If you have just one day to escape Paris, head east to Reims, the heart of Champagne country. Just 45 minutes by train, it is home to some of the world’s most prestigious Champagne houses, including Pommery, a grand estate where the magic bubbles up from beneath the earth.
I visited the iconic Pommery Champagne House, wandered through underground chalk caves, and sipped some of the finest bubbly straight from the source.
What to Expect:
Descend into Pommery’s underground caves, a labyrinth of ancient chalk tunnels carved by Roman hands and later transformed into cellars that now hold millions of bottles aging in perfect coolness. The air is damp, the walls etched with art installations, and the scent, a heady mix of stone and yeast, tells you you’re somewhere special.
As part of the Champagne-making process, the bottles are aged right in Pommery’s underground chalk caves. This stage can last several years, letting the wine slowly develop its flavor and those iconic bubbles.
A guided tasting at the end reveals just how alive Champagne can be when sampled at its birthplace.
