Reims, nicknamed the City of the Sacred, is a multifaceted city. It has solid assets and deserves to be discovered by tourists: Art Deco heritage, culinary specialities, sports, culture, overall quality of life...
A flamboyant heritage
With 186,505 inhabitants at the end of 2015, Reims is part of an urban community of 298,000 inhabitants and 143 municipalities, the Greater Reims region. The urban community, led by Catherine Vautrin, and the city of Reims, managed by Arnaud Robinet, showcases its heritage. Historically, Reims is closely linked to the coronation of the Kings in the Cathedral and to the two World Wars. Also worth noting is the proximity of Chemin des Dames and Verdun. The city also benefits from a particularly welcome lighting with several mythical sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, via two ensembles. First, the Cathedral, the Palais du Tau and the former Abbey of Saint-Remi and then the Coteaux, Caves and Maisons de Champagne. To protect and enhance its heritage, the city of Reims regularly calls for sponsorship. 180 companies have already supported this last ambitious sponsorship and it is well on its way to continue. Among the original artistic creations, let us mention the lighting show of the Cathedral and Basilica of Saint Rémy, whose first screening is scheduled for 2018. Among the monuments saved by the patronage, let us also mention the Porte de Mars and the Saint-Maurice district church
To revitalize the territory of Reims, the mayor and the president have provided the square in front of the Cathedral with an imposing and magnificent tourist office. Package offers have been set up and linked to the city's key events, such as the Musical Strollers or the Christmas Market. Many original activities to discover the city are also available. Finally, the Reims City Pass and wine tourism have become essential. The Pass allows you, over 1, 2 or 3 days, to benefit from visits to the Tourist Office, museums and promotions on visits to cellars, certain restaurants or shops. Concerning wine tourism, the aim is to highlight the diversity of the vineyard by discovering its different grape varieties.
What touches first and foremost when you discover the City of the Sacred is the richness of its heritage. Cultural, gastronomic, sporting, associative, but also architectural. Reims has a rich Art Deco heritage, particularly because of the ravages of the Great War, that of 14-18. Indeed, during this period, the bombardments reduced almost all the houses of the time to ashes and it was necessary to rebuild everything. Even recently renovated buildings generally retain the charm of old Art Deco buildings at a higher level. The Carnegie Library, Cours Langlet and the Opera, in particular, are prestigious examples. Except for this Art Deco period, among the essential buildings of the City of the Sacred, we find, among others, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame (and its angel with a smile), the Basilica of Saint-Remi (without accent!), the Oppidum of Durocortorum (the Porte de Mars), the Cryptoportic (also dating from the Roman era, it also has a magnificent underground gallery), the Subé Fountain (majestic and recently restored)... About fifteen exceptional sites, which are the delight of both Remois and tourists.
Reims is also a city known for its gastronomy. There are (very) good restaurants waiting for you, some of which are run by renowned chefs, such as Philippe Mille (les Crayères), Arnaud Lallement (l'Assiette Champenoise) or Kazuyuki Tanaka (Racine restaurant). As for local specialities, there are also must-see attractions, such as the famous biscuit factory Fossier, whose factory you can visit. The opportunity to discover the process of making their cakes and to taste raspberry croquignoles, a delicious gingerbread pear, marzipan and many other delicacies, not to mention the essential pink biscuit... to dip in champagne! Moreover, you should know that Reims is home to many champagne houses and their cellars. And with each visit is proposed a tasting
The city of (almost) all sports
On the sports side, the city benefits from a variety of activities. Football, handball (especially women's), basketball, rowing, mountain biking, running, boxing, jumping, Nordic walking... On the football side, after a few years of difficulty, the return to Ligue 1 of the Reims stadium is on the horizon. The city also has athletics associations that include real enthusiasts and allow you to discover atypical sports such as Nordic walking or the Trail des Tordus. Among their most media-friendly members is champion Yohann Diniz. It must be said that the city is historically sporting, it is notably the city of Raymond Kopa. And every year, major sporting events take place, such as the historic Monte-Carlo Rally, Run in Reims... Finally, among the major sporting events expected in Reims, we must of course talk about the Women's World Cup, which will be held here in 2019 since Reims is one of the host cities.
Culture, the other spearhead of the Reims region
Reims is also a city with a strong cultural bias. Many scenes exist in the City of the Sacred and on the outskirts. This is how the Comedy and the Armoury are followed by colourful creations! In the spacious premises of the Cartonnerie, the programming gives pride of place to local artists, not to mention current heavy goods vehicles. For comedians and atypical shows, it is at the cabaret le K, in Tinqueux, that you will have to go. If you prefer books and quiet places, go to the Jean-Falala Media Library, whose panoramic room has a magnificent view of the cathedral. Then there are the museums, which will open your mind and heart to history with the Museum of Surrender, the Museum Hotel le Vergeur or the Fort de la Pompelle, among others. And then, in recent months, a space has opened its doors: the Treasury. This place, next to the cathedral, is the meeting place for all culture lovers. An info-culture point, a space dedicated to the extension of the Fine Arts Museum and the painter Foujita, these are some of the nuggets that await you there. Finally, in terms of events, there is a square at the Christmas Market in winter, at the foot of the cathedral. While in summer, it is the turn of the Magnificent Society, the Strolling Music to bewitch us.
A forward-looking green city
To overcome the pollution problems, the city has put a lot of emphasis on nature and there are many parks. Whether you want to stroll around, rest or play a sport, there is room for all these activities! Along the canal, the mythical Coulée verte allows walkers, runners and cyclists to practice their favourite activity. The parks and gardens are so well flowered that Reims has just been rewarded again!
The city is also known for its student life and for opening prestigious schools, such as Neoma (ex-RMS) and Sciences Po Campus de Reims. On the employment side, Reims is well placed at the regional level. The city has also set up the Civic Service for some time. There are also employment support associations, a Studyrama future forum, a Forum Jobs at the Auguste-Delaune stadium and a local integration charter. Finally, the city is part of a strong economic development policy and several commercial zones have flourished, from Champéa to Thillois to the recent Reims Village, and the development of fibre in Greater Reims also allows for significant progress. In short, Reims is a city that has been able to react and move forward with its time, to satisfy its tourists and inhabitants even more.
Smart info
When? When? You can come all year round: there is always something to see and do.
Getting there. By plane (30 minutes by TGV from Roissy and 40 minutes by car from Paris-Vatry), by train (45 minutes from Paris by TGV), by car (A4 and A26) or by bus, everything is possible.
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