top of page

Reims

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Nicknamed "the city of coronations" or "the capital of Champagne," Reims is a city of art and history of rare elegance, nestled in the Marne department of the Grand Est region. It is here, in the heart of Champagne, that the destiny of the French monarchy was forged and where the most prestigious of sparkling wines is crafted. Boasting a magnificent architectural heritage where medieval Gothic converses with the geometric lines of Art Deco, Reims radiates with its art of living and its regal atmosphere.

Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Coronation Theatre

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims is one of the absolute masterpieces of Gothic art in Europe, inextricably linked to the history of France.

The Sanctuary of the Kings of France: Known as the "theatre of coronations," the cathedral witnessed the crowning of no fewer than 31 kings of France, from Louis the Pious in 816 to Charles X in 1825. It was also here that Joan of Arc had Charles VII crowned in 1429, a pivotal moment in the Hundred Years' War.

The Statuary and the Smiling Angel: The west façade is a veritable stone lacework, housing more than 2,300 statues. Among them, the famous sculpture of the Smiling Angel (or Smile of Reims) has become the symbol of the city through its unique expression of benevolence.

Stained Glass Windows, from Chagall to Knoebel: Inside, light streams through exceptional stained glass windows. Alongside the medieval windows, one can admire strikingly beautiful contemporary blue-tinted creations by Marc Chagall (1974) and the abstract stained glass windows by the German artist Imi Knoebel (2011).

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

The Tau Palace and the Basilica of Saint-Remi

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

The historic heart of Reims is home to other UNESCO World Heritage sites that perfectly complement the city's royal and spiritual saga.

The Palais du Tau (Musée de l'Œuvre): Formerly the residence of the Archbishops of Reims, this T-shaped palace (tau in Greek) welcomed the kings the day before their coronation and hosted the grand royal banquet that followed the ceremony. Now a museum, it houses the cathedral's treasury, including Charlemagne's talisman and the coronation chalice.

The Basilica of Saint-Remi: Almost as impressive in size as the cathedral, this 11th-century Romanesque-Gothic abbey church is a haven of peace and spirituality. It was built to house the Holy Ampulla and the tomb of Saint Remi, the bishop who baptized Clovis, the first king of the Franks, around the year 496.

The Saint-Remi Museum: Adjacent to the basilica, the former Benedictine abbey houses a remarkable art and history museum. Its collections trace the city's past, from the wealthy Gallo-Roman city of Durocortorum to its medieval military history.

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

The Great Champagne Houses and the Chalk Quarries

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber.

The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience.

The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings.

The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Reconstruction and the Art Deco Architectural Heritage

Destroyed by more than 60% by the intensive bombing of the First World War, Reims rose again in the 1920s, becoming a mecca of Art Deco architecture.

The Roaring Twenties Style: During its reconstruction, hundreds of architects infused the city with the fashionable style of Art Deco. Strolling through the city center (particularly along Rue de Vesle or Cours Jean-Baptiste Langlet), one can admire geometric facades adorned with mosaics, floral bas-reliefs, and elegant ironwork.

The Carnegie Library: Donated to the city by the American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, this architectural gem, inaugurated in 1928, is the masterpiece of Reims Art Deco. Its entrance hall, monumental chandelier, geometric stained-glass windows, and reading room immediately transport visitors to the refined atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties.

The Reims Opera House and the Boulingrin Market Halls: The Reims Opera House, rebuilt with a sumptuous hall featuring gold and glass details, and the Boulingrin Central Market Halls, with their immense reinforced concrete vault as thin as an eggshell, bear witness to the incredible avant-garde nature of this era of renaissance.

Reims is the undisputed capital of the most famous celebratory wine. Beneath its streets lies a fascinating underground world where millions of bottles slumber. The Underground Cathedrals (Les Crayères): Dug during the Gallo-Roman period to extract chalk, these immense, pyramidal underground quarries have been reused by Champagne houses for aging their vintages. These monumental galleries, maintained at constant temperature and humidity, offer a mystical and spectacular experience. The Mythical Names of Saint-Nicaise Hill: Reims is home to the headquarters of the world's most prestigious Champagne houses. Houses such as Taittinger, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, and Vranken offer guided tours through their historic cellars, culminating in exceptional tastings. The Art and Architecture of the Industrial Estates: Above ground, the vineyards vie with one another in elegance. The Pommery estate, for example, surprises with its neo-Gothic Elizabethan style architecture, while the Villa Demoiselle is an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Flavors of Reims, Modern History and Green Spaces

Reims can also be savored through its centuries-old culinary traditions, its contemporary history, and its verdant walks.

The Authentic Pink Biscuit of Reims: Created in the 17th century by the Fossier company, this small, crisp biscuit has the unique characteristic of not crumbling when dipped in a glass of Champagne or red wine, thanks to its double baking (the word "biscuit" comes from "bis-cuit," meaning twice baked). Its pink color, derived from carmine, was used to mask the black seeds of Bourbon vanilla.

The Museum of the Surrender (May 7, 1945): It was in a room at the Eisenhower High School in Reims, then General Eisenhower's headquarters, that the surrender of Nazi Germany was secretly signed on May 7, 1945, ending World War II in Europe. The "signing room" remains intact and offers a poignant historical experience.

The Lower Promenades and the Canal: Completely redesigned as large urban parks, the Lower Promenades offer a true green lung in the heart of the city, enhanced with fountains and cycle paths. The banks of the Aisne-Marne Canal, meanwhile, invite leisurely strolls or bike rides along the water.

Conclusion

Reims is a magnificent destination that strikes the perfect balance between the solemnity of its royal history and the sparkling dynamism of its present. Far from being just a stopover, the city of Reims offers a complete cultural, sensory, and architectural experience. Whether you come to marvel at the Gothic immensity of its cathedral, delve into the shadowy, secretive atmosphere of its Gallo-Roman chalk quarries, or enjoy a pink biscuit on a terrace overlooking the vibrant Place Drouet-d'Erlon, Reims stands out as a luminous, welcoming, and profoundly regal stopover.

Reims Tourist Office

Information Regarding Visuals: This website uses computer-generated images and illustrations created by artificial intelligence for atmospheric and stylistic purposes. These representations are not actual photographs and are strictly non-binding.

bottom of page