I’ve already waxed poetic about our visit to Epernay, but I want to go on – in fact, I feel I need to. It took far too long for Ian to convince me that we needed to visit this beautiful place. I hope there is something I can say that will convince you of the need to experience this French town for yourself, because believe me, you do.
And from where I sit, there is no more compelling argument for a trip to Epernay than the chance to sip champagne in the garden at Cellier Belle Epoque. The champagne bar at Maison Perrier-Jouet is newly renovated and utterly stunning, both inside and out. On a sunny day, there is no more perfect place to lazily wile away an afternoon.
A visit to any champagne house is a luxury experience. There is no hiding the fact that visiting Perrier-Jouet to experience their champagne where they make it isn’t accessible to everyone. But Epernay isn’t Paris. It’s a small town, a destination people have to choose. And you will find that experiences in town are priced accordingly. While champagne costs what it costs (as it always will), I was pleasantly surprised to find the rest of the menu offerings at Maison Perrier-Jouet were reasonably priced, particularly considering their quality. We enjoyed multiple appetizers, dessert and champagne. The cost was similar to a mid-range lunch in Paris, not more. And it was worth every penny.
If you can afford it, there is truly nothing like walking through the gate at Maison Perrier-Jouet and knowing you get to stay for the afternoon. The experience of sipping champagne from a teardrop flute, delicately hand-painted with a green and white flower, is exquisite. Am I perfectly happy to drink five dollar glasses of white wine at a family restaurant with a girlfriend back in Canada? Absolutely. But there is more to life, at times, than being perfectly happy. Contentment is one thing, but wonder, awe, those are something else entirely. I can’t expect to have them every day. Nor would I want to, frankly – all the excitement would be tiring. But once in a while, they are exactly what I crave. Perrier-Jouet’s Cellier Belle Epoque delivered them in spades.
It is precisely because experiences like drinking champagne at Cellier Belle Epoque are rare that they are so special. I hope I’ll be able to return some day. But there’s no way of really knowing. Life can change so quickly. If it gives you a chance, seize it – embrace it. Enjoy it. That’s what we did when we visited Maison Perrier-Jouet. If we never get the opportunity to go back, I know I’ll have memories to treasure forever.
And what a treasure those memories really are. I can’t recommend the Cellier Belle Epoque at Perrier-Jouet highly enough. But the truth is, even if I did, nothing compares to visiting and experiencing it yourself. I hope you’ll all have the chance to do just that someday.
Cellier Belle Epoque – Perrier-Jouet
26, avenue de la Champagne, 51200 Epernay
06 02 07 81 15
