First Time in France - Itinerary

Hi Everyone,

I’ll be traveling to France for the first time after the New Year and I have been looking at all of the travel forums for recommendations on wineries to visit in Champagne and Burgundy (but mainly Champagne) and restaurants to eat at in Paris and beyond, etc., but I wanted to get some feedback on whether the following itinerary is feasible. I go to Napa Valley like 4 times every year (and on occasion Paso Robles and Santa Barbara), but I’ve never been out of the country and from what I have read, things are slightly different. When I’m in Napa, I stick to private appointments, usually 2-4 hours in length - is this what I should expect in France as well?

1/1-1/4 Paris (I still am going through the Paris restaurants thread)

1/5 Travel to Reims; not much is open on Sunday it seems

1/6 Vilmart (AM) and Piper-Hiedsieck (PM)

1/7 Rent car and drive to Epernay; Philipponnat (PM); Jean-Pierre Launois (PM)

1/8 Pierre Peters (AM); Drive to Dijon/Beaune

1/9 Visit a smaller producer in Burgundy (any suggestions? I don’t have too much experience with Burgundy); Drive back to Avize; Selosse + dinner at Les Avizes (was told that I had to go here)

I really wanted to visit Les Crayeres, based off of the forum, but it seems to be closed during the time I’m there. Same with most of the large champagne houses (all LVMH properties). Ultimately, I just want to see if the spacing is okay for my trip, to make sure I have enough time to relax and enjoy the scenery and not just rush from appointment to appointment. Thanks!

Why the one day drive to beaune? Seems a waste of 6 hours on the road? Not gonna cover much in half a day plus u are driving after PP. and then next day have to beat the clock back to taste at selosse?
I’d skip beaune and just chill in Reims area

I do agree with Mark. Maybe you could travel to Troyes and have dinner in Aux crieurs de vin which is one of the best wine shops and restaurants in Champagne. it’s simply amazing!

https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/256146449/aux-crieurs-de-vin/

Rent directly a Sixt car. Avoid EuropCar.

If Crayeres is closed, try Assiette Champenois.

Clerget for burgundy?

Burgundy producers are mainly family business
They haven’t a marketing services.
Send an email or call before.
Otherwise you can find a winecellar, restaurant who are open sunday.

In Burgundy, I would stick with one of the big houses such as Drouhin, Bouchard or Jadot…easier to get in and schedule.

Keep an eye on France 24 to see how the pension strikes are going. Paris is a goat rodeo right now with the metros shut down and TGV/AF service running at 50-75%… which means everybody and their mother is driving. This set of strikes is a bit different - it’s less violent than the yellow vest, but just about every union is participating.

Other note - double check all of your reservations and plans for Paris, as you’re landing on New Years and staying through the weekend. Europe (but especially Paris) invented the bridge holiday, so I would expect quite a few places to be shut down until the following week, with the locals out of town, returning the following Monday.

Shame that Les Crayeres is closed. We stayed there in April — incredible place, and dinner at Le Parc was amazing.
tastings: we had private tastings in Bordeaux (Palmer, Beaucaillou and Chevallier) because we had a good connection. Tastings in Champagne were group, even at smaller producers.

Keep an eye on France 24 to see how the pension strikes are going. Paris is a goat rodeo right now with the metros shut down and TGV/AF service running at 50-75%… which means everybody and their mother is driving. This set of strikes is a bit different - it’s less violent than the yellow vest, but just about every union is participating.

Will check in from time to time for you on this, as friends are ranting on my Facebook thread, but it’s continuing to be a shit show. 10 of 14 Metro lines closed (i think 1 and 14 are driverless) and intra-EU travel is now backing up. Thalys (train) from AMS/Brussels is starting to cancel more and more trips and quite a few flights into CDG are delayed. Uncertain how this plays out over the holidays, but I’d keep it as a planning parameter. Unions are committing to strikes to the holidays, which might be a nice excuse to head to the countryside. https://www.france24.com/en/20191212-no-christmas-break-in-transport-strike-french-union-warns-pension-reform

Really depends where you are though. Bordeaux ran a practically normal service on trams and buses today.

I apologize for not getting back to everyone earlier, but I really do appreciate all of the responses and advice given. Based on the above, I have decided to nix Burgundy from the trip, and focus on Champagne and visit a few more producers. Here is the updated schedule for the last two days:

1/8 Pierre Péters (AM); Leclerc Briant (waiting to confirm); Spa appointment at the Royal Champagne

1/9 Dom Pérignon (waiting to confirm), Add one more tasting here (Roger Coulon, Bollinger, etc.), Selosse + dinner at Les Avises (was told that I had to go here).

I did want to ask a few more questions:

  1. For those who have dined at Les Avises, would you recommend the dinner menu or lunch? I was thinking of switching to lunch to help me to get back to Paris earlier, but if dinner is much better, I won’t mind staying later.
  2. Thank you Andrew for notifying me regarding the strike information, and I did notice the planned strike on January 9th. I was wondering will these strikes affect Eurostar trains and air transportation?

Thanks again to everyone who chimed in with recommendations. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas holiday!

I’d keep a super close eye on all of your travel and recognize you might need contingency plans. I do not recall if it affects Eurostar; it is hitting other intra-EU transportation (I.e Thalys). Check France24.com for the latest.

Other note - if you’re a cheese fan, try the comte de Noel, which is aged for 36 months and usually only shows up around Christmas. And Mont d’Or, of course :slight_smile:

And this is why I love France. Ballerinas on strike, performing the Nutracker on the steps of Palais Garnier.

Quick question - is it legal in France for restaurant to sell a bottle from their wine list to go? I have tried many wine shops to find this wine, as well as the producer directly, in order to find a wine, with no avail, but that same wine is available at the restaurant I am dining at. Would a restaurant do this?

Thanks!

They are allowed to do so. I have been to various cafes which offered for bottle sale the wines on their dining menus.
France is not Massachusetts or Colorado.

I’m not sure if it requires a separate license but many restaurants certainly do sell wines to go. However even if a restaurant does sell some wines to go they don’t necessarily want to part with their more strictly allocated wines that way. Never hurts to ask, of course.

This.

2 years ago, I ordered a bottle of 2004 Rogeard Bourg at a terrific restaurant near Laguiole in Aveyron and the price of the bottle was below any WS US prices. After the meal, I asked the sommelier if I can buy a few more bottles to take home, he politely said no as he’d prefer to serve his remaining bottles at his restaurant when ordered. Completely understandable.

in hindsight, should have also asked about the 2002 Poyeux that I also spotted in their wine list.

Do not plan too much in advance. Just go and enjoy.