Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned for centuries, with the Smiling Angel, Chagall windows and a story of fire and rebirth in 1914. A guided visit turns the stone into a timeline.
Grand Est (France)
Reims & Champagne
Reims is the city where French kings were crowned and where the world's most famous sparkling wine is aged in Roman chalk.
This guide covers the Gothic cathedral and the Basilica of Saint-Remi, the great champagne houses of Reims and Epernay from Taittinger and Pommery to Veuve Clicquot and Moet & Chandon, the Avenue de Champagne, the vineyards of the Montagne de Reims and the Marne valley, small family growers, food tours, First World War history and the winter Christmas market. It is a compact, walkable base only about forty-five minutes from Paris by fast train, with hotels from estate retreats to practical central stays, and six guides that sort out where to stay, which cellars to book and when to go.
Don't miss
Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned for centuries, with the Smiling Angel, Chagall windows and a story of fire and rebirth in 1914. A guided visit turns the stone into a timeline.
Champagne Taittinger Cellars
Descend 18 metres into Gallo-Roman chalk pits and the crypts of a medieval abbey, then taste in a house known for Chardonnay-led style.
Veuve Clicquot in Reims
The house of the Widow Clicquot, the woman who built a champagne empire after 1805 and is credited with the riddling table. Cellar visits and tastings in Reims.
Moet and Chandon Cellars, Epernay
Cellars running about 28 kilometres beneath Avenue de Champagne, a courtyard with the Dom Perignon statue and the biggest name in the business. Linked here as a day with two more big houses.
Things to do in Reims & Champagne
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Basilica of Saint-Remi
A Romanesque and Gothic abbey church holding the tomb of Saint Remi, the bishop who baptised Clovis. Quieter than the cathedral, older, and part of the same UNESCO site.
Champagne Taittinger Cellars
Descend 18 metres into Gallo-Roman chalk pits and the crypts of a medieval abbey, then taste in a house known for Chardonnay-led style.
Champagne Pommery Cellars
A grand Victorian-style estate over 18 kilometres of chalk galleries, with a staircase down to the cellars, a vast barrel and contemporary art in the tunnels.
Veuve Clicquot in Reims
The house of the Widow Clicquot, the woman who built a champagne empire after 1805 and is credited with the riddling table. Cellar visits and tastings in Reims.
Champagne Mumm and a Family Grower
A Reims house founded in 1827, known for the red-ribbon Cordon Rouge, with cellars 7 to 14 metres underground and a small museum. Paired here with a family grower and lunch.
Ruinart Cellars Private Tour
Often called the oldest champagne house, founded in 1729, with chalk crayeres and a Chardonnay focus. A private tour and tasting for a quieter, refined visit.
Moet and Chandon Cellars, Epernay
Cellars running about 28 kilometres beneath Avenue de Champagne, a courtyard with the Dom Perignon statue and the biggest name in the business. Linked here as a day with two more big houses.
Avenue de Champagne, Epernay
A 1.5-kilometre street of mansions and champagne houses with over 100 kilometres of cellars beneath it, inscribed by UNESCO in 2015. Free to walk, richer with a tasting.
1 to 2 hoursDetails →
Epernay Open-Top Bus Tour with Tastings
An open-top bus around Epernay and into the vineyards, with three champagne tastings. An easy, low-effort first look at the town and the hillsides around it.
Hautvillers and the Dom Perignon Vineyards
The village called the cradle of champagne, where the monk Dom Perignon worked, with his tomb in the abbey church, trade signs on the facades and views over the Marne valley.
Montagne de Reims Vineyards and Sabrage
Premier cru vineyards on the hills south of Reims, a triple tasting with a grower and the showpiece of opening a bottle with a sabre.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Domaine Les Crayeres
Reims, parkland estate near the centre
A château-style luxury estate in its own park on the edge of Reims, known for gastronomy and a calm, refined stay in champagne country.
Check rates →Grand Hotel des Templiers
Reims, central townhouse quarter
A refined townhouse hotel in central Reims, with a boutique feel and walking distance to the cathedral, the squares and several champagne houses.
Check rates →La Caserne Chanzy Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection
Reims, converted barracks near the centre
A design-led upscale hotel in a converted barracks near the centre of Reims, with a spa, a large footprint and a modern take on historic architecture.
Check rates →Best Western Premier Hotel de la Paix
Reims, central
A dependable mid-range hotel in central Reims with comfortable rooms, easy walking access to the cathedral and a reliable base for first-time visitors.
Check rates →Relais et Chateaux Assiette Champenoise
Tinqueux, west edge of Reims
A destination hotel and restaurant on the western edge of Reims, famed for the cooking of chef Arnaud Lallement and a calm, garden-framed stay.
Check rates →Le N°3 par Champagne Thiénot
Reims, central
A boutique address linked to the Thiénot champagne house, in central Reims, aimed at travellers who want their stay to revolve around champagne.
Check rates →Holiday Inn Reims Centre
Reims, central
A familiar chain hotel in central Reims, practical for families and groups who want predictable comfort, a restaurant and an easy walk to the sights.
Check rates →Hotel Continental Reims
Reims, central
A well-placed, good-value hotel in central Reims that suits travellers arriving by train and wanting to walk to the cathedral and the centre.
Check rates →Novotel Suites Reims Centre
Reims, central
A suite-style hotel in central Reims with extra space for families and longer stays, close to the cathedral and the main pedestrian streets.
Check rates →ibis Epernay Centre Ville
Epernay, town centre
A simple, budget-friendly hotel in the centre of Épernay, handy for the Avenue de Champagne and for visitors who prefer to base themselves in the other champagne capital.
Check rates →Les Suites du 33
Epernay, town centre
A small suite-style stay in Épernay, giving couples and small groups more space and a private feel close to the Avenue de Champagne.
Check rates →Reims & Champagne guides
Reims and Champagne in Three Days: Cathedral, Cellars and Vines
A three-day plan that pairs the cathedral and old centre with a big-house cellar, a vineyard day and Épernay's Avenue de Champagne, with the booking order that avoids disappointment.
Choosing Champagne Houses in Reims and Épernay: Which Cellars to Visit
How to pick between Taittinger, Pommery, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Mumm and Moët & Chandon, plus when to choose a grower instead, and how to book.
Where to Stay in Reims and Épernay: Neighbourhoods and Hotel Picks
Choose between central Reims, a quiet estate on the edge of town or a night in Épernay, with hotel suggestions for couples, families, foodies and budget travellers.
Reims as a Day Trip from Paris: Trains, Timings and a Plan
How to do Reims in a day by fast train, what to see in the order that works, and when to add Épernay or stay the night instead.
Eating and Drinking in Reims: Pink Biscuits, Local Cheese and Champagne
What to eat in the champagne capital, from pink biscuits and Reims ham to regional cheeses, how to pair them with bubbles, and how to book a table.
Best Time to Visit Reims and Champagne: Seasons, Harvest and Christmas
What each season offers in Reims and Épernay, from spring vines to the September harvest and the winter Christmas market, with advice on crowds and weather.
