An Overture
Reims, ~130 km east of Paris and just ~45 minutes by TGV, is the coronation city of French kings and the grandest base in the Champagne region. It combines a UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral (where French monarchs were crowned), historic abbeys and palaces, and the great Champagne houses whose crayères — Roman-era chalk tunnels — store millions of bottles underground. It works as both an easy train day trip (cellar tours fit a single day) and a 2–3 night base for touring the wider Champagne Route by car.
Top Things to Do
Notre-Dame de Reims
The Gothic coronation cathedral. In summer (May–Aug) a free nightly light show projects colour onto the façade — two ~25-minute shows per evening.
Palais du Tau
The former royal residence used during coronations, beside the cathedral — now a museum of its treasures and statuary.
Basilique Saint-Remi
An 11th-century, UNESCO-listed basilica — the older spiritual counterweight to the coronation cathedral.
Veuve Clicquot
One of the great houses with visitable crayères, at 1 Rue Albert Thomas. Tours descend into the chalk and end with a tasting.
Taittinger
Cellars beneath 9 Place Saint-Nicaise, partly carved into Roman-era chalk pits — a headline house tour.
Mumm
Central cellars at 34 Rue du Champ de Mars, an easy walk from the station.
Lanson
House and cellars at 66 Rue de Courlancy, with vineyard and tasting visits.
Ruinart
The oldest established Champagne house, with some of the most spectacular UNESCO-listed chalk crayères.
Champagne House Cellar Tours
The headline experience of Reims. Tours at the major houses — Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Mumm, Lanson, and Ruinart — descend into the chalk crayères, the Roman-era tunnels where millions of bottles age, and end with a tasting. Reserve ahead, especially in harvest season.
SearchWalking Tours
Coronation City Walk
A compact walk through the historic core: start at the great coronation cathedral and the Palais du Tau beside it, cross the lively pedestrian Place Drouet d'Erlon with its cafés and brasseries, and finish at the 11th-century Basilique Saint-Remi on the edge of the crayères district.
Notre-Dame de Reims → Palais du Tau → Place Drouet d'Erlon → Basilique Saint-Remi
Day Trips & Beyond
Épernay
The "Capital of Champagne" on the Avenue de Champagne — a compact, wine-focused counterpart to Reims, ~30 min away.
SearchRilly-la-Montagne
A vineyard village on the Montagne de Reims with the Château de Rilly château hotel, ~20 min south.
SearchHautvillers
The hillside abbey village of Dom Pérignon, the monk credited with refining Champagne — a short hop into the vineyards.
SearchMontagne de Reims
The forested ridge and vineyard slopes between Reims and Épernay, threaded by the Route Touristique du Champagne — landmarks include the Phare de Verzenay lighthouse.
SearchHidden Gems
The Crayères
Descending into the Roman chalk-pit tunnels lined with bottles is the region's defining underground experience — cool, cavernous, and centuries old.
SearchFree Cathedral Light Show
An underrated, no-cost summer-evening highlight — colour projected across the cathedral façade, twice a night in May–August.
SearchA Bottle Every Ten Seconds
A local fact bloggers love: in Reims "one bottle of Champagne is opened every 10 seconds" — a sense of just how central the wine is to the city.
SearchFood & Dining
City-centre French restaurants abound, and Champagne pairs with the local cuisine — including the pink biscuits roses de Reims. Self-catering apartments are common for longer stays; check current listings for restaurants.
Signature Tastes
Where to Eat
Where to Stay
- Mid-range
- Luxury
Practical Notes
Getting In
- By train: TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est, ~45 min — fast enough for a day trip focused on in-city cellar tours and the cathedral.
- Guided tours: organised full-day tours from Paris bundle several house visits, lunch, and ~8 tastings, and solve the "no car" problem for reaching out-of-town vineyards.
Driving the Champagne Route
- The practical choice for the full route — follow the black-and-gold "Route Touristique du Champagne" signs between villages.
- Distances: Reims↔Épernay ~30 min; Reims↔Rilly-la-Montagne ~20 min.
- Non-EU drivers need an International Driving Permit; cars are easily hired in Paris.
Booking & Hours
- Reserve cellar tours in advance, especially during the harvest (late Aug–early Oct), when ~100,000 itinerant pickers descend over ~three weeks.
- Opening hours: houses generally open ~9:30 am–5:30 pm (check seasonal hours).
When to Visit & Tastings
- Best season: winter/late fall is ideal for the indoor cellar tours on grey days; harvest season offers the most atmosphere.
- Pace your tastings and arrange a non-driving plan (train or tour) if you intend to drink across multiple houses.
Notable Insights
Day Trip or Base?
- Both work: Reims is the rare day trip that's both fast by train and a legitimate multi-night base — bloggers split between a 45-minute in-and-out cellar day and a 2–3 night Champagne Route road trip.
Champagne in Context
- Scale: the Champagne appellation covers ~76,000 acres across ~320 villages and sells 300M+ bottles a year — context for why Reims and Épernay dominate the region's tourism.