Where to drink Champagne in France?
France is where Champagne begins, but the country’s relationship with wine goes far beyond the vineyards of Champagne. From Burgundy and Bordeaux to the Rhône Valley, Loire and Provence, different regions have their own grapes, styles and drinking traditions.
For Champagne lovers, that makes France particularly fun to explore. You can have Champagne in Paris, find bottles from small producers in wine bars and restaurants, or travel through the country and discover how different French wine culture becomes from one region to the next.
France has one of the world’s most diverse wine landscapes, and you don’t need to be in Champagne to find something worth drinking. Paris has an enormous selection of Champagne bars, restaurants and wine shops, while cities such as Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille and Nice each have their own drinking culture.
If you’re travelling through France, pay attention to what is local to the region you’re visiting. In Burgundy, that might mean Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. In the Loire, look for Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet Franc. In Provence, rosé is part of everyday summer drinking, while the Rhône Valley brings grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Viognier into the picture.
And then there is Champagne itself. The region is obviously the place to go if you want to understand where Champagne comes from, visit producers and taste wines at the source. But you don’t need to travel that far to enjoy Champagne – France has no shortage of places where it appears on restaurant and wine-bar lists.
Good to know
One useful thing to remember when drinking wine in France: the region on the label can tell you as much as the grape variety. French wine has traditionally been closely tied to place, so a bottle from Burgundy, Loire or Rhône can represent a very different style even when you recognise some of the grapes involved.
If you’re exploring France through Champagne Hunters, use the map to find Champagne first – then look at what the same venue, city or region has to offer locally. That can turn a Champagne stop into a much broader taste of France.
