April is a beautiful time to visit this town in the Champagne region of France. Only 45 minutes on the high-speed train from Gare d’lest in Paris, or a 2 hour drive, Reims is a perfect place to spend a couple of days away from the big city of Paris. Here is our detailed itinerary.

Day 1:

Arrive on the train.

Hotel: Best Western Premier Hotel De La Paix, 9 Rue Buirette, 51100 Reims, France
This hotel is a 7 minute walk from the train station, and located in the heart of Reims. Cute shops and a variety of eateries are right next to the hotel making it a convenient location. Clean, modern, and well designed. We had a very comfortable stay here.

You’ll want to book champagne tastings in advance online.

Taittinger

We booked the Instant Rose experience. We had a tour in the cellars which are certified as a UNESCO world heritage site. It was followed by a tasting of two of their signature wines: the Brut Reserve and the Prestige Rosé. The customer service was world class and they made us feel so special while we were there. The historic dark caves juxtaposed with the modern bright tasting room was fun to experience.

Ruinart

Ruinart offers a variety of amazing experiences. We booked the Cellar Visit which included a beautiful tour of the chalk cellars, known as crayères, which not only are filled with history and champagne, but also exquisite art on display. Afterward we had lovely guided tasting in a living room setting. This maison was my favorite of the three we visited this weekend. The attention to detail, the contemporary art, and the depth of the caves just blew me away.

Dinner: Brasserie Le Jardin

This was a beautiful dinner experience! There is a choice of a 3 or 4 course menu and it is a great price for the quality of food that is served. It is a Michelin Bib Gourmand in a gorgeous refined yet relaxing setting.

Day 2:

Pommery

Pommery has such a unique vibe compared to the other 2 champagne houses we visited. It’s architecture is that of a whimsical castle full of fantasy and creativity. The grounds are filled with art - including a front lawn of giant sculptures. It is welcoming, witty, and approachable. After a self-guided walk through the immersive, artistically designed cellars, there is a tasting in a lovely garden setting, and then more art! So, even if you don’t like drinking Champagne, this is a fun place to visit just to see the art.

Veuve Cliquot

We learned the word Veuve means “widow”, as this house was named for Madame Cliquot who was a widow and took over the business. We didn’t have a booked tour here, but we went to the gift shop and also sat at the outdoor bar for lunch and had some charcuterie and a champagne tasting. Veuve is a very recognizable brand in California, and the bright yellow brand color is everywhere at the maison.

Epernay Vineyards

We booked a tour through Viator. We had our own private guide named Eric who lives and has a shop in Epernay. He walked us through the vineyards and we had 3 champagnes and 3 gourmet treats (Reims ham - which is so amazingly delicious, Langres cheese, and Reims rose biscuits) that were local to the area. This was a very easy-going and fun walk - although a little bit of a hike so if you book this, be prepared to walk - but highly recommend!

Explore Reims

The rest of the day was spent exploring the city, which includes a visit to the Reims Cathedral, which in my opinion is just as beautiful as the Notre Dame in Paris and wayyyyy less crowded. Another well known stop is the Maison Fossier which sells the rose biscuits that you dip into Champagne - a little touristy, but super fun to bring home to your friends as souvenirs. For a local, easy dinner, we tried a place near the hotel called La Brigade - which serves steak frites in a casual setting that are beyond delicious!

So, in conclusion - go visit Reims!!! It is such a good vibe, and my ideal French vacation.

Weekend in Reims