guide

We had the absolute best day with Michel! He took great care of us - he was extremely knowledgeable and personable. We loved the champagne houses he took us too - a good variety of experiences. I recommend this tour to anyone! Would not miss.

Michel was a very knowledgeable guide for this tour. The pick up at our hotel was seamless with a personal touch of some early mornings pastries thrown in. We thoroughly enjoyed Michel’s company and personal insights into the nuances of the Champagne region. The visit we made to a small local producer was a unique first hand experience of the wine making process. The subsequent tasting with Juliette the winemaker as our host was charming, and her wine was as good as any we have tasted. Lunch was at a wonderful local restaurant and exceeded our expectations of included lunches on guided tours. We would highly recommend this tour, especially to those that are true lovers of all things Champagne.

Michel was our guide and he was extremely knowledgeable and made the whole experience perfect. Definitely a worthwhile trip.

Michel was great guide! Highly recommend! Can't wait to order some if the fantastic small producer Champagnes we tasted!

Michel put together a beautiful day, visiting small and large houses, stopping for views and to look at the vines. We had a nice coffee stop and a wonderful lunch. He was open to any suggestions or requests, although we were happy to go along with his plan. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone!

Michel put together a beautiful day, visiting small and large houses, stopping for views and to look at the vines. We had a nice coffee stop and a wonderful lunch. He was open to any suggestions or requests, although we were happy to go along with his plan. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone!

Highly recommend this tour with Michel to experience the Champagne region. He is a knowledgeable tour guide - we learned so much during our day together! Loved the experience of trying champagne from two unique wineries. Truly one of our trip highlights!

Michel was a terrific, knowledgeable , and a fun guide. We were two couples that spent the day in the Champagne region with Michel! He took us to a vineyard, commercial winery and a boutique winery. It really was amazing! He even included a “special” lunch for us. I highly recommend this tour and Michel.

We highly recommend this tour! Wonderful day exploring the beautiful champagne county side and private tours with amazing wine makers! We learned so much and met some wonderful people that were passionate about their wine making. Also, had a surprise lunch at a Michelin Star lunch! Perfect day! Thank you!

It was very enjoyable. Michel was knowledgeable about the history/production of champagne, tailored the experience to our interests. The local champagne was really good!

Michel, was a fantastic guide. This was one of the highlights of our two week trip. He is passionate about wine, Champagne and France in general. He is full of history regarding many topics. We were able to visit a couple of small producers as well as a mega producer with amazing caves. Michel is very accommodating. If there is a specific house you want to visit, make sure you let him know. On top of everything, he helped select a few great local wines for us to take with us. He worked with a local wine shop and had everything ready for us to swing by, purchase and be on our way. He also recommended a great restaurant that was one of our highlights. We accidentally left a passport at the restaurant and Michel took it upon himself to help track us down which avoided a catastrophe. I’m a raving fan!!!

Michael was a wonderful guide!!! An expert in Champagne he gave us an education plus was very personable, a lovely man, our group of eight had the best time because of his guidance and knowledge.

Michele was a great guide. He also recommended some fabulous places to dine around Paris. Loved the little winery and was truly educated on the intricacies of making fine champagne.

Michele was an incredible host and guide. Not only did we have a truly memorable time but we learned a lot, met some fantastic people, had a lovely lunch, bought a lot of champagne, and snagged some amazing restaurant recommendations to round out our trip. Will absolutely recommend Michele to friends and family.

I have not received a refund on my trip. I canceled within the timeframe! Spoke with Michele the guide 2days prior and let him know of change in plans and have not received refund.

Great tour! From the small lesser known houses to the grand palaces of champagne, Michel took us to the best. He also had reservation at an incredible and local lunch spot. Was the perfect day!

Great experience despite bad weather. Michel was a great host and gave us an awesome experience of a local small producer and a large producer. He picked an amazing place for lunch and even helped us take a detour to a store to find an ingredient I was looking for to take home.

By the end of our day with Michele, it was like hanging out with an old friend. He was so fun and so kind and incredibly knowledgeable. We had great conversations and learned so much. Had a great seafood lunch at a spot with a very local feel, and he provided an experience that spanned a large champagne house, smaller one, and a very small up and coming one where we could taste the individual wines out of the barrels. Such a cool experience! Couldn't be more grateful for Michel!

