You are coming to visit Reims region and you would like to know what to see and do ? Here is a local guide for you!
I lived in Reims for 3 years during my studies and loved the region! World-famous for its Champagne cellars, the Reims region is brimming with wine-related treasures as well as historical ones. Many sites are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
Largely rebuilt after the First World War, Reims is a pretty city marked by Art Deco architecture and dominated by magnificent churches. All around, the Montagne de Reims Natural Park and the Champagne vineyards offer the perfect setting for a varied weekend exploring the region’s terroir.
So, if you’re wondering what to do in Reims and the surrounding area, let me take you on a tour of my 5 must-see attractions to visit Reims region!
PRACTICAL TIPS TO VISIT REIMS REGION
How to get there?
By car, Reims is 1.5 hours from Paris and Troyes, and 2 hours from Metz. If you’re coming from Paris, it’s quicker to take the train, which only takes 40 minutes from the Gare de l’Est.
The Faux de Verzy and Hautvilliers are both 30 minutes from Reims by car, and 30 minutes from each other. Rent a car here if you need to.
Compare car rentals to find the best price!
Where to stay to visit Reims region?
Here are several accommodation suggestions for visiting Reims and the surrounding area! If you would like other options, you can find your accommodation in Reims here!
3 recommended accommodations to visit Reims region
GRAND HÔTEL DES TEMPLIERS
- In Reims city center
- With a pool & a spa
- From 150€
LES BULLES DORÉES
- Superb setting near Reims
- Charming B&B
- From 190€
LE COSY MORNAIS
- In Reims center, fully equipped
- View on the cathedral
- From 70€
How to organize your time to visit Reims region
The Cathedral and the Palace of Tau are located in the city center of Reims. The Basilica of Saint Remi, on the other hand, is a little further out, a 20-minute walk south of the cathedral (10 minutes by car). The Pommery cellars and the Villa Demoiselle are about a 10-minute walk from the Basilica of Saint Remi.
A weekend is perfect to visit Reims region. The city center of Reims and the recommended visits can be done in the morning, and the afternoon can be spent in the south of Reims with the Basilica, the cellars, and the Villa Demoiselle. The next day, you can explore the surroundings of Reims, including the faux de Verzy, Hautvilliers, and the Champagne vineyards.
What to bring back from Reims?
Champagne, of course! You can visit the major champagne houses and buy directly from the cellars, or from smaller producers if you explore the Reims region. It’s difficult to recommend a particular champagne as there is such a wide variety of houses and tastes. But here are two good addresses in Reims city center: the Cave des Sacres, with its wide selection (Place de la Cathédrale), and the Cave Colbert near the Hôtel de Ville.
But Reims isn’t just about Champagne! The pink biscuits from Maison Fossier (Cours Langlet) are also a must-try. Made using the same recipe since the Renaissance, they are quite dry but perfect for dipping in Champagne (or as a base for a charlotte). Fossier is also the oldest biscuit factory in France!
You’ll also find another of the city’s specialties for sale at Maison Fossier: Reims mustard! Once a rival to Dijon mustard, it is much less well known today. It is sold under the brand name “Clovis.”
Last but not least, the Halles du Boulingrin host the Reims market several times a week, where you can discover local and passionate producers.
VISIT REIMS REGION: THE CATHEDRAL AND THE PALACE OF THE TAU
The jewel of Reims and the ultimate symbol of the city of coronations, Notre-Dame Cathedral is a must-see if you’re visiting Reims in one day!
Visit Reims – its cathedral
I remember discovering the cathedral for the first time when I moved to Reims for my studies. I immediately fell in love with its imposing and rich façade. More than 2,300 sculpted figures can be seen, including the famous Smiling Angel! Having lost its head during the First World War, it became famous as a propaganda tool for French engineering, destroyed by the Germans. Today, it has regained its head and smiles mischievously at all visitors!
As you enter the cathedral, you will see that the decorations become more sober inside, but the dimensions remain grandiose. At 150 meters long and 38 meters high, it is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in France.
