Here is another innovative small party wine and opera tour from the world’s leading wine tours specialists! Attend great opera in Paris on one evening, stay in a comfortable 4* hotel in the Opera region, close to Galarie Lafayette and the Opera Garnier, and enjoy days out in the most famous French wine regions which are easily reachable by train in each direction making for wonderful and unique wine day’s out! You simply will not find this special wine tour elsewhere!

To the North East is Champagne, just a 45 minute train trip away. For some of the greatest white wines of France we head to Chablis via Auxerre, which is also just a short train journey away. What more perfect combination for wine and opera lovers can there be than this?

If you want to explore Paris more, you can arrive early or stay on as you wish, and we can book you into the main trip hotel for a very advantageous price if you book this at the time of the main booking.

The Marriage of Figaro returns to Opera National de Paris in a revival of Giorgio Strehler’s legendary production (a co-production with La Scala, Milan). The cast includes some of the finest Mozartians of our day. Erwin Schrott – Figaro; Julia Kleiter – Susanna; Christopher Maltman – Count Almaviva; Dorethea Roschman – the Countess.

The performance takes place in the modern Opéra Bastille which is the work of the Canadian-Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, who was chosen in November 1983 after an international competition and was selected from 1700 entrants. The theatre was inaugurated on July 13th 1989. This vast arena is famed for its acoustics and all round good visibility for the audience.

As there are so many options for travelling to Paris, from the direct TGV if you live in the UK (just a fast and comfortable two hour journey) or flights from around the UK and beyond, we do not include the travel to the destination but of course we are happy to book this for you ex uk or to advise. As a fully bonded tour operator we are able to book your flights as well as your trains.

On the first evening you’ll meet up with your fellow travellers and the wine guide at our central 4* hotel. Dinner is included this evening at a Michelin Double rosette restaurant a short stroll away, hosted by our Tour Manager/Wine Guide with a selection of fine wines.

In the morning, we take the train to Auxerre, and then visit a domaine near Chablis for a tasting. A relaxed buffet lunch with Domaine Dampt, who we have been visiting for nearly 20 years now and always receives us along with 3 generations of the family welcomes us to an informal buffet lunch and generous servings of their delicious wines.

The Dampts’ top wines are their Grand and 1er Cru Chablis and their Chablis ‘Vielles Vignes’ selections, but their great strength is in superb value wines from just to the east of Chablis, from Tonnerre and Epineuil. So far, it is the white Tonnerre ‘Chevalier d’Eon’ which has been the most impressive, the Oxfordian limestone soil giving a somewhat ‘fatter’ wine than a Chablis. However, as their Pinot vines in Epineuil age, so the wine gets more serious every year. There are also Bourgogne Rouges, Blancs and Rosés, plus a great value Cremant de Bourgogne. All in all these wines are well worth stocking up on! After lunch we will visit another of our favourite wine estates nearby, then fit in a brief visit to Auxerre, before returning to Paris in time for a late-ish supper! The evening is unescorted for you to make your choice from the many restuarants in Paris, where there is the highest concentration of Michelin starred restuarants in France, as well, of course, as numerous brasseries and cafes.

Next morning, our wine guide returns to meet you to take the 45 minute train journey to Reims Champagne, for a private tour of Taittinger’s beautiful underground cellars, dug from the chalk by the Roman’s as building materials for the city. After this, lunch is at Taittinger’s beautiful chateau in the vineyards, and is accompanied by Taittinger’s range including the magnificent 100% blanc de blancs ‘Comtes de Champagne” one of our favourite prestige cuvvees!

The Wine Guide escorts the party back to Paris and on to the Opera to be sure you arrive on time! We will also arrange a snack and a drink for you in the interval so that you don’t have to queue, so have plenty of time to discuss the opera so far with your fellow travellers in comfort.

Depart when you wish the next day or stay on longer to enjoy more time in Paris.