Where to stay in Reims
| Area | Best for | Price level | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Station and place Drouet-d'Erlon | Arriving by train, restaurants, small budgets | € to €€ | Pedestrian street, lively in the evening |
| Cathedral | Cathedral views, the historic centre | €€ to €€€ | The most practical for sightseeing on foot |
| Saint-Nicaise, near the Champagne houses | Cellars on foot, peace and quiet | €€€€ | About 30 minutes' walk from the station |
How to get there from Paris
- By train: direct TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est to Reims station (city centre), about 45 minutes. Be careful not to book Champagne-Ardenne TGV, an out-of-town station. There are also slower TER trains (about 2 hours).
- By car: about 145 km on the A4 (toll), roughly 1 h 45. Not needed in town, except for the vineyard route. Do not drive after tastings.
- Getting around: the station, place Drouet-d'Erlon and the cathedral are all within 15 minutes' walk of each other; trams and buses reach the Champagne-house district.
The 2-day plan
Day 1: the cathedral and the cellars
- Morning: Notre-Dame cathedral, where the kings of France were crowned, then the neighbouring Palais du Tau, which holds the coronation treasure. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites, together with the Basilica of Saint-Remi.
- Lunch: around the Halles du Boulingrin market hall or place du Forum.
- Afternoon: visit a Champagne house in the Saint-Nicaise district (Taittinger, Pommery, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart and others), going down into the crayères, cellars carved into the chalk and listed by UNESCO. Book ahead: Saturday slots go fast.
- Evening: dinner on place Drouet-d'Erlon, and Reims pink biscuits to take home.
Day 2: Épernay or the vineyards
- Without a car: TER from Reims to Épernay (about half an hour), then the Avenue de Champagne and its houses. Back to Reims or straight to Paris.
- Guided option: a half day in a small group through the vineyards and at growers', with nobody having to drive (see below).
- Late afternoon: the Basilica of Saint-Remi if you have not seen it, then the TGV home.
A Champagne tour to book
This small-group half day from Reims lasts about 4 hours, with 8 guests at most: cellar visits, the Abbey of Hautvillers where Dom Pérignon worked, and six tastings, by minivan with pickup on place de la Gare in Reims. It was listed at around $187 per person on reseller sites in October 2026: check today's price. It is the right format if nobody wants to drive. For the full day from Paris, see our comparison Champagne from Paris: which tour?.
Six hotels by budget
| Hotel | Budget | Where | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&B HOTEL Reims Centre Gare | Budget | Next to the station | Tight budgets, arriving by train |
| Brit Hotel Aux Sacres Reims Centre | Budget | City centre | Tight budgets, walk everywhere |
| Best Western Hotel Centre Reims | Mid-range | Place Drouet-d'Erlon, facing the station | No car (no parking) |
| Best Western Premier Hôtel de la Paix | Mid-range to upscale | Rue Buirette, city centre | Indoor pool, couples or families |
| La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa | Upscale | Facing the cathedral | Spa, cathedral views |
| Domaine Les Crayères | Luxury | Boulevard Henry-Vasnier, near the Champagne houses | A special occasion, a great restaurant |
- Budget: the B&B HOTEL Reims Centre Gare is a few dozen metres from the station; the Brit Hotel Aux Sacres is right in the centre and well rated for its location.
- Mid-range: the Best Western Hotel Centre Reims is on place Drouet-d'Erlon, facing the station, with no parking; the Best Western Premier Hôtel de la Paix has a heated indoor pool and parking to book ahead.
- Upscale: La Caserne Chanzy faces the cathedral and has a spa; Domaine Les Crayères, a château in a park at the foot of the Champagne houses, is the most prestigious address in Reims.
Compare all hotels in central Reims: prices rise during big events and the year-end weekends.
When to go
- All year: the cellars stay at a constant temperature, so the visit works in any weather.
- September: the harvest, the vineyards at their best; some houses are busier.
- December: Christmas market at the foot of the cathedral and a festive mood; book your hotel early.
Read next
- More destinations: our 12 weekend getaways from Paris by train.
