Visiting Troyes: what vineyards are there to discover in the area?

If you’ve had the bright idea of spending a few days in the charming town of Troyes, why not explore the vineyards of the Aube!

Troyes, nicknamed the “champagne cork”, is a French town with an incredibly well-preserved heritage! With its 16th-century half-timbered houses and the fascinating stained-glass windows of its churches and cathedrals, there’s certainly plenty to fill your days.

Check out our itinerary for visiting Troyes and its 25 must-sees!

But Troyes is also firmly rooted in its terroir, and Aube is proud of both its products and its producers. Its gastronomy, of course, with andouillette de Troyes, Chaource cheese and Prunelle de Troyes, but also its wine and champagne.

We’ve put together a list of the best vineyards in the region to visit near Troyes!

Vineyards to discover without delay!

The Champagne vineyards, defined by law in 1927, cover almost 35,000 hectares spread over 319 communes. These are the “crus”.

There can be more than 200 km between two Champagne vineyards, so you can imagine that the grape varieties will be very different depending on the weather and the soils in which the vines grow.

The vineyards are divided into 4 main wine-growing regions, each with its own particularities and character: the Reims mountain, the Marne valley, the Côte des Blancs and the Côte des Bars, as well as other smaller but equally interesting regions.

Aube, where the town of Troyes is located, has 23% of Champagne’s vineyards with its Côte des Bars, as well as its small but interesting vineyard, the Montgeux vineyard.

# 1 The Montgueux vineyard

Photo credit Facebook Page Troyes la Champagne Tourisme

The hill of Montgueux, just 10 km from Troyes, adds an undeniable touch of character to the appellation. This clay hill lies on chalk soil with a south/south-east exposure, making it a magnificent Chardonnay terroir. Chardonnay accounts for 90% of production, the remaining 10% being Pinot Noir.

Estates to visit

Champagne Jean Velut

9 rue du Moulin, 10300 Montgueux
09 79 26 25 60
champagne-velut.fr
guided tour with tasting of 3 wines
from 15 / adult. 4 people minimum

Champagne Olivier Lassaigne

4 chemin des haies, 10300 Montgueux
03 25 75 49 48
www.champagne-olivier-lassaigne.fr
commented tasting of 3 champagnes
from €10 per adult

Champagne Hélène Beaugrand

4 rue Léon Beaugrand, 10300 Montgueux
06 03 24 87 59
contactchampagne-helenebeaugrand.com
private and paying visits and tastings by appointment

# 2 Côte des Bars vineyards

The Côte des Bars, in the southern Champagne region, is a vineyard of character thanks to its clay and limestone soil and its milder climate than the rest of the Champagne region. Aube only became part of Champagne in 1927, and since then winegrowers have been striving to prove the value of their estates.

The main grape varieties are pinot noir (83%), meunier and chardonnay. 3 AOC wines are produced here: Champagne, Coteau Champenois and the famous Rosé des Riceys, made in a way that is unique in France! Discover the Côte des Bars!

Vineyards to visit

Champagne Lacroix-Triaulaire

4 rue de la Motte, 10110 Merrey-sur-Arce
03 25 29 83 59
champagne-lacroix-triaulaire.fr
tastings and visits by appointment only

Champagne de Barfontarc

18 rue de Bar-sur-l’Aube, 10200 Baroville
03 25 27 07 09
A wine cooperative created by around fifty winegrowers who founded their own champagne brand.
Various tours, tasting courses and other activities are available.
3-flute tour and tasting: from €17 / adult
5-flute tour and tasting: from €27 / adult
More info: tinyurl.com

Champagne Deveaux

Hameau de Villeneuve, 10110 Bar-sur-Seine
03 25 38 63 85
champagne-deveaux.fr
shop, tasting, wine workshops, etc.

Alexandre Bonnet

138 rue Général de Gaulle, 10340 Les Riceys
03 25 29 30 93
alexandrebonnet.com
Visit the estate, the cellars and taste the special cuvées.
Discover Les Riceys rosé.

