Ally Will
May 11, 2020
Reims is in the Grand Est region of France, a 45 minute train ride from Paris. Tourists flock to the city for its well-known champagne and large gothic cathedral. With approximately 182,000 residents, it is relatively small, and many stores are closed on Sundays. However, with great museums, Champagne houses, nature and food, there are still many exciting things to do in this beautiful French city!
Historical Landmarks and Museums in Reims
Perhaps one of the city’s biggest and most well-known historical landmarks is gothic monument, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, where approximately 30 French kings were coronated between 1027 and 1825. This Roman Catholic cathedral is located in the heart of town and was built in the 13th century on the remains of the ancient cathedral that had burnt down in 1210.
The cathedral is 150m long, its towers are 81m tall, and it is embellished with 2,303 statues, including the famous Smiling Angel. The Smiling Angel’s head fell four meters and broke into pieces at the beginning of World War I, when a German shell hit and set fire to the cathedral. The statue was used by French propaganda at the time as a symbol of German barbarity. The smiling Angel was restored and put back on the Cathedral in 1926. Since 2001, the cathedral is lit up each night in Summer, with a dazzling light show.
Just behind is the Henri Deneux Garden which visitors can walk through to get a different view of the Cathedral and right next to it, is the Palais du Tau. This was the former residence of the Archbishops of Reims and now serves as a museum. It shows objects used in coronations at the cathedral, such as Charlemagne's talisman from the 9th century and Saint Remi's chalice from the 12th century, and the Sainte-Ampoule which is a flask containing the holy oil that new kings were anointed with in the coronation ceremony.
The Basilique Saint-Remi is even older than the Cathedral. It was built on the site of Clovis’ baptism and was dedicated to St. Remi who baptized Clovis. The basilica holds the tomb of Saint-Remi who was buried in 553. Several royal figures are also buried in unidentified tombs in the basilica. After Clovis king of the Franks was baptized in Reims, King Henry I appointed Reims as the chosen city for coronating French kings in 1027. Visitors can put 2 euros in a slot inside to light up the basilica for 15 minutes.
Car lovers can visit the Musée Automobile Reims Champagne located in the center of town, which has the 5th largest vehicle collection in France. It was founded in 1985 by Philippe Charmonneaux, and is home to over 200 cars and motorbikes from 1908 to today. If you’re really into history visit the Musée de la Reddition closeby, which displays the room where the Germans surrendered in WWII and where the reddition document was signed, there is also a video to explain how the surrender took place (Entry costs 5 euros). Surrounding Reims is the “Fort de la Pompelle.” It was built to protect the city during World War I. Today it is a place of remembrance and has a unique collection of German helmets, which can only be found in Champagne, uniforms, and everyday objects used by soldiers on both sides in the war.
Leaving the center of town, for peaceful time outside, you can enjoy nature at the park Léo-Legrange. It is in the Courlancy district, next to Auguste-Delaune stadium. In the middle is a large body of water with ducks, surrounded by walking paths where you can cross locals walking their dogs or with their families on a Sunday. It is the largest park in Reims and filled with greenery and a great place to go on a Sunday, whether it’s for a picnic or a solo jog with beautiful scenery. There is also a kids’ playground in Léo-Legrange, that includes a climbing structure, carousel, and three different skate ramps for bikes, skateboards and scooters.
In the heart of the Champagne region
For a sparkling wine to truly be Champagne, it must be from the Champagne region and Reims is in the heart of it. The city boasts many different Champagne houses, most of which are closed on Sundays. However, G.H. Martels and Maison de Champagne Vranken-Pommery are open to visitors on this day!
The Parc de Champagne alongside the Vesle river leads to the Champagne Pommery estate. It has more than 21.6 hectares of greenery. The park includes two basketball courts, a tree climbing area, play areas for young children, fitness area, and two ping pong tables. A new fitness trail was also added to the park in February 2020. It has different events and activities throughout the year that include puzzles, nature walks, gardening, horse racing and cultural competitions, egg hunts for Easter, and picnic concerts!
Domaine Pommery itself dates back to the early 1800s and today produces more than 500,000 cases of Champagne each year. A tour begins in the Elizabethan mansion with ancient Roman chalk caves and the amazing art collection of Madame Pommery. Visitors descend 30 meters to the famous caves by a grand staircase, lit by chase lighting which moves up the cave, guiding visitors in or out. The caves can be visited with or without a guide. Group tours are led by English or French speaking guides, and conclude with tastings of a variety of samples of Pommery’s famous bubbly. Tours range from 20 to 35 euros.
Family-run Champagne house G.H. Martel & Co, founded in 1869, offers a more intimate tour. A very knowledgeable guide takes small groups of visitors 22 meters underground to visit the medieval chalk quarries which were dug between the 4th and 15th centuries. Guests are encouraged to actually touch and rotate the bottles. This is to help them understand “riddling”. This is an intricate process and traditional method that involves giving a sharp quarter-turn to the bottles to help consolidate the sediment after the Champagne’s second fermentation. Following the tour of the caves, guests enjoy a tasting of 3 G.H. Martel & Co Champagnes with help from the guide to understand the various grapes and flavors they are enjoying. The prices of tours vary from 17 to 30 euros.
Local Cuisine and Leisurely Activities
When in Reims you have to visit one of the local boulangeries. La Cave à Pains is a great little bakery where many locals go to buy their fresh baguettes for the day. They have a variety of pastries to offer, such as a large butter croissant for only 1€ or pain au chocolat for 1€5. This boulangerie is open all Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. so if you need a little treat in the middle of the day and struggle as many food places are closed, this is a great place for you to visit. If you want a little more than regular coffee, check out the Ron Ron Café! It’s a cozy place where customers can relax with a cup of coffee in the company of cats. The animals, who are available for adoption, wander freely around the room.
Some of the best food options in Reims include Pizza Sarda and L’instanbul. Pizza Sarda is an intimate and authentic Italian family restaurant open from 12-2pm and 7-10:30pm. The interior of the restaurant represents the caves typical of the champagne region. It is a local favorite where the owner greets all guests and can even be seen sitting down and enjoying a glass of wine with them. You’ll feel as if you’re dining in a friend’s home! L’instanbul is a great option if you’re craving flavorful Turkish food. It is open from 11am-12am and offers large kebabs and plates for a great price that can be either eaten in the restaurant or taken to-go.
Other great things to do on a Sunday in Reims are to see a movie or go out for a drink. Cinéma Opéraims à Reims is a new modern movie theatre with amazing sound quality that features releases both in the original language and dubbed in French. For nightlife, people should go to the Place d’Erlon which has a more lively atmosphere. You can find people at bars such as La Bodega or L’Ernest Hemingway, that are favorites with students from the surrounding universities.
Fight the urge to spend Sunday inside, and explore Reims instead. Whether it’s for the Champagne houses, parks, or the Cathedral, get out of bed and go visit the city.
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