🇫🇷France · Places to discover
What to see in Reims?
20 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Reims defines itself through a constant tension between stone and champagne-the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, a seven-century building project, dominates a city that crowned twenty-six Kings of France and continues to produce its bubbles in caves excavated by the Romans. It's not a museum town: brasseries in the centre sit alongside contemporary art galleries, and locals possess a quiet pride, free of chauvinism.
Spring and early autumn offer the best visiting conditions, with temperate days and the cellars of Maison Ruinart or Taittinger accessible without advance booking for weeks ahead. Two days suffice to cover the essentials without rushing. The train from Paris-Est takes forty-five minutes, making a car unnecessary. Avoid group tastings at the grand houses on the boulevard-inflated prices don't buy a better experience.
Landmarks & heritage
4 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Hôtel de Ville de Reims
A 17th-century Baroque edifice adorned with a bust of Louis XIII on its facade. Its lively square is the beating heart of Reims life, bustling with markets and terraces.
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Landmark
Landmark
Villa Douce – Musée Hôtel Le Vergeur
A medieval and Renaissance manor house with a unique collection of Albrecht Dürer prints of the Apocalypse. An inner courtyard of rare beauty, overlooked by most visitors.
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Landmark
Landmark
Surrender Room
It was in this room at Roosevelt high school that the armistice of 7 May 1945 was signed, ending the Second World War in Europe. A sober and moving museum, preserved as it was.
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Landmark
Landmark
Porte Mars
A 3rd-century Roman triumphal arch, one of the widest in the ancient world. A discreet yet striking relic in the city centre, often overlooked by hurried visitors.
Museums
2 places
5Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Museum
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Reims
Housed in a former Benedictine abbey, it displays a remarkable collection of Flemish paintings and a unique series of 27 portraits by Cranach the Elder. Free admission on the first Sunday of the month.
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Museum
Museum
Museum of the Surrender
Faithful recreation of the room where the armistice was signed on 7 May 1945. A small museum but of rare historical intensity – with intact period maps, furniture and artefacts.
Religious sites
4 places
7Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Religious site
Foujita Chapel
A small chapel entirely built and decorated by Franco-Japanese painter Léonard Foujita in 1966. An intimate and little-known gem, with frescoes of enchanting gentleness.
8Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Religious site
Reims Cathedral
A masterpiece of Rayonnant Gothic where 25 Kings of France were crowned. The Chagall stained glass windows in the apse are worth the journey alone, especially in the late afternoon.
9Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Religious site
Basilica Saint-Remi
An 11th-century Romanesque basilica housing the tomb of Saint Remi, the bishop who baptised Clovis. Less frequented than the cathedral, its interior radiates absolute serenity.
10Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Religious site
Saint-Jacques Church, Reims
Thirteenth-century Gothic church with soaring nave and contemporary stained glass by Simon Vouet. A stop on the Way of St. James, it retains an atmosphere of genuine reverence.
Castles & fortresses
1 place
11Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Castle
Palais du Tau
Former archiepiscopal palace adjoining the cathedral, now an essential museum. Houses the original statues from the façade and the sacre treasure, including the Holy Ampulla.
Nature
1 place
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Nature
Nature
Aisne to Marne Canal Path
Green way following the canal for several kilometres on the outskirts of town. Ideal for cycling to reach the Champagne countryside, away from conventional tourist routes.
Parks & gardens
2 places
13Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Park
Parc de la Patte d'Oie
The green lung of the Clémenceau district, beloved by Reims residents for morning jogging and picnics. Its star-shaped paths lend it the elegant geometry typical of French parks.
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Park
Park
Leo Lagrange Park
Large popular park on the banks of the Vesle with water features and play areas. Families from Reims come here at weekends, away from the bustle of the historic centre.
Activities
4 places
15Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Activity
Reims Planetarium
One of the few public planetariums still active in France, run by the city. Thematic shows are accessible to all and often fully booked – advance booking recommended.
16Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Activity
Taittinger Cellars
Cellars carved into UNESCO-listed Gallo-Roman chalk quarries, among Reims' most beautiful. House Taittinger is one of the rare large houses still family-owned – this shows in the hospitality.
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Activity
Activity
Boulingrin Market
Large Art Deco covered market on Saturday mornings, the essential meeting point for Reims residents seeking local producers, Champagne cheeses and charcuterie. Built in 1929, the building itself is remarkable.
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Activity
Activity
Pommery Caves
19 km of Gallo-Roman galleries converted into champagne cellars, adorned with contemporary art installations. The guided tour is one of the most spectacular in the region, 30 metres underground.
More to discover
2 places
19Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Place
Place Drouet d'Erlon
Lively pedestrian avenue and heart of Reims' nightlife and café culture. The illuminated Subé fountain in the evening makes it an unmissable meeting point for locals.
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Place
Place
Rue du Trésor
Small medieval pedestrian alley hidden behind the cathedral, lined with art galleries and craft workshops. One of the most photogenic and least crowded corners of the historic centre.
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