Practical information – Reims Cathedral: open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (free admission).
14 centuries of History
It is easy to imagine the 33 coronations of the kings of France that took place in such a building. From Clovis, crowned on the site of the cathedral in 481, to Charles X in 1825, 14 centuries of history have passed through Notre-Dame.
Although the cathedral dates back to the 13th century, it was ruined by the First World War in 1914, along with the city of Reims, which was more than 60% destroyed. With its roof gone up in smoke, its stained glass windows blown out and its sculptures damaged by more than 300 shell hits, everything had to be rebuilt… It was with the help of American magnate Rockefeller that it was rebuilt.
In 1962, a new page in history was written in Reims Cathedral, where General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer sealed the Franco-German reconciliation.
Since then, more contemporary details have been added! In the choir, you can see the colorful stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. These decorations are rather unusual for such a Gothic building!
Visit Reims – Palais du Tau
You can also visit the Palais du Tau, right next to the cathedral. This former episcopal palace was where kings stayed before their coronation and where lavish banquets were held after the ceremony. Today, the Palais du Tau houses a museum dedicated to the cathedral and the coronations of the kings of France. The vaulted lower hall and the Tau Room, where the feasts were held, are truly beautiful!
Practical information – Palais du Tau: open every day except Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (opening hours vary depending on the season, check the website) – €8 (free for visitors under 26) – reopening in 2026
VISIT REIMS REGION: SAINT REMI BASILICA
A little way from the cathedral, the Basilica of Saint Remi is much less well known, but just as exceptional! It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was originally built to house the Holy Ampulla, a sacred vial said to have been used during the baptism of Clovis, as well as the relics of Saint Remi (the accent is not pronounced according to the people of Reims!).
Almost as large as the cathedral (126 meters long!), the Basilica of Saint Remi will certainly surprise you with its magnificent interior. It features a nave with Romanesque simplicity, a Gothic choir, and, above all, magnificent colorful stained glass windows!
Right next to the basilica, you can also visit the former royal abbey built around a remarkable cloister.
Practical information – Saint Remi Basilica: open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – free
VISIT REIMS REGION: VRANKEN-POMMERY CHAMPAGNE CELLARS
Visiting Reims in one day also means discovering the jewel of the region: Champagne! The Crayères de la Butte Sainte Nicaise in Reims are also listed as a World Heritage Site! Some of the biggest names in Champagne are based here: Ruinart, Veuve-Cliquot, Taittinger, and Vranken-Pommery… All these names invite you to come and taste their wines! You will often see high walls around Reims. Do they hide beautiful properties? No, they hide vineyards!
The history of Vranken-Pommery
Many Champagne houses around Reims offer tours of their cellars, known as “crayères.” But of all the ones I visited during my studies in the region, I would definitely recommend the Vranken-Pommery cellars.
I’m sure you’ll be as fascinated as I was by the fascinating history of this Champagne and its magnificent crayères dotted with contemporary art!
In 1858, Madame Pommery, a widow, set out to build an estate that would soon become the largest property in Champagne. A visionary genius who broke with the conventions of the time, she invented marketing before its time, created social protection for her employees, and gave life to cultural patronage…
Visiting the cellars
During the tour, you will discover part of the 18 kilometers of galleries dug into the white chalk of the hill. You will see that each one bears the name of a foreign city, symbolizing the regions conquered commercially by Madame Pommery. In total, there are 120 Gallo-Roman chalk pits, which hide hundreds of thousands of bottles of precious Champagne…
This fascinating underground world is punctuated with contemporary art, continuing the tradition of the first works commissioned by Madame Pommery. And, as we always save the best for last, the tour ends with a delicious Champagne tasting…
Visit Reims region – Villa Demoiselle
On leaving the cellars, don’t miss a visit to the Villa Demoiselle, a superb residence combining Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. The visit is well worth the detour and can be combined with a tour of the cellars (see Practical Information).
