Reims is the capital of the Champagne wine region, and is a nice place to spend a day. There is more to see and do than just sip some bubbly although that is a must, too. The center of Reims is small enough that you can enjoy walking to the major sites the following loop is about 4 miles in total. The town of Reims has played a major part in French history, intimately linked to the kings of France.
Clovis was baptized there, Louis the Pious was crowned there in , and beginning in the 11th century, 26 kings of France were crowned within the walls of the Cathedral. We warmly invite you to browse our self-drive tours in Champagne. Before the construction of the actual cathedral, it was the site of numerous religious edifications: Saints Apotres Church 3rd century , Saint Nicaise Cathedral 4th century until when it was destroyed by a fire , and finally in the 13th century, the gothic cathedral we see today.
It was the Saint Nicaise Cathedral that, in , was recognized at the coronation site for the French monarchy. It was here that Joan of Arc succeeded in getting Charles VII crowned in β a very significant act considering that France had been more or less wiped off the map at that time by the English and their allies.
Unfortunately, the cathedral was seriously damaged by shelling during World War I. Multiple restorations have brought the cathedral back to its original beauty, with additions of some stained-glass panels by Marc Chagall, and the famous smiling angel in the north portal of the west facade. Used to host post-coronation banquets, the Palais now hosts a museum containing relics from the cathedral, as well as some statues and tapestries. The Taittinger family has managed the house for over a century.
Reserve your tour in advance via their website. The house has recently been impressively restored and you are free to stroll amongst its beautiful rooms and the garden. The visit is topped off with a glass of champagne. It was here that on May 7th, at am that World War II ended, when the Germans signed the declaration of unconditional surrender.