Michel was an amazing guide for our day trip through the champagne region. He was kind, professional and extremely knowledgeable. His knowledge and contacts throughout the region were evident, as we were able to explore not just the larger producers but the local hidden gems that many wouldn’t even know existed. Book with Michel and you will not be disappointed!

Michel was an excellent guide and put together a well-balanced and informative day in Champagne. The itinerary struck the perfect harmony between wine information and history, and we have already recommended him to family who are traveling in Paris in the near future.

Michel was a fantastic guide and host. The visit to the artisan champagne maker was the pinnacle of the adventure. His knowledge of the area as well as the making and blending of champagne is fabulous! We will be using his services again for our next trip!

Were initially looking at Loire wine tours with a group but instead chose to go with Michel for a more intimate experience. Was a great day exploring chateaus and visiting a couple family run wineries. Great experience to be off the beaten track meeting with wine artisans rather than being herded through big name wineries like cattle 😁. We had a wonderful and far more personal experience being the only visitors at the wineries… allowing for more in depth discussions with both Michel and our winery hosts Highly recommend

My husband and I had a wonderful experience wine tasting with Michel. He was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging and eager to customize the experience to be exactly what we were looking for. The wine shop he chose for our tasting was also fantastic. It was a quaint little shop in a lovely location and the staff was very helpful, friendly and wonderful to chat with. Would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking for a great afternoon of drinking and learning about delicious French wines.

Our family took a trip to Paris at the end of December 2019 and spent a wonderful afternoon with Michel. He was very knowledgeable and enjoyable and had arranged for us to experience a wine and charcuterie/cheese shop followed by lunch at an excellent Bistro followed by dessert at a very nice dessert shop. The afternoon was one of the highlights of our trip!!

Michel is great, this is His passion. The trip to Champagne was an amazing experience . Michel was very knowledgeable. You will appreciate the very difficult process needed to create champagne, from the beginning until it is Poured in your glass. The restaurant selected was excellent, and the tour in Reims, great . Everything was excellent.

Michel is knowledgeable, thoughtful and made our exploration of the Champagne region truly a delight. Everything was as described.Cannot recommend him more.

Michel was professional, accommodating, and extremely knowledgeable. He took us to places we would have never seen on a typical bus tour or wine tasting. He catered to special dietary needs and was went out of his way to ensure the experience was one of its kind. We booked two experiences with him and each was awesome! I would book with Michel again.

We recently did a wine tasting with Michel at the Cave Vino Spiens wine shop and bar. We had a fantastic time and Michel was very knowledgeable about the wines of his country. We had a wonderful time with Michel, the shop owner and his assistant. They all made us feel very welcome.Michel was great about communicating with us prior to the experience, also. Thank you so much Michel! Amy D., Louisville, Kentucky

We had a wonderful day in Champagne with Michel! He picked us up with bottled water and breakfast bites on our journey to Champagne. Stopping for cafe at a charming spot on the way, we ventured through the fog into Champagne. The cold weather did not hinder our stop by vines & taste of a delicious rose champagne. The frost actually lended to the photos and the experience. Michel is most accommodating for any photo stop as we hopped out for pictures along the beautiful Avenue de Champagne. Michel is a wealth of wine & food knowledge and happy to answer any questions on French culture, foods, & wine. After a private personal tasting at the fabulous Chapuy Champagne house, we indulged in a delicious lunch complete with a bottle of Champagne. Going in December ended up being a wonderful time to beat the crowds, see the land wrapped in soft fog & vines kissed with frost and toasting to the magic of the holidays. This is a second trip with Michel, and we don't feel on a tour, but out for the day with a friend. We highly recommend any of Michel's experiences. Can't wait for the next one!

