- 🛌 When I go back to Champagne country, I’d like to stay at Loisium Wine & Spa Hôtel Champagne.
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You’ve heard the story. I’d heard the story. Dom Pérignon, that ingenious Benedictine monk, accidentally invented Champagne, took one glorious sip and called to his fellow monks, “Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!”
It’s such a good story that I almost hate to ruin it. Almost. The famous tale of Dom Pérignon inventing Champagne is just that — a tale. Sparkling wines existed before his time, and Champagne as we know it evolved over decades rather than exploding fully formed from one monk’s wine bottle.
I learned this while following Maxime Fevre through the narrow streets of Hautvillers, France, by lantern light. Our engaging guide from the Hautvillers Tourist Office had just the right combination of history and humor for exploring the hilltop village where Dom Pierre Pérignon lived and worked.
“The devil is in the bottle and Dom Pérignon was not a fan of the devil,” Maxime told us.
And who could blame him? In those days, bubbles weren’t necessarily something to celebrate. Fermentation could restart after wine was bottled, building enough pressure to burst the relatively fragile glass bottles of the time. Lost wine, broken bottles, and potentially cascading explosions in the cellar earned sparkling wine a rather ominous nickname: “the devil’s wine.”
Suddenly Maxime’s comment made perfect sense. The man whose name today graces one of the world’s most famous Champagnes wasn’t trying to put more bubbles into his wine. He was trying to make better wine.
📌 STAY UNSTOPPABLE TIP: Come to Hautvillers for the Champagne, but make time for the history. A lantern tour reveals the surprising truth about Dom Pérignon—and gives you a whole new appreciation for what’s in your glass.
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Dom Pérignon and the Hautvillers Champagne Legacy
That’s where the story gets interesting. Taking away the invention myth doesn’t diminish Dom Pérignon. Quite the opposite. The more I learned about the Benedictine monk, the more I came to think of him as the spiritual father of Champagne.
Dom Pérignon came to the Abbey of Hautvillers in 1668, when winemaking was considerably less precise than it is today. He became obsessed with producing better wine, and three practices associated with his work sound remarkably modern: pruning vines to control yields, carefully blending wines and grapes, and pressing grapes gently and efficiently.
Blending was especially important. Dom Pérignon recognized that grapes and wines from different vineyards could complement each other, creating something better and more balanced than the individual parts.
Pressing mattered, too. Champagne winemakers were learning to separate juice quickly from dark grape skins, making it possible to create clear white wine from black grapes. These advances became important building blocks in the Hautvillers Champagne story and, eventually, the Champagne we know today.
So Dom Pérignon didn’t invent Champagne. He helped establish principles that moved Champagne winemaking dramatically forward.
I think that’s a better story anyway.
RELATED: Champagne Houses in Epernay: Elegant Heritage with a Down-to-Earth Welcome
Another Hautvillers Legend Goes Flat
Unfortunately, I have another bubble to burst.
Dom Pérignon apparently never called his fellow monks over to “taste the stars,” either. The wonderfully romantic line attributed to him doesn’t appear in accounts from his lifetime. It showed up in Champagne advertising in the late 19th century — well over a century after Dom Pérignon died in 1715.
Apparently Champagne marketers were pretty good at blending stories, too.
📌 Recommended: Don’t be disappointed when the Hautvillers Champagne Masterclass with a well-known winemaker sells out. Book now before your place is gone.
Exploring Hautvillers France by Lantern Light
By now, I was looking at Hautvillers differently. This wasn’t simply a pretty Champagne village trading on the name of a famous monk. We were walking the streets where ideas that helped shape one of the world’s most celebrated wines actually took place.
Hautvillers France sits high above the Marne Valley, with vineyards spilling down the surrounding hillsides. As we wandered by lantern light, Maxime pointed out the village’s whimsical wrought-iron signs. About 140 decorate buildings around Hautvillers, traditionally illustrating the profession, passion or personality of the person behind the door.
There are Champagne producers to visit, tasting rooms to discover and viewpoints overlooking what seems like an ocean of vines. Yet one of the most memorable places in Hautvillers doesn’t require a tasting glass at all.
Where Dom Pérignon Rests in Hautvillers
Inside the Saint-Sindulphe church adjoining the former Abbey of Hautvillers is Dom Pierre Pérignon’s inscribed ledger stone, set into the church floor. The abbey itself is private, but visitors can enter the church and stand at the grave of the monk whose work became so intertwined with the history of Champagne.
After Maxime’s stories and our lantern-lit walk through Hautvillers, France, that simple stone felt like the perfect ending. Here rested a Benedictine monk who never invented Champagne, probably never “tasted the stars” and apparently wasn’t all that fond of the pesky bubbles in the first place.
Yet through his relentless pursuit of better wine — pruning, blending, pressing and paying attention to quality — Dom Pérignon helped change Champagne forever.
So, sorry to burst your bubble. The legend may not be true, but in Hautvillers, I discovered that the real Dom Pérignon story is worth raising a glass to.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHAMPAGNE COUNTRY: Hotels in Épernay: From Avenue de Champagne to the Vineyards
IF YOU GO: HAUTVILLERS, FRANCE
EAT: LOISIUM Wine & Spa Hôtel Champagne
Just a short drive from Hautvillers, LOISIUM pairs contemporary wine-country style with sweeping vineyard views. We enjoyed an impeccable lunch beside floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the rolling vines. With its spa, pools and peaceful setting, it’s also a tempting place to linger longer than lunch.
STAY: La Goutte d’Or
On my last visit for Habits de Lumière, I stayed at this beautifully restored 19th-century bed-and-breakfast in Avize, surrounded by the Côte des Blancs vineyards. Cozy rooms, excellent breakfasts, spa-like touches and attentive hosts Franc and his wife make it a peaceful alternative to busier Épernay.
TASTE: Vinaigrerie d’Hautvillers – Les Enfants de Bacchus
After all that Champagne, give your taste buds a twist at this artisan vinegar shop in Hautvillers. Les Enfants de Bacchus transforms regional wines into distinctive vinegars, and the tasting room makes a fun, unexpected stop for sampling flavors—and picking up an unusual edible souvenir.
TOUR: Hautvillers by Lantern Light
Our delightful lantern tour with Maxime Fevre of the Hautvillers tourism office brought the village’s stories to life as we wandered its narrow streets after dark. Between Dom Pérignon legends, local history and Maxime’s humor, it was one of my favorite ways to experience Hautvillers.
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- I would have been lost in Europe without this power bank: Anker Nano Power Bank, 10K, 45W, 8.1 oz. Just imagine your phone running out of battery while you’re exploring London.
- And speaking of power, you def don’t want to forget a plug adapter – this is the one I use – I love it because it has 3 USB-C ports!
- You can’t beat this Sea to Summit premium neck pillow in terms of minimum weight and packed size. Who doesn’t want to get some shuteye on those long flights?
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📌 Bonus: Here’s the carry-on I swear by! My travel-tough Samsonite bags have lasted decades.
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Hi, I’m Stacey
UNSTOPPABLE Stacey Travel is a travel blog focused on immersive travel that highlights food, wine and the spirituality of place. You can count on me for accurate reports and insightful analysis as your trusted travel writer since 2008.
As the author of several spiritual and walking guides, I occasionally write about life as a Camino de Santiago pilgrim. See my Amazon author page here. You may review my credentials as a professional travel writer on LinkedIn.
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