Concept
Crayère
Chalk pit beneath Reims and Épernay, originally cut by the Romans. Constant 10-12°C and high humidity. UNESCO World Heritage since 2015.
What it is
Crayères are underground chalk pits beneath Reims (and partly Épernay), originally cut by the Romans from the third century AD to extract building stone. Vertical shafts reach down to 30 metres deep, with horizontal galleries branching out into large cellar halls. From the seventeenth century onwards Champagne houses began using those spaces as wine cellars.
The combination of properties makes crayères almost ideal for Champagne ageing:
- Constant temperature: 10 to 12°C year-round, without fluctuation
- High humidity: 80-90%, prevents cork drying
- Dark: no UV light, no photo-oxidation
- Stable: no vibration, no pressure swings
Under those conditions autolysis runs slowly enough to build homogeneous flavour development.
Which houses where
Not every Champagne house has crayères. The major users:
| House | Location | Feature | |---|---|---| | Ruinart | Reims, Rue de Crayères | Deepest crayères (~38m) | | Pommery | Reims, Avenue Pommery | Art installations in crayères | | Taittinger | Reims, beneath Saint-Nicaise Abbey | Roman origin visible | | Veuve Clicquot | Reims | 24 km of cellars spread out | | Charles Heidsieck | Reims | Has its own Roman pits | | Krug | Reims, Rue Coquebert | Small, exclusive |
Producers in Épernay (Moët, Perrier-Jouët, Mercier) mostly use built cellars rather than Roman crayères. The geological conditions are comparable, but the architectural uniqueness of the Reims crayères is absent.
UNESCO status
Since 2015 the ensemble “Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars” sits on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Three components:
- Vineyards around Hautvillers, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (historic heart of méthode traditionnelle)
- Houses along Avenue de Champagne in Épernay
- Crayères beneath Reims (multiple houses)
The listing recognises the combination of human craft (hewn chalk cellars) plus natural climate (constant temperature) as unique heritage.
Frequently asked questions
How deep are the crayères?
10 to 38 metres below ground level. Ruinart has the deepest (~38m), Taittinger has the oldest (partly Roman, third century). Veuve Clicquot’s cellar network is the longest: 24 km of galleries spread out.
Can I visit a crayère?
Yes. Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Taittinger and Ruinart all offer cellar tours that descend into the crayères. Book at least two weeks ahead for weekends, four weeks for July-August. Price €25-€120 depending on the house and tour tier.
Do crayères work better than modern climate control?
Not materially better in terms of result. A well-managed modern cellar with climate control delivers comparable conditions. The difference is historical continuity and marketing value, not a measurable flavour effect.