Reims is about 148 km (92 mi) from the 8th arrondissement by road, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes on a clear road by our OSRM routing, almost all of it on the A4 motorway east of Paris. The TGV is faster: the Reims tourist office says the high-speed train gets you there from Paris in 45 minutes. For a couple who want a day of cathedral, cellars and lunch in the city centre, the train is a good option and often the cheaper one.
The car earns its place when the day is about more than Reims itself. Most Champagne visits combine Reims with Épernay and the vineyard villages between them, the cellar visits are spread across the city and the hills, and the person who drives does not have to think about the tastings. That is what the Elly8.net Champagne package is built for: 10 hours with a chauffeur from Paris, from US$830 in a business sedan to US$1,660 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle and all-in.
How long does it take to drive from Paris to Reims?
From the 8th arrondissement, Reims cathedral is about 148 km (92 mi) by road, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes on a clear road by our OSRM routing, mainly on the A4. Leaving Paris after the morning rush adds time. The TGV takes about 45 minutes, according to the Reims tourist office, plus the trips to and from the stations.
The other distances that shape the day, also routed with OSRM on a clear road:
- Reims to Épernay: about 27.5 km (17 mi), roughly 30 minutes.
- Épernay back to the 8th arrondissement: about 147 km (91 mi), roughly 2 hours.
- Charles de Gaulle to Reims cathedral: about 141 km (88 mi), roughly 1 hour 43 minutes, useful if you are heading to Champagne straight from a flight.
Train or car?
The Reims tourist office's travel page explains the rail options. The city has two stations: Reims-Centre, in the heart of the city, and Champagne-Ardenne TGV in Bezannes, linked to the centre by tram. Regional TER trains then serve the surrounding villages, including the line between Reims and Épernay.
| TGV and local transport | Elly8.net private car | |
|---|---|---|
| Paris to Reims | About 45 minutes on the TGV, plus getting to the station | About 1 h 50 min on a clear road, hotel to Reims |
| Between houses in Reims | Walk, tram or taxi | Chauffeur waits at each stop |
| Reims to Épernay | Regional train | About 30 minutes by road |
| Vineyard villages | Limited | Wherever your visits are booked |
| Cost structure | A ticket per person | Per vehicle, fixed in advance |
| Best for | Couples staying in Reims city centre | Groups, multi-stop days, Épernay and the villages |
Choose the train if you are one or two people, your cellar visits are in central Reims, and you are happy to walk or take the tram between them.
Choose the car if you want Reims and Épernay in one day, your visits include houses or growers outside the city, you are a group of four or more, or you would rather not plan around train times after an afternoon of tastings.
The Champagne package from Paris
Elly8.net's signature Paris day trip is a 10-hour day to the Champagne houses of Reims and Épernay. Out on the A4 to Reims for the cathedral and the chalk cellars, then on to Épernay and its Avenue de Champagne before the drive home. Published prices, per vehicle and all-in with the chauffeur, taxes and standard gratuity; tolls and parking are billed at cost:
| Vehicle | Champagne package, 10 hours | Passengers / bags |
|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | US$830 | 3 / 2 |
| Business SUV | US$1,060 | 6 / 6 |
| First Class SUV | US$1,245 | 6 / 6 |
| First Class Sedan | US$1,335 | 3 / 2 |
| Executive Sprinter | US$1,660 | 12 / 12 |
Capacities come from the fleet table. Prices are per vehicle, never per person. For a group of six in a Business SUV, the package is one fare for the vehicle; dividing it by six is arithmetic for comparison only. For more on how the day runs, see wine tours.
The chauffeur drives so that everyone else can enjoy the tastings. In the vehicle itself, the chauffeur follows local rules.
What to see in Reims
The cathedral. Reims calls itself the cité des sacres, the city of coronations, and its Notre-Dame cathedral is where the kings of France were crowned. It is the natural first stop, and the tourist office lists guided visits of the cathedral.
The Champagne houses. Many of the great houses have their cellars in Reims, carved into the chalk beneath the city. The tourist office's list of major Champagne houses includes, among others, Taittinger, Lanson, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, G.H. Mumm, Vranken-Pommery, Charles de Cazanove and G.H. Martel in Reims, many of them with online booking. Book your visits before you book the car, and leave travel time between them.
The city centre. Reims is compact, with shops and restaurants close to the cathedral, which makes lunch in town easy to fit between cellar visits.
On to Épernay
Épernay, about 30 minutes south of Reims, is the other centre of the Champagne trade. Its Avenue de Champagne is home to several of the best-known houses, and the Reims tourist office list includes houses such as Mercier and Leclerc Briant there. The Épernay tourist office publishes visits and opening times. On the way between the two towns, the road crosses the vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, with growers in the villages along the route.
A realistic day
The Champagne package is 10 hours from pickup, which shapes the plan:
- 8:30, pickup in Paris. Leaving a little after the worst of the morning rush, you are in Reims in about two hours.
- 10:30, Reims cathedral. An hour inside and around it.
- 11:30, first cellar visit in Reims. Allow about an hour and a half per visit, including arrival and the tasting; check the length of the visit you book.
- 13:00, lunch in Reims.
- 14:30, the drive to Épernay, about 30 minutes, through the vineyards.
