Organized tour versus do it ourselves...
This was the dilemma facing our group while planning our visit to the Champagne region. I was convinced I could plan and execute a tour without the incurring the cost of a private guide. The rest of our group was not so confident in my abilities, and we ended up hiring Valentin for a full day private tour. This would prove to be a fantastic decision.
I will reiterate all the positives comments in the other reviews. Valentin was great to work with in the planning process. He was on time, kept us on schedule and had great knowledge of the region.
However, what made the tour special, and set it apart from anything I could have planned on my own, was Valentin's personal relationships with the champagne houses. Additionally, since Valentin planned the entire day, he controlled the flow of information. We didn't have to sit through the same lecture on champagne production at each stop.
Our day started at a small grower champagne house where Valentin knew the owner/wine maker. I would have never found out about this place, let alone been able to schedule a visit without Valentin. We had free run of the production facility and Valentin gave us an excellent explanation on the process of making champagne. Very informative to see the equipment while hearing the lecture.
After a stop at Hautvillers Village, Dom Perignon's home and grave site and a great lunch, we were off to our next house.
The second house was a mid sized producer. Since we already had a thorough explanation of the production method, we took a tour of the cellars. We learned during the First World War the Germans shelled the town of Ay. In order to avoid the shells, the cellars were connected to the neighboring champagne houses to allow people to move safely across town underground. It was a superb history lesson.
Our final stop was another small family run operation. Again, Valentin had a personal relationship with the owner/winemaker. We sat at a large table with an amazing view of the vineyards and tasted champagne. It was as if we stopped by a friends house. The owner was fourth generation champagne maker. She talked about the business side of champagne and about getting the next generation ready to take over.
Overall, it was a great day. As a wine lover, I learned a lot about champagne. As a traveler, I had experiences that I will remember for a life time. If you are thinking about a trip to the Champagne region, go with Valentin.