A must-see wine experience!

# 1 Fly over the vineyards

There’s nothing like taking to the skies and admiring the land from above to appreciate a region. That’s what Lionnel Carreau’s estate in Celles-sur-Ource has to offer.

Champagne Lionel Carreau

10 rue du Ruisselot, 10110 Celles-sur-Ource
03 25 38 57 27
Guided tour followed by a 30-minute flight over the vineyards and a tasting session.
from €90 / person

# 2 Take an electric bike ride (or not) through the vineyards

Photo credit Facebook Page Troyes la Champagne Tourisme

Vineyards, sunshine and the beautiful countryside of the Ource valley… It’s a landscape that makes you want to cycle through the vineyards bathed in light. A great way to discover the hillsides of the Côte des Bars, without too much effort thanks to the great help of an electric bike.

Champagne Richardot Père et Fils

38 rue René Quinto, 10 110 Loches-sur-Ource
03 25 29 71 20
champagne-richardot.com
Guided tour of the vineyards on an electric mountain bike, visit to the cellars followed by a tasting of several champagnes.
By reservation only

# 3 A romantic picnic

Photo credit: Champagne de Barfontarc Facebook page

It’s almost like being in a romantic comedy, but after all, why not!
Why not spread out the beautiful chequered tablecloth in the middle of the vineyards and enjoy a bucolic tête-à-tête?

Champagne Barfontarc

18 rue de Bar-sur-l’Aube, 10200 Baroville
03 25 27 07 09
Tour of the facilities, picnic with tablecloth and place setting (cold meal and champagne).
From €30 to €45 per person

Champagne Rémy Masin et Fils

34 Grande Rue, 10110 Ville-sur-Arce
03 25 38 74 09
champagne-massin.com
Gastronomic Champagne picnic on the heights of Ville-sur-Arce. Tasting of 2 cuvées to match the selection of local produce.

# 4 Discover the vineyards along the river

Photo credits Champagne Deveaux website

Discover the region by water, with the sports workshop offered by Champagne Deveaux. A canoe trip followed by a champagne tasting – a unique experience!

Champagne Deveaux

Canoe trip followed by a tasting of two champagnes.
Duration 3 hours
from €51 / person (2023 prices)
reservations required at least 15 days in advance.

# 5 Eco-creative activities with l’Empreinte des Fées

Photo Credit Facebook Page l’Empreinte des Fées

The wine tourism agency “l’Empreinte des fées” offers a whole range of original activities between vineyards and forest to discover the local estates off the beaten track!

From a night-time visit to a shared meal, a tour on an all-terrain electric scooter or a treasure hunt, everything is done to help you discover this beautiful vineyard in an original way!
You can even go truffle hunting in the Clairvaux forest!

The fairies’ footprint
Champagne Dumont, Domaine de Mondeville
8, rue de champagne
10200 Champignol-lez-Mondeville
03 25 27 52 78 / 07 86 95 89 15
delphine@champagnedumont.com

• Electric scooter: 2 hours, for groups of 4 or more, €50/person
• Discover Champagne truffles: 1/2 day from October to December (or summer truffles from May to July), from 3 people, €60/person
• Goûter Mâchon: vineyard tour and shared meal: from 6 people, €70/person
• Guided tour and tasting of 3 champagnes, 1 hour, from €20/person

# 6 Live my life as a winegrower

More and more vineyards are offering you the chance to discover the work of a winegrower in complete immersion, particularly during the grape harvest.
It’s a fun way to understand the work of the vine and discover the estates in depth.

Les Échappées by Marcel Vézien at Celles-sur-Ource

This experience offers you the chance to become a winemaker for a day, helping out in the vineyard or cellar depending on the season, having lunch in a partner restaurant and ending the day with a tasting of the estate’s champagnes.

Champagne Marcel Vézien
68 Grande rue
10110 Celles-sur-Ource
03 25 38 50 22
April to October, €55 per person