A short stay in Reims, France

I was going to suggest you do a search of the forum for information. There was a recent post looking for ideas for wineries to tour in Reims. Heck, if I could find it. Honestly, the search function is not particularly friendly. Still, it is worth searching on a few key words.

If you like wine/champagne you can tour some of the wine houses located right in Reims. It is a good idea to book tours prior to arrival.

The cathedral is amazing. Close to the cathedral is an excellent TI. They can provide maps, brochures and great ideas. We asked them for a place to taste in town and they suggested Tresors de Champagne which is close to the train station. If you like champagne, or just want to taste and learn more (champagne/sparkling is not our favorite type of wine) I highly recommend this shop. They will construct a tasting of glasses from smaller, local champagne houses, or just pour a glass or glasses based on your preferences. The staff was very knowledgeable and offered a lot of information without pretense.

The TI also provided us with a map and walking tour. Reims is a pretty city.

We had a car so we drove the Champagne Wine route. The smaller villages are charming.

The RS guide for France does have a chapter on Reims.

Cathedral, visit to a Champange house, Museum of the Surrender.

I did a 3-night stay back in June. I am not into the caves---didn't go to one---and still had a lovely time. I stayed at the Holiday Inn downtown which was lovely and had a rooftop restaurant where breakfast is also taken. I recommend Reims very much.

mjspittel,
MJ hit the nail on the head. The cathedral, especially, is beautiful. This is where nearly every king of France was crowned! If you are in Paris, the St. Denis cathedral is where many of them are interred. Nice bookends for a single trip! The Museum of the Surrender and a champagne house tour complete the main package for Reims. Enjoy!

OOps! TC not MJ.

Hi,
My two cents: I was there in February, 2023, and did a day trip from Paris. I really enjoyed the Cathedral and some champagne tasting (both of which are musts), and Eglise San Remi. The Surrender Museum was closed on the day I visited and the Porte de Mars, the Palace du Tao, and the MFA were all under construction. Still the cathedral and San Remi were worth the trip.

@Judy -- Have been called a lot worse, but we wont get into that.

Well obviously visit a Champagne cellar. We enjoyed Taitinger but there are many. The Cathedral. Basilica St. Remy. The WWI Museum of Surrender.

I also took the train to Epernay for a half-day, in addition to all the above suggestions (I had the better part of 2 days with a 1-night stay). I toured Tattinger and Martel in Reims and Mercier in Epernay. All the tours cover the basics of the "champagne method" but each is mostly about the history of the family founders, each very different and very interesting. Tattinger was the stingiest with tastings, but to be fair they poured some of their best wines. Martel was the most generous and all inclusive, in Mercier you could order as many flights as you wanted at very reasonable prices. Take something warm to wear. The caves are chilly and damp.

There were two TI's (2015), a small one at the train station and the main one at the cathedral (literally a part of the cathedral). There they helped me find and book same-day available tours. It was mid-week in April so there weren't a lot of tourists. In August you may need to book days in advance.

We visited at the beginning of October, 2023, and should have booked wineries a month in advance if not more.

It sounds like the main TI has moved. It is across from the cathedral main entrance in its own building. You won't miss it, it's big.