Tourism
Jean-Rémy Rapeneau Launches a Walking Experience Linking Two Champagne Houses in Reims
A new oenological and cultural walking route in Reims connects the Champagne houses Charles de Cazanove and G.H. Martel, both part of the Rapeneau family group.
What happened
Jean-Rémy Rapeneau has created an oenological and cultural walking experience in Reims, tracing a route that connects two Champagne houses within the Rapeneau family group: Charles de Cazanove and G.H. Martel. The initiative, set for 28 September 2026, invites visitors to move through the city on foot, weaving together the urban fabric of Reims with the ancient chalk cellars — the celebrated crayères — that lie beneath it.
Why it matters
Champagne tourism has long centred on the cellar visit as its defining ritual: a descent into cool, dim galleries followed by a tasting. What Rapeneau proposes here is a departure from that convention. By situating the experience within a walking route through Reims itself, the initiative places the city's street-level energy alongside the stillness of its subterranean heritage, treating both as equal protagonists.
For the Rapeneau family, the project also carries a strategic dimension. Rather than presenting Charles de Cazanove and G.H. Martel as separate destinations competing for the same visitor, the walking route draws them into a single, coherent journey. The two houses become waypoints in a broader narrative about the family's presence in Reims, encouraging visitors to engage with the group's portfolio in a more sustained and immersive way.
Context
Reims occupies a singular position in the Champagne region. Its Gothic cathedral, its boulevards, and its extraordinary network of chalk cellars — many of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites — make it one of the most visited cities in northern France. Yet the relationship between the city above ground and the cellars below has rarely been explored as a continuous experience.
Charles de Cazanove and G.H. Martel are both established Champagne houses operating under the Rapeneau family umbrella. By linking them through a curated urban itinerary, the family positions itself at the intersection of cultural tourism and wine discovery — a space that is drawing increasing attention as visitors seek experiences that extend beyond the tasting room.