Being wine appreciators from the USA , we were familiar with many of the wines there however we knew little about the offeringsof France outside of hearsay from others. Well after spending the evening with Michel we can no longer say that. First of all , much appreciation to Thierry @ Cave Vino Sapiens for being such a gracious host and letting us meet there and tap into your best offerings for our tasting. You have a great friend in Michel in that he has such an enthusiasm and knowledge about the Champagne and wines of France. We enjoyed learning some of the history and tasting wines that are lesser known but certainly not lesser in quality and taste. We felt likeold friends in our local neighborhood hangout with Michel. He's laidback and easy to converse with. He asked a little about our knowledge and interests and then filled in the gaps without making us feel ignorant. We enjoyed the small offerings of food. A delicious “chicken spread” & bread. Would have been nice to have some delicious cheese as well. Perhaps I would suggest you bring a little “charcuterie “ yourself when you meet up with Carl. His details are not in the food paring perhaps. We did enjoy ourselves and tasted some wonderful French wine.

There are really no words to describe what an incredible day we had with Michel. I'll admit, I was slightly skeptical to drive off into the countryside with a stranger for an entire day despite his good reviews. However, from the moment we met Michel I knew it was going to be a day we would never forget.Michel was so welcoming and knowledgable. His passion for wine and champagne was impressive. He was accommodating of anything we needed. On our tour we stopped at a vineyard to learn about the region, the grapes, champagne in general. Michel popped a bottle of champagne right there, on this hill with these magical views overlooking some of the Champagne Region. I felt like I was in a movie.Stunningly beautiful. We drove through picturesque towns and villages learning about the way of living there. We went to a bio dynamic champagne house. It was as if Michel read my mind and knew this would be the perfect house to start our day. It was a small house and the owner, Marc, was so inviting. After learning about their champagne and having an incredible tasting, which felt like we were at a friends home, it was time to leave. We were having such a nice time that we lost track of time and were quite late for lunch. None of us realized since we were enjoying it all so much. We didn't want it to end. Michel organized everything for a late lunch. Never rushing us or making us feel badly for staying so long. Lunch was fabulous. The food was out of this world and the champagne Michel picked for us was delicious. Perhaps maybe even more delicious because of everything that we had learned. It was then onto a big champagne house, Pommery. We visited the chalk cellars, which were like stepping back in time. Like nothing we had ever seen before. He told us a lot of history about Pommery and about the cellars themselves. I'm not sure there isn't anything about the region or wine and champagne that michel doesn't know. Because our day ran a bit late we did not get to see the cathedral in Reims. That being said, Michel told us we could see or do anything we wanted. We were traveling with my mother and were quite tired so I felt it was best to head back to Paris. However, had I asked to see anything else, without a doubt Michel would have gone out of his way to take us to what we wanted to see. He gave us recommendations for so many things...from books that we might like on Champagne and the region to restaurants to try in Paris, to the best macaroons in Paris (they aren't Laduree it turns out!). We tried the restaurants and ate our fair share of macaroons. His recommendations did not disappoint at all! Spot on! Not only did we experience Champagne, our time in Paris was that much better from his recommendations and going to places that the tourists don't go to .I felt like we made a friend in Paris and when I'm in Paris again, I plan to arrange another tour with him. I've already told multiple people to book this tour for their upcoming trips. It was a day I will never forget and one that I hope I get to do again, with Michel. Michel, thank you so much for spending the day with us!!!! Complete perfection!

We booked a customized private trip to Champagne with Michel. He was great from the beginning. My husband is a WSET diploma candidate so we requested a tour that would go deeper than the touristy level. Michel really listened and was willing to go the extra mile to accommodate us. He helped arrange tours and tastings of three houses, one major house in Reims (Taittinger) and two boutique houses in nearby villages. The experience was eye opening and really showcased the wide range of depth and variety that Champagne embraces. We also got to meet with a winemaker at one of the boutique houses and had a very engaging conversation with him. We had lunch at a very nice but casual restaurant, which was perfect with our three year old son. The food was so delicious! Michel also took us into a vineyard to see and touch the vines. After the tours, he kindly gave us a ride back to Paris. It was an amazing experience that went beyond our expectations. Michel is so wonderful! We recommend him to anyone wholeheartedly.

