What to do in Champagne

Champagne is best approached with a clear diary and someone else doing the driving. Start in Reims, where French kings were crowned beneath the cathedral's 2,300 statues, then follow the vines to Épernay's Avenue de Champagne, where the grandes marques line up like debutantes. Head down into the chalk cellars of Moët & Chandon for a tasting (stay on for dinner at the Maison), or visit a family-owned estate to blend a cuvée of your very own. Prefer smaller producers? Pedal between vineyard villages on a private bike tour and taste with families who've worked the same slopes for generations. The cellars hover around 10°C all year. Bring a jumper. Leave room for one more glass.