Netflix’s Champagne Problems arrived on November 20 as the streamer’s second holiday release of the season, blending romance and a family story shaped by old wounds. The film follows Sydney Price (Minka Kelly) as she travels to France for a corporate deal and ends up caught between professional duty and a connection she didn’t see coming.
Much of the movie’s tone comes from its setting, which isn’t just decorative. Paris, Épernay, and Reims give the story a sense of place that fits the characters’ emotional shifts. The châteaux, the vineyards, and even the winter light are part of the film’s identity, not just its backdrop.
This guide answers the question Where was Champagne Problems filmed? It breaks down the key locations used throughout production.
Paris, France
The production shot several scenes in Paris, focusing on the quieter corners of the city rather than the usual postcard landmarks. Director Mark Steven Johnson described filming in Paris as “a dream,” noting the focus on capturing everyday streets, small shops, and the slower rhythm that helps the characters open up to each other.
These Paris sequences include:
• Sydney’s arrival in the city
• The bookstore where she meets Henri
• Early walks and conversations that build their connection
Épernay and Reims: The Heart of the Champagne Region
A significant portion of the story takes place in the Champagne region of France, and the crew filmed on location in Épernay and Reims, two of the most important towns in Champagne production.
The production notes highlight that filming here was a rare opportunity, especially for a holiday romance. The Champagne region provided:
• Vineyards in winter
• Cellars
• Miles of quiet countryside
• Historic architecture that matches the film’s themes of legacy and family
Johnson emphasized that Épernay and Reims are “steeped in history” and that showing the real process of champagne making, pruning, harvesting, and riddling helped root the film in a believable world.
Château Comtesse Lafond: Exterior of Château Cassell
The exterior of Château Cassell was filmed at Château Comtesse Lafond in Épernay.
The estate is known for its grand façade and sweeping grounds, precisely the kind of place that suggests heritage and tradition.
The director called it “breathtakingly beautiful,” noting that it instantly met the visual demands of a family-owned champagne estate in crisis and transition.
Château de Challerange: Interior of Château Cassell
While Château Comtesse Lafond was used for the outside shots, the interior of Château Cassell was filmed at Château de Challerange, chosen because its rooms better suited the story and allowed the production design team to build the look of the Cassell family home from the ground up.
It was largely empty when production began, and the crew redesigned the interiors to fit the film’s emotional dynamics, elegant yet slightly weathered, reflecting Hugo’s grief and the estate’s financial strain.
Habits de Lumière Festival: Filmed in Épernay
One of the film’s standout sequences takes place during Habits de Lumière, the real annual festival held in Épernay each December.
The team filmed both:
• The rehearsal (with controlled streets), and
• The actual event
using a small, mobile crew to capture the scale and chaos of the celebration.
More than 60,000 people attend the festival each year, and the director described shooting there as “absolute chaos”, but the footage adds energy to the middle of the film that a set could never replicate.
Key Details – Champagne Problems
- Release Date: November 19, 2025
- Genre: Romantic Drama / Holiday Romance
- Director & Writer: Mark Steven Johnson
- Main Cast: Minka Kelly, Tom Wozniczka, Thibault de Montalemert, Sean Amsing, Flula Borg, Astrid Whettnall, Xavier Samuel, Mitchell Mullen, Maeve Courtier-Lilley
The Poster
