Travel with Rebecca

We traveled to Paris in November 2022 and we wanted to take a day trip to another city. We chose Reims because it was easily accessible by high speed rail and had plenty to do in the city center. Reims is well known as one of the main cities in the Champagne region. We were able to see so much in one day and we found that November was the perfect time of year because there were very few crowds. Keep in mind, you might not be able to get so much done during the busier season. We chose to walk around the city. You can likely get to places a bit more efficiently if you have a car or take taxis. There is also some public transportation available. 

Our itinerary for the day was as follows: 

1. Train to Reims– We took an early morning train to Reims. The train left from Gare de l’Est station at 7:39 AM. The total trip time was only about 45 minutes. There were later options available but the trip times were longer and some required transfers. We also wanted to take advantage of the time that we had in the city. This was our first high speed train in Europe. We enjoyed seeing some of the countryside and found the ride to be smooth and comfortable. We opted for first class tickets because it was only a few dollars extra but the economy option also seemed nice.
2. Stop by La Porte De Mars– Upon arriving in Reims Station, we walked a few minutes to an old Roman ruin. It was a quick stop on the way and interesting to see a piece of the past. Nearby, there is a Reims sign that is also fun stop for a quick photo.
3. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims– Our next stop was the Notre- Dame de Reims. We really loved seeing the amazing cathedral with tons of history. It was especially special because we weren’t able to go into Notre Dame in Paris due to the ongoing construction. The Cathedral was once used to crown the kings of France. 
4. Musée Automobile Reims Champagne– We had some time before our first champagne tasting. We stopped in the automobile museum when they opened at 10 AM. If you are into unique cars in a simple setting, this might be worth a stop. We were the only people in the museum and were able to complete our visit in about 1 hour.
5. Basilique Saint-Remi– If you are nearby, it is worth stopping in the Baqilique Saint-Remi. It is a much different style than Notre-Dame. The architecture was very unique and the basilica houses the remains of Saint Remi.
6. Tasting #1- G.H. Martel– G.H. Martel is one of the smaller producers in the region. Their main facility is located in Epernay but they have the Reims location for cave tours and tastings. We were lucky to be the only people that signed up for the tour. Our tour guide was great and started by taking us down to the caves. The caves were originally used as chalk mines and later discovered to be the perfect spot to age the champagne. Reims has a lot of history with WW1. French soldiers often used the caves to rest. There were remnants of songs and poems on the walls of the caves that soldiers wrote during the war. We were able to have a guided tasting of 3 champagnes. Our favorite was the extra brut.
7. Lunch at Le Réfectoire– Before our 2nd tasting and tour, we stopped at the on-site restaurant at Pommery. We really enjoyed the colorful pop art atmosphere. We both enjoyed our meals and had great service.
8. Tasting #2- Pommery– Pommery is one of the older champagne houses and is situated on a grand castle like estate. The cave tour was self guided. Be prepared to download the app and have headphones to listen to the guide. This cave tour was completely different. Part of the tour focuses on the champagne production process. The other part focuses on the many art installations in the caves. It was a great experience and we were able to travel the caves at our own pace. Following the tour, we tried two champagnes. If you are looking for a guided experience, this might not be the champagne house to try. The added art installations and large caves made the experience worth it to us.
9. Center of Reims– Following the tasting, we walked back into the center of Reims. We ended up having a lot of time between the tasting and our train back. Our return train was at 5:14 p.m. so we stopped at a few local pubs. The center of the city has plenty of shops and restaurants to explore. 

A few spots that we weren’t able to hit were:

1. Musée de la Reddition- Museum commemorating the end of World War II in Europe at the actual site of surrender.
2. Trésors de Champagne- Champagne bar and store near the train station. It seems perfect for one last tasting!