his trip in the Champagne region with Michael was simply a magical day for all of us...meaning the 10 of us. It really started months ago when I contacted Withlocals.com and viewed Michel's profile. I decided to book with him based on his response to my original questions and his flexibility in accommodating our needs. The day itself could not have been any better: Michel met us at our Paris residence for the week, and from then on, the day was simply PERFECT. We first stopped in a vineyard where Michel explained the region, and its history AND opened a couple of bottles of Champagne to tickle our tasting buds early in the morning (I mean 9:30am or so). We then proceeded to visit two small vineries with some amazing tastings AND with a meeting with the owners and winemakers to boot. We loved the Grand Cru champagnes so much that we are having a case shipped to the US for our personal consumption. Our second winery was also graced by the owner and winemaker AND a great lunch at the winery along with the tasting of some amazing single vintage champagnes (and I mean champagnes that you would find in a restaurant for over $500/bottle). The afternoon took us to the house of Taittinger (one of the big champagne house) in the middle of Reims. where we experienced the history of the Champagne region and the great chalk cellars which crisscross the entire underground of Reims. So If you are looking for a unique experience with an expert guide of Paris and the wine regions of France, there is no question that you should call upon Michel's services. On behalf of the 10 of us, I will not hesitate to contact Michel again for any future trip to France for another amazing day. Thank you SO MUCH for making this day so special for us. Bernard

What a treat it was to find Michel. Having visited Paris on many occasions we wanted to explore the lesser known fresh food markets and get a better feel for the real Paris. Michel introduced us to a new area. The market was vibrant and full of fresh produce from around Paris. The food vendors were diverse. Most of the Northern African dishes were new to us. Michel’s knowledge of every aspect of the market was invaluable. Then it was onto the specialty stores in the area. Can I just say that I have never had such a deliciously piquant Gruyere in my life. And I’ve had a lot of Gruyere. The croissants were the best...... The patisserie delivered too. Last of all, and no food tour would be complete without it, the wine bar. It was such a pleasure to amble along with Michel. You should try it.

We booked this visit and did not know what to expect. From the outset Michel kept in touch with us and when there were problems with the trains he picked us up at our hotel and kept us in the loop all of the time. We had a brilliant time despite the bad weather and Michel's knowledge and experience shone through (he is very good company too!). His knowledge of the area, the wines and the industry is superb. We particularly enjoyed our visit to Maison Penet and really appreciated meeting Alexander (the owner) who made us feel so welcome. An excellent lunch and superb Champagne. We shall be returning for another trip in the near future. We can highly recommend the trip and must thank Michel for this wonderful experience.

Michel took us to some wonderful wineries, gave us background on each and pulled over to let us enjoy the scenery and get some wonderful pictures. He was very flexible in his planning of the day and made adjustments as he got a better feel for what we liked. Highly recommend spending a day with Michel.

We were in Paris for just a few days but we wanted to get a lot done. We spent weeks planning in order to hit all of our "must do's". It would have all worked out if we wouldn't have coincided with the riots. So after a day of siting in our room most of the day; we were very excited to hear that Michael with a few modifications in pick up time and location; was going to take us to Champagne as planned. Michael went above and beyond by picking us up and dropping us off at our apartment instead of having us risk it by taking a train or cab to the pick up location. The drive was very enjoyable. Michael is very knowledgeable and had a ton of fun facts about Paris and the Champagne area. Between the VIP tour with the wine maker of a boutique winery and our Champagne lunch; it was one of the most enjoyable excursions I had during my trip to Paris. Thank you Michael for a memorable experience!!! PS: Special thanks for exposing me to Ratafia ;)

My mother, sister and I had an exceptional day touring Champagne with Michel. He is a gracious host whose knowledge of wine and food made the day one we will remember for a long time. Michel has a great personality and his tour is one where you did not feel that you were rushing from spot to spot, rather it felt like you were having a leisurely day in the country with a friend. Beyond the tour, Michel also provided some great recommendations on both restaurants and chocolate shops in Paris. I highly recommend a wine or food tour with Michel to others and hope to have the pleasure of taking another tour with him again soon.

Michel is the guide of choice for a wonderful tour of the Champagne region. We started early from Paris, met the charming owner of Voirin-Jumel Champagne in the beautiful village of Cramant where we got to taste their exquisite champagne, toured their cellar and champagne making process and, best of all, learned about the values and way of life of a small, family-owned vineyard which prides itself in the champagne region's tradition of family, hard-work and champagne-making excellence. And this was just the beginning. A stop in Reims for a wonderful lunch at Cul de Poule, view of the magnificent cathedral and tour of the Taittinger Champagne House rounded out a day filled with great champagne, food and conversation. And we learned quite a bit about the process of making champagne - from the vineyard to the bottle. Michel told us that he varies his tours to keep things fresh and interesting for everyone. It worked for our group of seven and will work for you. Very highly recommended!

