Generally yes, particularly the larger houses along Épernay's Avenue de Champagne. Booking ahead avoids being turned away at the door.
Discover Authentic Champagne-Ardenne: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Champagne-Ardenne, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as Les Halles du Boulingrin in Reims, the Faux de Verzy and Renoir's village of Essoyes.
Top 5 Things to Do in Champagne-Ardenne
Reims
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims, where French kings were once crowned, anchors a city built around Gothic stonework and champagne cellars carved deep underground.
Épernay
The Avenue de Champagne, lined with the cellar doors of houses like Moët & Chandon, sits at the centre of a town that's essentially one long invitation to taste.
Troyes
A medieval old town of half-timbered houses, with ten listed churches and stained glass windows that have survived since the period.
Charleville-Mézières
Place Ducale is the centrepiece, but the Great Puppeteer Clock and the Rimbaud Museum, set in a former water mill on the Meuse, give this Ardennes town its own character away from the vineyards.
Sedan
Dominated by its château-fort, said to be the largest fortified castle in Europe, rising seven storeys above the town.
Explore Champagne-Ardenne's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Champagne-Ardenne
We've mapped local spots around Reims and Troyes. Bubbles, anyone?
Reims
Les Halles du Boulingrin
Designed by Eugène Freyssinet and opened in 1929, Reims' covered market is a classic of interwar architecture, listed in 2012. Shop for local treats or browse the book and flea markets. 10 minutes from our Mercure Reims Parc des Expositions.
Reims · Covered market · Perfect for local produce
La Boutique des Métiers d'Art
Some thirty regional artisans show their work here all year: decorative objects, candles, jewellery, tableware and paintings, for every budget.
Reims · Craft shop · Great for souvenirs
Faux de Verzy
The world's largest reserve of 'faux' – twisted dwarf beech trees, more than a thousand of them. Walk among their strange shapes. 15 minutes from our Mercure Reims Parc des Expositions.
Verzy · Forest · Ideal for a nature walk
Maison Pommery
The Champagne house shaped by Jeanne Alexandrine Pommery, the visionary young widow who took over the family business. Raise a glass to her.
Reims · Champagne house · Made for tastings
Le Cellier
A cultural venue inside a former Champagne cellar in central Reims. See what's showing.
Reims · Cultural venue · Perfect for exhibitions
Maison du Parc, Montagne de Reims
The regional nature park's visitor centre, explaining its habitats and conservation work – then head out into it.
Pourcy · Nature park · Great for an outdoor day
Troyes & around
Belisama stained glass workshop
Glass artist Elisabeth de Bourleuf runs half-day and full-day workshops in stained glass and glass painting, for beginners and the more experienced. A 15-minute walk from our Mercure Troyes Centre.
Troyes · Workshop · Made for a creative experience
Essoyes, Renoir's village
Renoir spent thirty summers in Essoyes, his wife's birthplace. Visit the Renoir cultural centre, his family home and studio, then stroll past the scenes that inspired him.
Essoyes · Village and museum · Perfect for art lovers
Vélovoie des Lacs
A 42 km greenway from the edge of Troyes to the great lakes of the Forêt d'Orient Regional Natural Park, with separate tracks for cyclists and walkers. Stop for a swim along the way.
Troyes to Forêt d'Orient · Greenway · Ideal for cycling
Dosches windmill
A volunteer-built replica of an 18th-century Champagne windmill. Watch the mechanism turn and learn its lost skills.
Dosches · Windmill · Great for families
Cité du Vitrail
A centre devoted to stained glass in Troyes, with exhibitions in the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte. Watch the light come through.
Troyes · Museum · Perfect for art
Château de Vaux
An emblematic Champagne castle with events all year, from country fairs to costumed night-time investigations.
Fouchères · Château · Made for families
FAQ
About 23km, roughly 34 minutes by train, making it an easy day trip between the two.
Yes — the Ardennes half of the region, around Charleville-Mézières and Sedan, brings forested river valleys, a fortress-castle, and a completely different pace from the vineyard towns further south.
A forest near Reims with more than a thousand twisted dwarf beech trees, the largest such reserve in the world.
Yes. In Essoyes, the Renoir cultural centre leads to his family home and studio.
The Vélovoie des Lacs greenway runs 42 km from Troyes to the lakes of the Forêt d'Orient.
Where to Sleep in Champagne-Ardenne
See our Mercure hotels across Champagne-Ardenne, ideally placed to explore these picks.