The Champagne vineyards, with their chalky hillsides planted with pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, make for an unexpected gravel playground: a dense network of vineyard tracks between the rows, dotted with white stone villages and prestigious Champagne houses.
A route between hillsides and wine villages
From Épernay, the historic capital of Champagne where several major houses have their cellars carved into the chalk, the route climbs toward Hautvillers along tracks winding between the plots of the Montagne de Reims, with a clear view over the Marne valley below. Hautvillers, the village where Dom Pérignon is said to have perfected the champagne method, is worth a stop for its abbey church.
The loop continues toward Aÿ-Champagne, another historic wine village on the banks of the Marne, before heading back to Épernay along flatter riverside tracks. Allow around 55 km and 600 m of climbing for the full loop — a rolling but never extreme profile, typical of the Champagne hillsides.
How to approach the ride
The vineyard tracks are generally rideable (packed dirt, compacted limestone), suited to a standard 35-40mm gravel tyre. Some sections between vine rows can be narrower and slightly rocky after recent rain.
The region being a major tourist draw around its Champagne houses, it’s worth booking tastings ahead of time in high season, and keep in mind it’s best to schedule them at the end of the ride rather than midway through.
When to go
Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September-October, outside harvest) offer the best conditions: lush green hillsides in spring, golden tones in autumn, and clear tracks. Avoid harvest season (late August to early October depending on the year), when tracks are busy with vineyard activity.
Good to know
Épernay, well served by train from Paris (under 1h30), has a comfortable choice of accommodation and several bike rental shops, making it a convenient base for exploring the vineyards over one or several days.
