Travel to the French regions
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This month: Reims and its Champagne
Reims and the life-size Champagne
As soon as you put your luggages down, you already feel that in Reims, Champagne is everywhere. It is the sparkling drink of choice for lovers, friends and parties. Here, it is much more than a drink for special occasions. It is a whole universe, combining the luxury of the greatest Champagne houses, the majesty of their cellars, the splendour of the Champagne vineyards and the authenticity of a meeting with the winegrowers.
In any case, we can only encourage you to visit one of the houses located on the site of St. Nicaise Hill, one of the three sites of the inscription of the Landscapes of Champagne on the UNESCO World Heritage list. What a surprise to discover their immense chalk cathedrals where millions of bottles lie dormant. At the end of the visits, the tasting will allow you to savour the flagship cuvée of the House before perhaps passing by the shop.
If you can, select at least two. The dilemma will then be to choose which ones.
De Cazanove, Lanson, G.H. Mumm, G.H. Martel, Pommery.... you certainly have a particular attachment or fondness for one of these names.
THE GRAND REIMS : HAUTVILLERS
The Champagne village par excellence
If there is a place where the word Champagne takes on its full meaning, it is at Hautvillers, a typical Champagne village whose hillsides are listed as a UNESCO world heritage Site.
Hautvillers is the birthplace of Champagne. It was there that a certain Dom Pérignon perfected the Champagne method, which made Champagne wine the king of wines.
The Tourist Office offers two guided electric bike tours of the historic hillsides listed as a the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In order to enjoy the sunshine, you may opt for the Dom Pérignon Pedestal circuit. This 3 km route reveals Hautvillers on the vineyard side, on the valley side. You will come across the abbey church of Dom Pérignon, where the famous monk, the father of champagne according to tradition, is buried.
Then, between two vineyard paths, a photo break is an absolute necessity. At the most famous viewpoint of the Marne Valley, the Dom Pérignon belvedere, at the beginning of the vertiginous descent towards the river. You only have to pass through the city gates to the south to find yourself in a sea of vines, which covers the hillsides of the Montagne de Reims.
Many winegrowers and cooperatives open their doors, mainly during the week, and present their work with passion, from the work of the vine to the stages of the transformation of Champagne. You can feel in their words the love they have for their land and their family heritage. These authentic encounters will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable moments of your trip.
TASTE AWARD-WINNING DISHES
A visit to the cellars of the great Champagne Houses is of course a must for any stay in Reims, but so is a reservation for a good meal.
Reims loves gastronomy and this is reflected in the food. The Grand Reims has 10 Michelin stars :
The Champagne Plate of Arnaud Lallement -3 stars
The Domaine des Crayères of Philip Mille -2 stars
Root of Kazuyuki Tanaka -2 stars
The Foch of Jacky Louazé - 1 star
The Great Deer of Dominique Giraudeau-1 star
Millennium of Hervé Raphanel - 1 star
Would you like to taste this sparkling cuisine? Remember to book your meal well in advance of your arrival as some tables require months of waiting or call KER DE FRANCE and we will help you.
CATHEDRALS OF REIMS
Unravel the mysteries of one of the most important cathedrals in history : the place of coronation of French kings.
Greet the smiling angel, emblem of the City of Consecrations: a royal visit awaits you!
The Gothic cathedral has been on the Unesco World Heritage List since 1991, along with the former Saint-Rémi abbey and the Tau Palace.
From an artistic point of view, Notre-Dame de Reims is one of the most admirable of the great Gothic cathedrals, but from the point of view of national history, it also played an essential role. It was in the original cathedral that Bishop St Remi baptised Clovis on Christmas Day 498 (or 496) and for this reason, from Louis VII onwards, all the kings of France, with the exception of Henry IV and Louis XVIII, were crowned there. The last coronation was that of Charles X (1825).
The cathedral was largely destroyed during the First World War and has been rebuilt.
The cathedral's treasure is kept in the Tau Palace, which once housed the former archiepiscopal palace.
NOW LET'S TRAVEL TO THE GRAND REIMS
You have a question about REIMS or the CHAMPAGNE Houses, feel free to go to the Tourist Office of the Grand Reims' website.
See you soon in France! The Team of KER DE FRANCE
