A two-day drive through the Marne Valley
A loop of about 85 km over two days from the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. Day 1 stays short: the avenue of champagne, the vineyard church of Chavot and a night at a champagne house. Day 2 is the big river loop, from the Champillon viewpoint past Cumières and Châtillon-sur-Marne to the war memorial at Dormans, and back past the château of Boursault. D-roads only, no motorway. For a rental car, convertible or motorbike.
Plan for: a full weekend with one overnight stay. The ± 1 hr 45 is driving time only, spread over two days
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Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Chavot by Winniepix (CC BY 2.0), Marne valley by INRA DIST (CC BY 2.0), Dormans by G.Garitan (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Two days along the Marne, with the overnight as part of the journey
This is the drive for a whole weekend: two days through the Vallée de la Marne, with the overnight at a champagne house not an afterthought but part of the journey itself. No motorway, but the D-roads that follow the river and wind through the grand cru vineyards.
Day 1 stays close to Épernay: you begin on the Avenue de Champagne, the World Heritage boulevard with the bottles ageing beneath it, and drive the southern flank to the church of Chavot, standing utterly alone among the vines. Then you check in at a champagne house and take the evening slowly.
Day 2 is the big loop: from the Champillon viewpoint you look out over the whole valley, then follow the Marne westward past Cumières and Damery, up to the wine village of Châtillon-sur-Marne with its giant statue of Pope Urban II, as far as the quiet war memorial at Dormans. You return along the south bank, with the widow Clicquot's fairy-tale château at Boursault as the final flourish.
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The route on the map
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The 7 places along the route
1. Avenue de Champagne
Épernay opens with the Avenue de Champagne, a boulevard of mansions and champagne houses beneath which, in deep chalk cellars, millions of bottles lie ageing. The avenue has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015. Walk it, façade by façade, and pick your house for a visit today or tomorrow.
Practical: the avenue is free to walk, five minutes from the station. House visits are separate, by booking. Park in the paid car parks or the blue zone. As of 11 July 2026.
2. Église Saint-Martin de Chavot
Just south of Épernay, by way of Pierry and Moussy, the Église Saint-Martin de Chavot stands entirely on its own among the vines. This twelfth-century Romanesque church on its little rise, with nothing but rows of vines around it, is one of the most photographed spots in the region. There is a picnic table; the horizon is yours.
Practical: free and open all year. Park carefully along the narrow vineyard road and keep to the path. A short stop, but there is no lovelier place for a photo. As of 11 July 2026.
3. Belvédère de Bellevue
Day 2 begins high up: the Belvédère de Bellevue on the D951 above Champillon is a balcony over the whole Vallée de la Marne. Below you the sea of vines rolls down to the river, with Épernay in the distance. A picnic area makes it the perfect place for a coffee before you set off on the loop.
Practical: free and open all year, with parking and picnic tables along the D951. The terrace of the neighbouring Royal Champagne is private; the viewpoint itself is for everyone. As of 11 July 2026.
4. Cumières
Cumières sits right against the Marne, a wine village where the grand cru hillside almost slides into the river. At the quay the paddle steamer of the Bateau Champagne Vallée casts off: a gentle cruise on the Marne, glass in hand, as the vineyards drift past. Prefer to drive? Simply follow the bank onward.
Practical: the boat trip is about 16.50 euros and runs in season (roughly 16 March to 14 December); booking advised. The village and quay are free to visit. As of 11 July 2026.
5. Châtillon-sur-Marne
In Châtillon-sur-Marne, high on an old fortress hill, stands a statue thirty-three metres tall: Pope Urban II, born here, who in 1095 called for the First Crusade. From its foot an orientation table spreads the view across the whole valley. The statue, from 1887, towers over the vineyards; you see it from far off.
Practical: free and open all year, day and night. Park in the village and walk the last stretch up. As of 11 July 2026.
6. Mémorial de Dormans
Dormans is the western turning point of the loop. In the grounds of the château stands the Mémorial des batailles de la Marne, a memorial chapel to the two battles fought on the Marne in the First World War. The upper garden, the crypt and the lantern of the dead make it a quiet, moving place to step out before you drive back.
Practical: the chapel and garden are free within opening hours; the memorial is open from about 4 April to 1 November, closed on Mondays. Ample parking by the grounds. As of 11 July 2026.
7. Château de Boursault
On the way back along the south bank, a fairy-tale château appears at Boursault: the Château de Boursault, which the famous widow Clicquot had built in 1843 as a summer residence, high above the vines. The château itself cannot be visited, but the sight of it from the road is the crowning touch; its champagne cellars do receive visitors by appointment.
Practical: the château is private and can only be seen from outside. The cellars of Champagne du Château de Boursault welcome visitors by appointment (Tuesday to Saturday). From here it is a short half hour back to Épernay. As of 11 July 2026.
Practical: for a rental car, convertible or motorbike
Two days, one base: the route is a loop from Épernay, so there is no need to repack. Sleep the first night at a champagne house on the valley axis (in or just outside Épernay) and drive the big loop rested the next morning. Staying elsewhere? You drive it exactly the same.
The roads: the D951 and the roads along the Marne (including the Voie de la Liberté) are well kept but narrow through the village centres and on the vineyard lanes. Drive gently and expect farm traffic at harvest time. In a convertible you want the roof open here.
Tasting and driving: France has a 0.5 g/L blood-alcohol limit, and 0.2 g/L for drivers with less than three years' licence. A glass of champagne goes a long way, so spread your tasting or use the crachoir: spitting after tasting is entirely normal at the houses. If someone rides with you, agree on who stays sober. To taste properly at several houses, a chauffeured tour from Épernay is the safest choice; drive the route yourself another day.
Best time: high season runs from May to October. The avenue, the church of Chavot, the viewpoint and the statue of Urban II are free all year; seasonal are the boat trip at Cumières (roughly mid-March to mid-December) and the memorial at Dormans (about 4 April to 1 November, closed Mondays). During the grape harvest (September) the valley is at its loveliest but also busy.
Fuel and tolls: fill up in Épernay. There are no tolls on this route; it runs entirely on free D-roads.
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Email this route to yourselfFrequently asked questions
How long is the two-day Marne Valley drive?
About 85 kilometres in total, with some 1 hour 45 of pure driving, measured via a route planner and split across two days: about 20 km around Épernay and Chavot on day 1, about 65 km for the big river loop on day 2. With the stops and an overnight, it makes a proper weekend.
Do I really need to stay overnight, or can I do it in one day?
You can drive the day-2 loop in a single day, but the route is designed as a weekend: day 1 gently around Épernay with a night at a champagne house, day 2 the big loop. That gives you time for one proper house visit each day without rushing.
Does the route really follow the scenic roads along the Marne and not the motorway?
Yes. The route follows the D951 and the departmental roads along the river. The measured leg speeds of 42 to 51 km/h confirm it is not a motorway; you never touch the A4.
Can I visit the château of Boursault?
The Château de Boursault itself is private and can only be admired from outside. Its champagne cellars (Champagne du Château de Boursault), however, receive visitors by appointment, usually Tuesday to Saturday.
Is the Dormans memorial open all year?
No. The Mémorial des batailles de la Marne in Dormans is open from about 4 April to 1 November and closed on Mondays. The rest of the loop, and the grounds around it, remain worthwhile outside that season.
Are the exports really free?
Yes, free with a Touren.app credit on them. You never pay us for the GPX or the Maps export.
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