How to spend a long weekend in the Champagne Region
- Sara Sobral
- Sep 10, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 12, 2025
The Champagne region is just a short drive away from Luxembourg, making it the perfect destination for a long weekend escape. The region is famous for its Champagne vineyards and Maisons, but you will still be able to enjoy it if you don't drink it!
Day 1
Reims
Just 2.5 hours from Luxembourg City, Reims is a lively city with stunning architecture.
In summer, the city comes alive with open-air concerts and bustling terraces. It’s more vibrant than I expected!
Must-see in Reims
Notre-Dame Cathedral will remind you of the one in Paris, but is usually full of tourists and a bit noisy
Hôtel de Ville is beautifully preserved and full of character
Place Royale for its architecture
Porte de Mars and Les Hautes Promenades, if you need some shade (there is also a public bathroom there)
Place Drouet d'Erlon for its imposing statue - you can also find several restaurants and cafés around it
Rue de Vesle and the Opéra de Reims
Palais du Tau, which was unfortunately closed both times I visited Reims.
Carnegie Library of Reims
Saint-Remi Basilica will also impress you and it will be less crowded - they have light shows sometimes
Where to eat?
If you are looking for a brunch place, I went to Sacré Brunch twice already and it has a very complete menu. Otherwise, for lunch I would recommend you Bistrot du Forum. Both have outdoor seating.
Champagne tasting
You can book a tour at one of the Maisons de Champagne. I have visited two of them in different trips to Reims and I liked both:
Domaine Vranken-Pommery is modern, interactive and great for last-minute bookings as they generally have bigger groups;
Champagne Lanson, which offers a more classic experience, including a walk through a small vineyard (the "Clos Lanson") and a more detailed look at the champagne-making process.
Tip: Book your champagne tour in advance, especially in peak season. You can see all the available tours at the different Maisons in Reims Champagne Tour.
Épernay
Just 30 minutes from Reims, Épernay is a smaller city and might be reached within the same day. At sunset, stroll the iconic Avenue de Champagne, which is even more charming in the Golden Hour. You’ll find prestigious champagne houses lining the street and plenty of terraces where you can sip champagne and relax, making it the perfect place to end your day.
Day 2
If you didn't visit the center of Épernay on the previous day, this is your chance. Don't miss the Hôtel de Ville / Mairie d'Épernay, the Église Notre-Dame and take a stroll in the city center (particularly, Rue Flodoard and Rue Saint-Thibault).
If you are need to take breakfast: La Pétrie has a lot of patisserie choices, offering also drinks, but it is take away only. You can head to the nearby Place Hugues Plomb to sit.
Châlons-en-Champagne
Time to go to a different city, just 40 minutes drive away from Épernay.
The capital of the Marne department is 1/4th the size of the city of Reims, but it is perfect for the lunch break (I can recommend the restaurant Le Saint Alp) and a slow afternoon stroll.
Must-see in Châlons-en-Champagne
Châlons's Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne)
Rue de la Marne, a small shopping street with some Alsacian-like buildings and with the Quai des Arts, from where you can take boat trips
Hôtel de Ville / Mairie de Châlons-en-Champagne
Église Collégiale Notre-Dame-en-Vaux, which had a small Playmobil exhibition documenting all the stages in Jesus' life
Rue d'Orfeuil, another shopping street, is often decorated
Église Saint-Alpin de Châlons-en-Champagne
Place de la République also has historical buildings
A stroll around Le Petit Jard and Le Grand Jard will help you digest your lunch and you can take a walk along the river, as there are cycle/walking paths - there was even a city beach there during Summer with kids' activities
Sainte-Menehould
This is a very small town, it has fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, so I would say you can skip it if you're doing this trip on a normal 2-day weekend. However, if you do it over a long weekend, I would say to still visit it.
It is located just 35 minutes by car from Châlons-en-Champagne, so we decided to sleep here to make the return trip to Luxembourg much easier.
What to see?
Mairie de Sainte-Menehould, which was built between 1730 and 1734 and is still well-preserved
The Statue of Dom Pérignon, the Benedictine monk considered by many as the inventor of champagne, who was born in Sainte-Menehould in 1638
Église Saint-Charles de Sainte-Menehould, but beware that it closes in August
Walk up via the staircase on Rue Dom Pérignon to get a panoramic view and reach the Église Notre-Dame du Château de Sainte-Menehould
Where to eat?
For breakfast, Le Fournil de la ville has recently opened and, not only does the window display look good, but the pastries (including the croissants) are of good quality. They also offer drinks and there is a small table in case you want to eat there.
For dinner, one of the famous places in town is the restaurant of the Logis Hôtel le Cheval Rouge and it was full of locals. If you don't feel like trying the local speciality, le pied de cochon which translates to the pig's foot, I can recommend you the tartare de bœuf with burrata.
Day 3
On the way to our next stop, we spontaneously decided to visit the American Cemetery after seeing so many road signs. Turns out it was actually the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, the largest American military cemetery in Europe. This WWI cemetery contains nearly 14,250 graves. It is very big and is extremely well-maintained. Both its entrance and exit are magnificent. It is definitely worth the short detour.
Citadelle de Montmédy
Our next stop is now 1.10h away from Sainte-Menehould. Famous for its Citadel, which was built in 1525 by Charles V, this is a hidden gem. There is a free parking lot inside the fortress.
What to see?
Église Saint-Martin often has exhibitions inside
Explore the fortifications for scenic views - you can even visit the museum
The town's narrow streets with artist workshops in the artisans' street and traditional houses
The shops were closed when I visited, as the owners were at different fairs, but hopefully you'll be luckier!
Extra tip: Verdun
If you have more time, or prefer not stopping in Sainte-Menehould, another possible place to visit would be Verdun. It is known as the site of the WWI Battle of Verdun. There are several battlefields marked by museums and memorials, such as the imposing Douaumont Ossuary, with the remains of more than 100,000 soldiers, where you can learn more about the battles that took place here. The old town is also quite cute to visit and make sure you visit the Porte Chaussée by the river, which was once part of the city's medieval walls.
Final thoughts
Whether you're into champagne or just looking for a scenic road trip with history and charm, the Champagne Region has something for everyone. From lively cities to quiet hilltop villages, it’s a perfect mix of culture and nature.
Let me know if you’ve visited any of these towns or have other tips to share :)
Santé!
Sara
(This trip took place in August 2025)
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