France
Reims
Coronation cathedral, Christmas market and chalk-cellar champagne houses; 2 nights. Below: 3 sights, 4 bars & cafés and 1 shop, plus how Reims fits into a longer trip.
- Places
- 9
- Curated routes
- 1
- Best season
- Dec – early Jan
- Warmest month
- July
- Coolest month
- January
- Wettest month
- December
3 See · 4 Drink · 1 Shop · 1 Stay
Paris & Reims
from our route notes
25°C / 76°F avg high
5°C / 41°F avg high
about 80 mm rain
Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.
Things to do in Reims
9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.
See
The landmarks we would not skip in Reims across Centre and Saint-Remi. 2 of them are free.
Photo: Tournasol7 · CC BY-SA 4.0SeeReims Cathedral
Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned for centuries, with the Smiling Angel and Chagall windows.
Tip The parvis is lit with trees and lights through the market season.
Photo: Tournasol7 · CC BY-SA 4.0SeePalace of Tau
Former archbishop's palace beside the cathedral, holding coronation treasures and original statues from the facade.
Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0SeeBasilica of Saint-Remi
Romanesque abbey church built around the tomb of Saint Remi, quieter than the cathedral and just as long inside.
Drink
4 bars & cafés across Saint-Nicaise, Centre and Épernay for coffee, a round or a nightcap.
Photo: Victor Grigas · CC BY-SA 4.0DrinkTaittinger
Champagne house whose cellar tour descends into Gallo-Roman chalk pits and the crypt of a medieval abbey.
Tip Book tours ahead; December slots sell out and the house closes on some holidays.
- Drink
Pommery
Estate with Elizabethan-style buildings over 18 km of chalk galleries reached by a 116-step staircase.
Tip Bring a layer; the cellars stay at about 10 C.
Photo: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 4.0DrinkCafé du Palais
Family-run brasserie since 1930 near the cathedral, with an Art Deco glass roof and champagne by the glass.
Photo: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 4.0DrinkAvenue de Champagne
Épernay street of champagne houses including Moët & Chandon, lit up for the Habits de Lumière festival each December.
Tip Épernay is 25 minutes from Reims by TER; the festival runs over one weekend in mid-December.
Shop
1 shop in Centre for browsing and souvenirs.
Photo: Lucas Tabary-Maujean · CC BY-SA 4.0ShopReims Christmas Market
Chalets along Place Drouet d'Erlon and around the cathedral selling crafts, biscuits roses and mulled wine.
Stay
Places to stay in Reims in Saint-Remi.
- Stay
Domaine Les Crayères
Château hotel in a park beside the Pommery and Taittinger cellars, with a long-established gastronomic restaurant.
How to fit Reims into a trip
Reims is stop 2 of 2 on our Paris & Reims route. Follow it as-is or lift Reims into your own plan.
Stop 2 of 2
Paris & Reims
Champs-Élysées lights, champagne cellars, NYE
- Trip length
- 5 days
- Best season
- Dec – early Jan
- Pace
- easy
- Before: Paris
Getting here and onward
- Paris to ReimsParis is about 131 km / 81 mi away in a straight line
Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.
Reims month by month
Average daily highs run from 5°C / 41°F in January to 25°C / 76°F in July. December is the wettest month, with about 80 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.
- Jan5° / 41°F average high, in our recommended season
- Feb7° / 44°F average high
- Mar11° / 51°F average high
- Apr15° / 60°F average high
- May19° / 66°F average high
- Jun22° / 72°F average high
- Jul25° / 76°F average high
- Aug24° / 75°F average high
- Sep21° / 69°F average high
- Oct16° / 60°F average high
- Nov10° / 49°F average high
- Dec6° / 42°F average high, in our recommended season
Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Reims weather and the best time to visit →
Near Reims
8 other destinations from our guides within about 300 km (186 mi), measured in a straight line.
Reims questions, answered
How many days do you need in Reims?
Our route notes suggest 2 nights in Reims. On our Paris & Reims route it is stop 2 of 2 in a 5-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 11 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.
What is Reims best known for?
Coronation cathedral, Christmas market and chalk-cellar champagne houses; 2 nights. Standouts on our list: Reims Cathedral (Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned for centuries, with the Smiling Angel and Chagall windows); Palace of Tau (Former archbishop's palace beside the cathedral, holding coronation treasures and original statues from the facade); Basilica of Saint-Remi (Romanesque abbey church built around the tomb of Saint Remi, quieter than the cathedral and just as long inside).
When is the best time to visit Reims?
Our Paris & Reims route is best Dec – early Jan. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (25°C / 76°F), the coolest in January (5°C / 41°F) and the most rain in December (about 80 mm).
What are the best things to do in Reims?
Start with Reims Cathedral, Palace of Tau and Basilica of Saint-Remi. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 3 sights, 4 bars & cafés, 1 shop and 1 place to stay.
What is near Reims?
The closest destinations in our guides are Paris (about 131 km / 81 mi), Brussels (about 178 km / 111 mi) and Ghent (about 200 km / 125 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.
Plan Reims with your crew
Open the Paris & Reims route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.
Plan around Reims
- France travel hub
- Best Restaurants in France 15 places
- Best Bars & Cafés in France 14 places
- Top Things to Do in France 54 places
- Best Shopping in France 9 places
- Reims weather by month