Three Days of Champagne Picnics

Between June 3rd-5th more than 400 independent winemakers will turn France into the largest picnic area in Europe. This will be the seventh time the event has been held.

If you’re in the Champagne region 34 winemakers will be ready to welcome you. This is nine more than last year and shows the importance of the event.

The idea is that you bring your picnic and a series of events is available to you courtesy of the winemaker. The Champagne is generally free. You do though have to reserve. www.vigneron-independant.com has a list of Champagne houses holding picnics with a brief list of activities available and the days they’re being held. You can book here or on the winemakers sites. Reservation is a precaution against bad weather. The winemakers don’t want more people than their shelters can hold.

The main events are linked to every aspect of the Champagne making process. There will be walks in the vineyards to discover how they are managed. One Champagne maker will introduce visitors to planting vines. You’ve a choice of an apéritif in the vines or at least one house that offers the picnic there. Some houses now offer picnics at different times of the year for groups.

In one cellar you can see a demonstration of riddling and in another a demonstration of manual disgorging. You can try your hand at sabrage in other houses.

Visitors can ride through the vineyards in a horse drawn carriage or on a quad. They can go canoeing or learn how to drive a sports car. There are visits to historic places and museums connected with Champagne making. There will be art and crafts exhibitions, stands selling food and wine and concerts. Children are well taken care of with games, quizzes and much more.You have to pay for some events.

This is a wonderful way to discover the vineyards and Champagne houses. Now’s the time to go on the site and chose a house for a Champagne picnic in June.