The village of Épernay’s Habits de Lumière festival transforms the Avenue de Champagne into a glowing world of light spectacles, chef-driven cuisine, and exclusive champagne tastings. But knowing how to experience Habits de Lumière Épernay makes the difference between simply attending and fully indulging. Following is a blueprint for experiencing one of France’s most luminous food-and-wine celebrations, from savoring the effervescent festival’s culinary heart to navigating the Avenue like a local.
Habits de Lumière Épernay celebrates more than two decades of the Avenue de Champagne’s UNESCO recognition. The three-day festival spans day and night, with 18 Maisons de Champagne participating and more than a dozen light spectacles, including vibrant video projections — what the French call video mapping — splashed across iconic Champagne houses.
So Many Habits de Lumière Épernay Moments, Not One Favorite
©Stacey Wittig
Each event of the three-day fête moment has its own personality — its own sparkle, softness, or surprise — and any declaration of a favorite depends entirely on the mood, the moment, and perhaps the Champagne in your glass.
That said, if you twisted my arm just slightly, I might admit that the culinary demonstrations held beneath the white tent — crowded with photographers, international journalists, and merry locals — came closest to stealing my heart. It was here, on Saturday morning, that acclaimed chefs plated bite‑sized creations, each accompanied by a Champagne cuvée.
Habits de Saveurs: The Culinary Heart of Habits de Lumière Épernay
Michelin-starred chefs from the surrounding Champagne region—paired randomly with Avenue de Champagne houses and winemakers—create original recipes live before an eager audience. Cameras flash, the crowd inches forward, and the master of ceremonies runs a marathon of commentary. At the end of each chef’s performance, the small bites and accompanying Champagne are offered to the audience for tasting. No wonder the locals are merry.
Admission is free, and you don’t have to make reservations, but I suggest arriving early to snag a high-top near the presentation stage (there are no chairs). Although we didn’t arrive early, we managed to elbow our way to the front alongside locals, rotating spots so everyone could photograph, taste, and snatch a flute from trays carried by wide-eyed culinary students.
The unspoken rule for experiencing Habits de Saveurs — the culinary arm of Habits de Lumière Épernay — is simple: don’t be shy. Locals drift in and out all morning, often popping over from the Saturday market just across the street, sampling pairings, exchanging greetings, and moving on once satisfied.
Chef‑Driven Pairings Worth Savoring
The culinary demonstrations run throughout Saturday morning, and we lingered long enough to enjoy three standout pairings.
Three Bites That Stopped Us in Our Tracks
We listened as Executive Chef Christophe Moret of Domaine Les Crayères spoke while his sous chefs assembled a lively dish. The scallop carpaccio, bright with tangy jalapeño and seaweed gel, paired beautifully with the saline minerality of a 100‑percent Pinot Meunier Champagne from Champagne Esterlin. The morsel was as delightful on the palate as it perched on its amuse‑bouche spoon, with mango, papaya, and lime folded into a gently spiced gel thickened with red algae. Known for its fine bubbles, the Champagne highlighted this often-underestimated grape, prized for its more rustic, fruit‑forward character compared to Pinot Noir.
Later in the trip, we would dine at Chef Christophe Moret’s fabled Brasserie le Jardin, the only Bib Gourmand in Reims — but that is a story for another time.
We also paused to watch Michelin‑starred chef Massimiliano Sena of Château de Courcelles plate a butternut squash and chestnut cream soup, traditionally served in a delicate coffee tartlet.
“The flavors must be in harmony with the aesthetics of the plates,” Chef Sena notes on the Château de Courcelles website — a philosophy that plays out beautifully here. The subtle tartness of a Blanc de Noirs Champagne from Mercier, a familiar name in Épernay since 1858, gently enveloped the warm, earthy notes of the winter vegetables, creating a pairing that felt quietly festive and deeply satisfying.
A Flavor Turn We Didn’t Expect
A third culinary delight, created by Benjamin Andreux of Le Millénaire — another Michelin-starred restaurant in Reims — enchanted the palate with a whisper of Timut pepper, its bright citrusy buzz lifting the Chestnut wafer with rosé Champagne sorbet just enough to wake the senses.
Sprinkled onto leaf-shaped opalines, the spice mirrored the gentle tongue-tingle of the Champagne de Castellane it accompanied. The house is best known for Épernay’s iconic Art Nouveau water tower, built in 1905 as an eye‑catching advertisement for travelers passing along the Paris–Strasbourg railway.
