weekend break to the champagne region.

[pneumothorax]

advice appreciated. i'm going over for the weekend, leaving on friday afternoon/back sunday. the other half fancies it given her love of the fizzy stuff. having done a search, looks like i'll be able to check out riems with the old pit's etc. any experience of must see's places to stay and roads to drive appreciated.

[Bonne Route]

I would stay in or near Epernay (depending on budget) and visit the Champagne houses in the Avenue de Champagne, for tasting and buying.

The Reims GP circuit is a must and there is a great restaurant there for lunch - La Garenne.

[nick francis]

We went there a couple of months ago and stayed in Troyes for a couple of nights and then here

http://www.au-chateau.com/Ployez.htm

we stayed in the red room!

had a champagne tasting and trip around the cellars and the production facility, it was fantastic! No restaurant in Ludes so we took our own picnic and were given full use of the whole place.

This was a short clip of our visit to the circuit!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/nfbds#p/a/u/0/rezOt2Jm...

[pneumothorax]

thanks guys.

[oblio]

We've been a few times and it has mostly been said above.

Epernay to stay, preferably. We have stayed at

http://www.villa-eugene.com

Not cheap but v nice and close to the tasting houses. NB Their breakfast is very expensive for what it is.

We found the Mercier House to be the best to visit, Moet was good also.

I can also recommend this restaurant in Epernay

http://le-sardaigne.pagespro-orange.fr/index.htm

for pizza, pasta etc. V V popular so don't leave it too late if you are not booking.

Reims: Worth a visit as said to the old circuit but also to the centre of Reims - the Cathedral is very nice.

Also, time permitting have a drive around the vinyards/countryside

All in all its a great weekend away

[PaulHogan]

Stayed in Eperney on our last return from the classis Le Mans (at the Villa Eugene as it happens (v. nice and v.expensive as said above). And after a couple of days we decided if we went back we'd much rather stay in Chalons-en-Champagne as Eperney was a bit 'up itself'. The main drag of Champagne houses is very grand - and you may want to visit - but has the air of up-market tourist trap.
Go to the tourist info (at the end of the Av Champagne) and get a guide to the Champagne route. Then stop and buy at the dodgiest looking places you see. The experience is fantastic. The locals so welcoming. The prices are unbelievable (both against what we pay over here and what you'd pay for a brand you will have heard of on the Av Champ). The fizz magnificent. NB Most of these small places are cash only.
We ate at La Cave a Champagne http://www.la-cave-a-champagne.com/ which was fabulous with prices to match and at L'oeil de Boeuf http://www.restoenfrance.com/restaurant-374554-L-O... which was both better and cheaper than La Cave.
A trip to the old GP circuit is a must for any petrolhead.
Les francais had finally finished work on the outside of Reims cathedral and the old town is stunning and worth a look. We took the tourist train thing and certainly saw bits of Reims we wouldn't otherwise have found. Pricey place though.
Whatever you do, have a great weekend.