How can I begin to describe the best tour guide with whom I have ever had the pleasure to spend a day!? Amazing - because all 8 of us ladies who went on Michel's champagne tour had an amazing time. Unforgettable- because it will be the most memorable part of my first trip to Paris. Thoughtful - because Michel foresaw possible deterrents for our trip and made special, alternate plans to be sure that the tour happened! Delicious - because all of the champagne on the tours and the variety Michel recommended with our lunch was phenomenal. In fact, Several of us ordered cases of champagne to be delivered back in America! The champagne has already arrived and it's wonderful. Therefore, our champagne tour with Michel was amazing, unforgettable, thoughtful and delicious! Au Revoir pour maintenant, Melonie

<p>Since this was our first trip to France we were wanting to have a tour where we didnt have to worry about anything and this private tour was perfect we didnt worry about anything!<br/> From the time we booked the tour Viator was very responsive to questions prior to our arriving in Paris. <br/> On the day of the tour our guide, Michael, met us at the train station in Paris and was with us throughout the day. He was great. The entire day was wonderful and offered a nice mix. First, visiting a small Champagne house, Nicolas Maillart, for a tour and champagne tasting, which was delicious. Then we had lunch at an excellent restaurant in Reims, toured the historic cathedral, and then went to a large champagne house, Pommery. The tour at Pommery was amazing. The guide there was enthusiastic and very good at explaining the history of the champagne house and how it is made. The underground chalk cellar is unlike anything I have ever seen, definitely worth seeing! We had time before our train back to Paris so we walked around the city center. Overall a great, memorable day and my husband and I are really glad we did this.</p>

Si vous cherchez à avoir une expérience authentique avec un guide passionné, je vous recommande de choisir Michel. Nous sommes arrivés avec peu d'expériences et de connaissances préalables dans le domaine et somme repartis conquis par l'amour, le temps et l'expertise que requiert la fabrication de vin, particulièrement la fabrication du champagne. Michel est venu nous chercher à notre hôtel de Paris tôt en matinée ce qui nous a permi d'avoir le maximum de temps dans la région de Champagne. Durant la conduite, il nous a partagés quelques faits sur la région et a fait un résumé de ce que nous verrions. Nous nous sommes premièrement arrêtés dans un champ de vignes où nous en avons appris plus sur la croissance de la vigne et sur l'importance du terroir. Ensuite, nous nous sommes arrêtés à Reims pour un petite visite de sa cathédrale, un immanquable de la région. Notre premier arrêt avec dégustation fut dans une grande maison de la région, en visitant les caves, toujours avec Michel comme guide, nous avons pu en apprendre plus quant à la fabrication du champagne et son histoire. Nous avons ensuite eu la chance de déjeuner dans un excellent restaurant. Nous avons laissé le soin à notre guide de choisir le vin pour accompagner notre repas, et c'était bien sûr délicieux. Le dernier arrêt fut notre préféré. Nous avons eu la chance de visiter un plus petit producteur vigneron et de faire le tour de leurs installations et de déguster plusieurs de leurs produits. C'était magique d'écouter parler nos hôtes et de voir tout le temps et l'effort qui est mi dans chacune de leurs bouteilles. Le retour a Paris s'est fait en soirée, à aucun moment nous nous sommes sentis pressé de bouger d'un endroit à l'autre. Toutes les questions étaient les bienvenues et nous sommes repartis avec une plus grande appréciation du savoir faire des vignerons. Mention spéciale aux petites attentions de notre guide. Bouteilles d'eau pour le voyage (il faisait beau, mais très chaud), un petit sac de chouquette en guise de bienvenue et, malgré un malentendu concernant ma restriction alimentaire, il a su faire en sorte que mon déjeuner était bel et bien végétarien. Bref, si vous cherchez à faire un tour personnalisé, informatif, loin des tours commerciaux organisés par les grandes entreprises et avec quelqu'un qui voit connais l'envers du décor, je vous recommande fortement de choisir ce tour.