- 15:00, a second visit in Épernay and time on the Avenue de Champagne.
- 16:30, leave for Paris, about two hours back, arriving by about 18:30.
Two cellar visits plus the cathedral is a full, unhurried day. Three is possible if they are close together and booked back to back.
Choosing the vehicle
The drive is about two hours each way, so comfort matters more than on a city transfer.
- Two people: a Business Sedan from US$830, or a First Class Sedan from US$1,335 for an anniversary or a special occasion.
- Three or four friends: a Business SUV from US$1,060 gives everyone room on the motorway and space for any bottles bought along the way.
- A family or a larger party of up to six: a First Class SUV from US$1,245.
- A group of seven to twelve: an Executive Sprinter from US$1,660, which keeps the whole group together and on one schedule.
Child seats are available on request if children are coming along; check each house's conditions for children when you book the cellar visits.
When to go
Champagne is a year-round destination, but the season changes the day. Spring and early summer bring long evenings for the drive home. Late summer and early autumn are harvest time, and the Reims tourist office even promotes days as a grape picker for visitors who want to take part. Winter days are shorter, so an earlier start makes sense, and it is worth confirming that the houses you want are running visits on your dates. Whatever the season, book the cellar visits as soon as your dates are fixed, then build the car booking around the confirmed times. If a visit moves, tell the 24/7 desk and the pickup times are adjusted to match before the day.
Staying the night
Some travellers prefer to spend a night in Reims or Épernay rather than make it a long day trip. The car then becomes two transfers: Paris to Champagne one day, Champagne back to Paris or on to the airport the next. Both legs are quoted in the web booker as city to city transfers, and the chauffeur can collect you from your hotel in Reims for the return at the time you choose. It allows three or four cellar visits over two days without rushing, and a dinner in Reims without watching the clock.
Driving into Reims: the low emission zone
The Reims tourist office notes that part of the city lies within a low emission zone (ZFE), where vehicles must display the appropriate Crit'Air sticker. It is one more reason visitors who would otherwise rent a car prefer a chauffeur: the vehicle, the parking and the rules of the road are the chauffeur's job. Elly8.net partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, seven for Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley. Our page on chauffeur vs car rental covers the wider trade-offs of driving yourself.
A one-way transfer to Reims
Not every trip is a day out. If you are staying in Reims for a few nights, or moving on from Paris to the Champagne region, a one-way city to city car service from your Paris hotel or straight from CDG is quoted in the web booker, fixed in US dollars before you pay. With luggage for a longer stay, a Business SUV carries up to six passengers and six bags. Elly8.net books the car only; for hotels, BookingWorldwide.net is our travel partner.
Other day trips from Paris
If Champagne is one day of several, our guide to a Paris day trip with a private driver compares the main destinations by distance and opening days. Versailles and Giverny sit on the opposite side of Paris from Reims, so they are better on a separate day; see Paris to Versailles. For the longest day out, our guide to Paris to Normandy covers the D-Day beaches.
Groups, celebrations and corporate days
Champagne is a favourite for anniversaries, bachelor and bachelorette weekends, and client or incentive days. An Executive Sprinter with driver keeps a group of up to twelve together at every cellar. Companies can bill the day to a corporate account with monthly invoicing, and hotel concierges can arrange it for guests through hotel accounts.
How to book
- Enter your Paris hotel as the pickup, choose the Champagne package or enter Reims as the destination, and set the date and start time.
- Choose the vehicle class.
- Press Reserve now on the published package, or use the web booker for a custom itinerary or a one-way transfer. Confirmation arrives by email.
Rides from Paris are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. Every published fare is on the Paris car service page.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Reims from Paris?
Reims cathedral is about 148 km (92 mi) from the 8th arrondissement by road, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes on a clear road by our OSRM routing. The TGV takes about 45 minutes, according to the Reims tourist office, plus the time to reach the stations.
How much is a private car from Paris to Reims?
The Elly8.net Champagne package, 10 hours with a chauffeur from Paris to Reims and Épernay, costs from US$830 in a business sedan, US$1,060 in a business SUV and US$1,660 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle. Tolls and parking are billed at cost. One-way transfers are quoted in the web booker.
Do I need to book the Champagne houses in advance?
It is wise. The Reims tourist office lists the major houses with online booking for many of them, and popular visits fill up. Book your cellar visits first, then book the car around the times. The desk can adjust pickup times if a visit moves.
Can we visit Reims and Épernay in one day?
Yes. Épernay is about 30 minutes from Reims by road. The 10-hour Champagne package is built around the cathedral and a cellar visit in Reims, lunch, then a second visit in Épernay before the drive back to Paris. Reims cathedral makes a natural first stop.
Can the chauffeur drink with us at the tastings?
No. The chauffeur drives, which is the point of the day: everyone else can enjoy the tastings. In the vehicle itself, the chauffeur follows local rules. A designated chauffeur is the main reason many visitors choose a car over renting one for a Champagne day, and the package from US$830 is built around it.
Is the TGV a better option?
For one or two people visiting central Reims only, often yes: it is fast and the station is in the city centre. For groups, for days that include Épernay or the vineyard villages, and for anyone who does not want to plan around train times, the car is easier.
