Past Issues:
Travel with the Wine Skinny --
Reims & Champagne
A quick 90 minutes east of
Paris by train, Reims is a great place to
spend a few days (or more!). Be sure you
pick a few days during the week, as most
of the champagne houses only offer tours
and tastings during the week. Maybe by the
time you get there, all the champagne houses
will have recovered from the New Year!
 A
map is always a good starting place. This
one is from Virtual
Travel - Eastern France, where you'll
find some good information on the whole
region.
Reims is a beautiful city.
The cathedral is a must-see, not that you
could miss it. They say that champagne is
better the closer it is made to the cathedral
in Reims. Makes sense to me -- it's an incredible
place. All the more so because it was planned,
started, and finished in one 100 year period.
Within walking distance of
the cathedral are many of the heavy hitters
in the champagne biz: Krug, Lanson, G.H.
Mumm, Piper-Heidsieck,
Pommery, Taittinger, and Veuve
Clicquot. That ought to take up a day
or two! Check out our facts at the end of
this article for contact information and
tours and tastings info.
Other noteworthy sights in
Reims are the Automobile Museum, Place Royale,
the Saint Remi Museum and Basilica, the
Foujita Chapel, and the War Room where the
Axis Powers surrendered on May 7, 1945.
 June
through August is festival season in Reims.
Les Flaneries Musicales d'Ete, their summer
music festival, is wonderful. Mostly free
concerts in all the right places -- the
Cathedral, the Palais du Tau, the Saint
Remi Basilica and the cloister, among many
others.
Food in Reims is generally
excellent, as you might expect. My best
advice is to ask locals -- especially anyone
you strike up a conversation with at a champagne
house -- for recommendations. My favorite
place was the Café du Palais. Right in the
middle of things (14 place Myron-Herrick),
with great people watching outdoor tables,
and do not miss the Oeufs a la Neige (snow
eggs) poofy dessert. Also really liked Brasserie
Le Boulingrin (48 rue de Mars), especially
the oysters. Oysters and champagne in Champagne
-- heaven!
There are plenty of hotels
to choose from, you'll just have to let
your budget dictate your choice. On one
end, there's the Holiday Inn Garden Court
(46 rue Buirette, (03.3.26) 47.56.00), which
is perfectly fine. At the far other extreme,
there's Hôtel Les Crayères/Gérard Boyer
(64 boulevard Henry-Vasnier, (03.3.26) 82.80.80),
the best of the best in luxury in the city.
A nice middle choice might be the Grand
Hôtel des Templiers (22 rue des Templiers,
(03.3.26) 88.55.08), and it's close to the
champagne houses!
Krug
5 rue Coquebert, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 84.44.20
Free, but hard to get in here. Fax to (011)
(33.3.26) 84.44.49, about a month in advance,
and ask for an appointment. Good luck!
Lanson
12 boulevard Lundy, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 78.50.50
Tastings available M-F, before and after
lunch. Cost is $4.25 per person.
G.H.
Mumm
34 rue de Champ de Mars, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 49.59.70
Tastings available M-F, before and after
lunch. Cost is $4.25 per person.
Piper-Heidsieck
51 boulevard Henry Vasnier, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 84.43.44
Self-guided tours and tastings available
M-F, before and after lunch. Cost is $6
per person.
Pommery
5 place du Général Gourand, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 61.62.63
Tours & tastings by appointment only.
Cost is $7 per person.
Taittenger
99 place St.-Nicaise, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 85.45.35
Tastings available M-F (weekends too, March
to November) before and after lunch. Cost
is $4.25 per person.
Veuve
Clicquot
12 rue du Temple, Reims
(011) (33.3.26) 89.54.41
Free tours & tastings, Monday through
Saturday, 10:30am, 2:30pm, and 4:30pm.
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