Over the course of a millennium (from 816 to 1825), some 34 sovereigns – among them two dozen kings – began their reigns in Reims' famed cathedral. Meticulously reconstructed after WWI and again following WWII, the city – whose name is pronounced something like 'rance' and is often anglicised as Rheims – is endowed with handsome pedestrian zones, well-tended parks, lively nightlife and a state-of-the-art tramway.
The bottle-filled cellars (10°C to 12°C – bring a sweater!) of 10 Reims-area Champagnehouses can be visited by a guided tour that ends,naturellement, with a tastingsession.
Cathédrale Notre DameCATHEDRAL
Imagine the egos and extravagance of a French royal coronation. The focal point of such bejewelled pomposity was Reims’ resplendent Gothic cathedral, begun in 1211 on a site occupied by churches since the 5th century. The interior is a rainbow of stained-glass windows; the finest are the western facade’s 12-petalled great rose window, the north transept'srose window and the vivid Chagall creations (1974) in the central axial chapel. The tourist office rents audioguides (€6) for self-paced cathedral tours.
Basilique St-RémiBASILICA
This 121m-long former Benedictine abbey church, a Unesco World Heritage Site, mixes Romanesque elements from the mid-11th century (the worn but stunning nave and transept) with early Gothic features from the latter half of the 12th century (the choir, with a large triforium gallery and, way up top, tiny clerestory windows). Next door, Musée St-Rém in a 17th- and 18th-century abbey, features local Gallo-Roman archaeology, tapestries and 16th- to 19th-century military history.
Palais du TauMUSEUM
A Unesco World Heritage Site, this former archbishop’s residence, constructed in 1690, was where French princes stayed before their coronations – and where they hosted sumptuous banquets afterwards. Now a museum, it displays truly exceptional statuary, liturgical objects and tapestries from the cathedral, some in the impressive, Gothic-style Salle de Tau (Great Hall).
MummCHAMPAGNE HOUSE
Mumm (pronounced ‘moom’), the only maison in central Reims, was founded in 1827 and is now the world’s third-largest producer (almost eight million bottles a year). Engaging and edifying one-hour tours take you through cellars filled with 25 million bottles of fine bubbly. Wheelchair accessible. Phone ahead if possible.
TaittingerCHAMPAGNE HOUSE
The headquarters of Taittinger are an excellent place to come for a clear, straightforward presentation on how Champagne is actually made – there’s no claptrap about ‘the Champagne mystique’ here. Parts of the cellars occupy 4th-century Roman stone quarries; other bits were excavated by 13th-century Benedictine monks. No need to reserve. Situated 1.5km southeast of Reims centre; take the Citadine 1 or 2 bus to the St-Niçaise or Salines stops.
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