Hautvillers, the Cradle of Champagne

Discover Hautvillers

Hautvillers in a few words

Hautvillers is a wine-growing village on the north slope of the Marne valley, a few kilometres north of Épernay. It owes its fame to its Benedictine abbey, founded in the 7th century, where Dom Pérignon — the cellarer monk credited, largely by legend, with inventing champagne — is said to have lived. His tomb still lies in the village's abbey church.

An iconic wine-growing village of Champagne, Hautvillers has kept a strong architectural character: cobbled lanes, wrought-iron signs illustrating old vineyard trades, and open views over the Marne valley from the upper part of the village. The surrounding vineyard, classified Premier Cru, is planted mainly with Pinot Meunier, a grape characteristic of this part of Champagne.

A few family-run champagne houses are based in the village or just outside it, alongside guesthouses and local tables to round off a visit. The Champagne cycling route links Hautvillers to neighbouring villages of the Marne valley at a gentler pace.

This guide brings together the Bubbles Guide's active listings in Hautvillers. It pairs well with the Bouzy guide, on the other side of the vineyard, home to Champagne Arnaud Moreau and L'Iliade bed & breakfast.