Cathedrals, Champagne & Questionable Decisions
Welcome to Reims—the city that said, “Sure, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, but have you tried fermenting grapes underground for centuries instead?” This Reims Champagne travel guide is here to lead you through the land of Gothic architecture, royal headgear, and hangovers so classy they come with a Riedel glass.
Heads up: Some links on this page are affiliate links (including Viator ones). If you book something through them, I might earn a tiny commission — which helps fund more Champagne “research.” It doesn’t cost you a cent, but it might cost me my dignity.
Table of Contents
Your journey starts at the mighty Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, the site of French royal coronations and approximately 70% of your future travel selfies. It’s a towering Gothic masterpiece that screams, “We built this to impress God AND Instagram.” The stained glass windows? Designed to make you feel spiritually enlightened and slightly insecure about your interior design choices.
After you’ve craned your neck and Googled “flying buttress meaning,” it’s time for bubbles. Reims is home to Champagne caves that run deeper than your last serious relationship. You’ll descend into chalky tunnels at places like Taittinger or Veuve Clicquot, where monks used to age wine and modern tourists now practice the ancient art of trying not to drop their glass during a tour.
Of course, no tour is complete without your guide casually referencing how many bottles are aging in the cellar (hint: it’s always in the millions) while you quietly panic about your student loan debt. You’ll nod sagely while pretending you understand the difference between “zero dosage” and “brut nature” when really, you’re just here for the pop and fizz.
This Reims Champagne travel guide also highly recommends walking the Hautes Promenades, a tree-lined urban park perfect for sobering up or rethinking your life decisions post tasting flight. It’s where locals go to flirt, jog, and aggressively ignore tourists mispronouncing “Reims.”
Don’t skip the lesser-known quirks of the city, like the Champagne vending machine tucked into a quiet side street, where you can literally swipe a card and be handed a mini bottle of bubbly. Because nothing says “21st century France” like artisan alcohol on demand.
Hungry? Great! Reims has cured ham, pink biscuits designed for dunking in alcohol (classy), and prix-fixe menus that may or may not involve foie gras disguised as mousse. It’s all quite elegant until you spill mustard on your lap while trying to act like a sommelier.
The best part of this Reims Champagne travel guide? You’re only 45 minutes from Paris by TGV. Which means when you inevitably buy six bottles of bubbly, you’ll be home in time for your existential crisis over luggage weight limits.
So welcome to Reims — where kings were crowned, corks are popped, and sophistication meets just enough poor decision-making to make for a memorable blog post.
Champagne Trails, Day Trips & Traveler Mistakes to Treasure Forever
Congratulations — you survived your first swirl through Reims and its endless Champagne toasts. Now it’s time for the Reims Champagne travel guide to take things one step further: into the bubbly-soaked countryside, where history meets hangover with stunning views.
Start with Épernay, the next town over — or as Reims locals call it, “The Other Champagne Capital That Thinks It’s Fancy.” Épernay is home to the Avenue de Champagne, a literal street lined with some of the most prestigious Champagne houses on Earth. It’s the kind of place where a single bottle costs more than your monthly car insurance, but hey — you’re here for the story, not the savings.
Then swing through Hautvillers, the adorable village where Dom Pérignon “invented” Champagne. (He didn’t, technically. But it sounds better than “some other monk possibly got lucky with fermentation first.”) Still, he’s buried there, so pay your respects — ideally with a toast in the direction of his grave and maybe a whispered apology for mixing Brut with orange juice that one time.
While you’re there, wander the backstreets and admire the wrought iron signs above each door — one of Hautvillers’ oddest traditions. You’ll spot everything from hammers to harps and corkscrews to crucifixes, all meant to show off the trade or vice of whoever lived inside. It’s like 18th-century LinkedIn, but way more fun.
If this Reims Champagne travel guide teaches you anything, let it be this: the best tastings happen when you wander. Small producers often offer better stories, weirder cellars, and less judgment when you ask, “Is it okay if I don’t spit?”
Looking for other cultural highlights? There’s the Musée de la Reddition, where Germany surrendered in WWII, and the Palais du Tau, which sounds like a Star Wars villain but is actually where kings once changed into their coronation robes — probably less dramatically.
Pro travel tip: Bring layers. Champagne cellars hover around 10°C (50°F), so unless you want to shiver through your Brut Rosé like a Victorian ghost, ditch the linen.
🧭 Useful Info & Resources (For When the Bubbles Wear Off)
Yes, this Reims Champagne travel guide is deeply unserious — but here’s a handful of seriously helpful links to make your actual trip sparkle:
🥂 Champagne 101 — Was It Really Invented in Hautvillers?
Still arguing with your travel buddy about Dom Pérignon? You’re not alone. The Comité Champagne clears up what he actually did — and didn’t — invent.
🔗 Read the Champagne origin story here
Mid-sip panic is real. This Wine Enthusiast guide teaches you what to do when you’re swirling, sipping, and second-guessing.
🔗 Wine tasting tasting etiquette explained
🚄 How to Get to Reims from Paris
Reims is just 45 minutes from Paris by TGV, and yes — it’s easier than booking a Ryanair seat.
🔗 Book your train to Reims on SNCF
Need to find that cathedral between tastings? Plan your wanderings with this clickable map.
🔗 View Reims on Google Maps
Completely Unhelpful but Honest Reims FAQ
Q: How do you pronounce Reims?
A: Like you’re halfway sneezing while saying “Rance.” Rhymes with nothing. Even French people disagree.
Q: Can I drink Champagne all day in Reims?
A: Yes, but remember: It’s still France. They’ll judge you silently for skipping lunch.
Q: Is Reims worth it?
A: If you like history, bubbles, and cathedral-induced neck strain, absolutely.
Q: Can I stay in the vineyards?
A: You can — and should. But remember: if you wake up next to a crate of empty bottles and a goat, we warned you.
Q: What’s the best souvenir?
A: A bottle of grower Champagne. Or your dignity, if you can find it.
This Reims Champagne travel guide may not have shown you how to be classy in Champagne country, but it has proven that Reims is a city where ancient stone, fermented genius, and low-key chaos collide in the most delicious way possible.
So go ahead. Raise a glass, mispronounce the name, and toast to travel — the fizzy, slightly ridiculous kind.
Some Other Related (Sensible) Posts:
Reims Champagne Travel Guide: Gothic Glories & Golden Bubbles in France’s Most Underrated City
Nice – France Travel Guide: Explore the French Riviera’s Crown Jewel
Experience the Louvre Museum Like Never Before: A Private Guided Tour in Paris
