Épernay is home to the Avenue de Champagne, the famous boulevard of producer headquarters and cellars.
The avenue runs through central Épernay and is lined by the elegant houses of major Champagne producers. Beneath the street and surrounding properties are extensive chalk cellars where millions of bottles can mature in cool, dark conditions. The cellars are a major reason the avenue is one of the region’s most visited wine landmarks.
Several well-known houses maintain addresses there, including Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, and Mercier. The avenue’s grand façades reflect the wealth generated by Champagne’s international trade during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Épernay and Reims are both important Champagne centers, but they are different cities. Reims is the region’s largest urban center and is associated with many historic houses and the cathedral. Épernay is especially identified with the Avenue de Champagne and the vineyard landscapes south of the city.