Tour begins: 6:30 PM, Le Chambard Hotel. A transfer is included from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg or Basel SBB train station to Le Chambard Hotel. Settle into your hotel – a 5-star property awarded a Michelin Key – overlooking the quaint village and sprawling vineyards. This evening, please join us for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel to kick off a week of vineyard tastings, intimate culinary experiences, and the refined pleasures of France's most celebrated regions.
After breakfast at your hotel, set out on a guided nature walk of Kaysersberg – a village framed by Alsatian vineyards and the Vosges Mountains. While buildings lined with flower boxes charm with a nostalgic, storybook feel, vineyard rows ripple across the hillsides with the Vosges rising in soft blue layers beyond. Enjoy some free time this afternoon to wander cobbled lanes and have lunch on your own in Ribeauvillé before setting out to the family-run Domaine Wach vineyard, where you'll learn about the terroir of Riesling during a tasting. This evening, a chef welcomes you into her family home overlooking the Obernai Valley for an intimate and authentic taste of Alsatian cuisine.
Nicknamed "Little Venice" for the canal that runs through it, Colmar is renowned for its medieval half-timbered houses, vibrant canals, and reputation as the capital of Alsace wine. After departing mid-morning, enjoy a walking tour upon arrival and a museum visit. Enjoy free time for lunch before a drive through the Munster Valley, where you'll visit a local dairy farm. The name of the valley might give it away – here, enjoy a tasting of Munster cheese, a rich, aromatic specialty with a washed rind and a flavor as bold as the valley itself. Your evening is free to explore Kaysersberg.
This morning, set off for Metz – a city with 3,000 years of history along the Moselle and Seille rivers. Known for its cathedral filled with luminous stained glass, Metz reflects layers of history, from its Roman origins to its time as a Merovingian capital, a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire, and periods under both French and German rule. Enjoy a walking tour before lunch at the Centre Pompidou-Metz, followed by a guided visit to this modern and contemporary art museum. Continue to Reims – your home for the next three nights – and settle into your upscale hotel in the city center, overlooking the cathedral.
Reims is a city of celebration – for the 32 French kings crowned at its Gothic cathedral and for those around the world who raise a glass of Champagne. Known as the unofficial capital of the Champagne region, Reims traces its winemaking roots to the Romans, who introduced early techniques and created the chalk tunnels still used today for aging. On a morning guided walking tour, including a visit to Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, discover the city's rich history. Then visit Taittinger, one of the oldest Champagne houses in the region, where chalk-carved tunnels house rows of bottles and a tasting reveals the house's refined style. The remainder of your day is at leisure.
Enjoy a relaxed start to the day before setting out mid-morning on a scenic drive through the vineyards. Épernay, famed for its Avenue de Champagne, is lined with the prestigious houses of producers such as Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, and Pol Roger. Today, explore the vineyards by vintage car or on foot. Pause for a picnic lunch among the vines (weather permitting), where the scent of sun-warmed leaves and fresh earth lingers in the air, and enjoy a tasting. Return to your hotel this afternoon, then gather for a Tauck exclusive private dinner at Moët & Chandon, founded in 1743 and renowned worldwide for its legacy of innovation and celebration, where each uncorked bottle reveals another layer of the region's story.
Château de Chantilly is one of France's most elegant and historically rich estates, with a history spanning centuries. Restored in the 19th century by the last French prince, it now houses one of the country's most significant libraries and art collections. Reflected in still waters and framed by sweeping gardens, the château feels almost suspended in time. Enjoy a guided visit and lunch here, followed by free time to explore the grounds at your leisure. This evening, toast your journey with a farewell reception and dinner at your elegant hotel located in the heart of Chantilly.
Tour ends: Chantilly. Fly home anytime. A transfer from InterContinental Chantilly Château Mont Royal by IHG to Charles de Gaulle Airport or Orly Airport is included. Allow three hours for international flight check-in.