Practical information – Pommery Cellars and Villa Demoiselle: open every day, check the website for opening hours and to book a guided tour.
Prices: €48 for a tour of the cellars, the Villa Demoiselle and two glasses of champagne at the end
VISIT REIMS REGION: THE CHAMPAGNE VINEYARDS
Road trip in the heart of the Champagne vineyard
The famous Champagne vineyards, envied around the world, stretch out all around Reims. Between Epernay and Reims, the two cities that compete for the title of “Capital of Champagne,” you will pass through vast expanses of vineyards. The Marne is the leading producer, just ahead of the Aube and the Troyes region.
The Champagne vineyards are easy to explore by car, but also by bike! I particularly recommend a bike ride, with a visit and tasting of champagne at the winemaker’s, for a unique glimpse of the vineyards!
Scattered throughout this precious terroir are small wine-growing villages closely linked to Champagne. I have chosen to introduce you to Hautvilliers, as it is located in the historic heart of the Champagne vineyards!
Visit Reims region : village of Hautvilliers
Perched on a hill overlooking Epernay, in the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park, Hautvilliers is the birthplace of Dom Pérignon. Cellar master at Hautvilliers Abbey, Dom Pierre Pérignon created a sparkling wine at the end of the 17th century that was highly acclaimed at the court of Louis XIV: the future Champagne! It is to him that we owe the secrets of blending, pressing, bottling, and storage that make Champagne so unique.
You can see his tomb at Hautvilliers Abbey, as well as his silhouette as a monk on many signs throughout the village. I loved all the details in Hautvilliers that remind you of its connection with Champagne: the magnificent signs celebrating wine, Rue du Bacchus, Rue d’Eguisheim, its Alsatian wine-growing cousin… There are even boundary markers for the vineyards bearing famous names such as Moët and Chandon…
Don’t miss a walk south of the village, which will give you a magnificent view of the vineyards and the Marne Valley!
VISIT REIMS REGION: LES FAUX DE VERZY
Another must-see if you’re visiting Reims and its region: the Faux de Verzy! This strange forest is home to rare specimens: twisted beech trees. Verzy has the world’s largest concentration of these amazing trees, with nearly a thousand specimens in the heart of the Montagne de Reims Regional Nature Park.
Small in size, the faux trees have a twisted, dense structure covered by massive foliage that acts as a parasol. They are also known as faux umbrellas!
A three-kilometer forest path has been created to limit access to the trees and protect them. They are as rare as they are fragile! I hope you enjoy this walk as much as I do, which feels like strolling through an enchanted forest! There’s nothing like it to delight young and old alike…
Practical information – Faux de Verzy: free access – 3 km walk
OTHER IDEAS TO VISIT REIMS REGION
The historic center of Reims: don’t miss the pretty city center of Reims if you’re visiting Reims in one day! You’ll discover some beautiful Art Deco architecture. Between the Carnegie Library, the opera house, the Mumm Champagne cellars, and the Halles du Boulingrin, there are many wonderful things to discover. Take a stroll from Place d’Erlon to the beautiful Place Royale, passing by Place du Forum, to discover the historical remains of the city of coronations. You can even step back in time to the Roman period with the Cryptoportique and the Porte de Mars!
Epernay (35 minutes from Reims): Epernay and Reims compete for the title of Champagne Capital, and you’ll see that Epernay has some great assets to defend itself! The superb Avenue de Champagne, lined with prestigious estates, is definitely worth a visit.
Dormans (35 minutes from Reims): this small village nestled in the heart of the Champagne vineyards is home to a memorial commemorating the battles of the Marne in 1914 and 1918. An interesting visit if you are passionate about history.
Coming soon on La Marinière en Voyage…
A getaway to the Calanques of Cassis, a new episode of La Marinière’s favorites, a quick trip to Brittany, but also to Lille… Many discoveries await you soon on the blog! So to make sure you don’t miss a thing, subscribe to the newsletter!
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