How to Navigate Habits de Lumière Beyond Habits de Saveurs
Day One: Friday
Guided tour of the Avenue de Champagne
Begin by familiarizing yourself with the festival’s setting through a guided walk along the Avenue de Champagne. These tours unpack the avenue’s layered history and explain why it earned UNESCO recognition more than 20 years ago. Tours can be booked through the Office de Tourisme Épernay, either online or at the visitor center. Advance reservations are strongly recommended during Habits de Lumière Épernay.
If time allows, step into the nearby House of the Moon, just a few steps from the Avenue. Its architecture, opposite the covered market on Place René Cassin, is a striking example of Art Nouveau design. 1 Rue Gallice 5, Épernay
6:15 pm
Queue at the designated festival entry points shown on the event maps (subject to change for future editions). While Habits de Lumière Épernay is free to attend, security screening is required.
7:00 pm
The festival officially begins, with light spectacles every 15 minutes along the Avenue de Champagne, an illuminated parade in the evening, and sound‑and‑light events leading up to the nighttime fireworks display near Mercier.
Wander the one-kilometer avenue at your own pace, stopping at Champagne houses to purchase small bites and Champagne, served in plastic flutes designed for strolling. The lights, music, and festive crowd create a uniquely electric atmosphere.
©Stacey Wittig
©Stacey Wittig
Day Two: Saturday
Start the day with breakfast at your hotel. See recommendations for hotels in Épernay.
9:00 am
Arrive at Habits de Saveurs at Halle Saint‑Thibault (Place des Archers) for the morning’s culinary demonstrations.
11:00 am
Explore the Musée du Vin de Champagne et d’Archéologie Régionale, located directly on the Avenue de Champagne. 13 avenue de Champagne, Épernay
1:00 pm
Lunch at La Table des Amis at Loisium Wine & Spa Hôtel Champagne offers an impeccable à la carte menu with floor‑to‑ceiling views over rolling vineyards. Book your table in advance. 1 allée de la Sapinière, Mutigny
3:00 pm
Engage all your senses at Pressoria, an interactive museum that takes you on a voyage through the Champagne process from planting to deciphering the aromas of the grape varieties to tasting the bubbly nectar. It’s a perfect introduction to Champagne country for first-time visitors as well as bubble connoisseurs. 11 Blvd Pierre Cheval, Aÿ-Champagne
6:15 pm
Re‑enter the festival to enjoy Habits de Lumière Épernay by night once more, sampling Champagne houses you may have missed. Be sure to stop at Pol Roger, a prestigious house rarely open to the public.
Day Three: Sunday
After breakfast, return to the Avenue for the festival’s finale.
11 am
Habits de Lumière Épernay concludes with its traditional car parade, featuring more than 400 vintage, legendary, and prestige vehicles rolling through Épernay and along the Avenue de Champagne.
1 pm
Lunch at La Cave à Champagne, just around the corner from the parade route, offers a fittingly relaxed close to the weekend. 16 rue Gambetta, Épernay
A Final Toast at Habits de Lumière Épernay
In the end, trying to choose a favorite moment at Habits de Lumière misses the point. Like children, every event shows up with its own personality — some sparkle and stop you in your tracks, others invite you to slow down and simply be. One night, it’s the glow of the Avenue de Champagne pulling you back into the streets, the next it’s the clink of glasses with strangers who somehow feel like old friends. My “favorite” kept changing, and that’s exactly the magic.
And if Habits de Lumière has you dreaming of Épernay, consider this your quiet nudge. When Valentine’s celebrations—Épernay mon amour—approach, it’s a perfect time to start planning a trip where Champagne, candlelight, and shared moments take center stage — because some places are best experienced not on a list of favorites, but hand in hand.
If You Go
Épernay is an easy one-hour and 15-minute train ride from Paris, making it ideal for a long weekend escape. Travelers already in Champagne can take the frequent TER regional train from Reims to Épernay, a quick and convenient ride that makes hopping between the two cities effortless. Plan to spend at least three nights, giving yourself time to experience Habits de Lumière Épernay at the unhurried pace Champagne country deserves.
Start planning your visit, including guided Avenue de Champagne tours and festival details, at the Épernay tourism office website.
Stacey Wittig writes about soulful, adventure-forward wine country escapes at UnstoppableStaceyTravel.com.
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