Paris Olympic Games: Champagne’s History With Celebration And Sports

The start of the Paris Olympics means that France will be awash in celebrations. People can be counted on to reach for Champagne, in particular. Why? They have been doing so for centuries.

Still wines from northeastern France, including the region that would become famous for Champagne, were produced as far back as the Roman era.

The first French king, Clovis, was baptized in Reims circa 496 and was said to have carried a cask of Remois blessed by the Bishop, which supposedly didn’t go dry until the new king returned to Reims after several victorious battles.

By the fourteenth century, winemaking techniques had progressed so much that these wines were coveted by kings and princes. Remois wine was one of the prominent wines served at the coronation of Louis XIV on June 7th, 1654. The king later made a gift of the prized bottles to his rival Charles II of England. Thus began a tradition of coronations at Reims Cathedral with lavish dinners and Remois wines, as well as a practice of gifting coveted Remois wines to other royals and high-profile dignitaries. The acclaim was such that historians would come to call Remois wine “the ordinary drink of kings and princes.” By the time winemakers stumbled onto the innovation of sparkling wine in the late 17th century, Remois wines were already poised to transform from coveted still wines into a global bubbly sensation.

It certainly didn’t happen overnight, and there were challenges along the way, but Champagne eventually became the toast of the town and synonymous with the idea of ‘celebration.’

While Champagne and celebrations have a long history, so too do bubbles and sports.

Spyridon Louis was the winner of the first Olympic marathon in the inaugural 1896 Games. Some anecdotes suggest he stopped for a drink while trailing in the race, although this is not confirmed.

Stopping during an Olympic marathon for a drink (and even winning) wasn’t a fluke. As AtlasObscura’s Katherine Alex Beaven notes, athletes in the early 20th century thought of alcohol, and in particular, Champagne, as similar to today’s sports drinks. They were seen as offering a burst of energy due to a high sugar content and the fun of effervescence. “In 1908, the winner of the Chicago Marathon, janitor-turned-runner Albert Corey, credited his win to a steady supply of champagne,” Beaven reports. “At the 1908 Olympic Marathon, at least a handful of runners imbibed alcohol or strychnine cocktails during the race—including the first four to cross the finish line.”

Drinking and marathons are not just for the history books. There is one marathon, through French wine country, that nods to this heritage. The Le Marathon des Chateaux du Médoc winds through nearly 60 vineyards, and wine is served along the running route. Runners are encouraged to wear goofy outfits. Organizers note, “With more than 90% of the field in costumes, this event is more live theater than an athletic competition.”

Another Champagne and sports tradition to look out for? Popping bottles and spraying wine on a podium after winning a major title. It’s a scene familiar to many sports fans and is likely to happen throughout the Games (even if it is not necessarily televised). Where does the tradition come from? Formula 1 drivers Jo Siffert and Dan Gurney are credited with transforming Champagne into an active form of celebration. According to legend, Siffert won the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1966. He was presented with a bottle of Champagne, a tradition that would soon become customary. The bottle, either due to the heat or from being accidentally jostled, let loose its cork and sprayed those in the vicinity. This was considered an accident. When the Americans won the following year, however, driver Dan Gurney intentionally shook up a bottle and drenched his teammate, Carroll Shelby, and his sponsors, Henry Ford II and his wife. And so, a tradition was born.

What’s in store for celebrations during this year’s 2024 Paris Summer Games? No one can say yet, but it’s fair to predict that there will be a lot of Champagne, sparkling wine and celebratory toasting.