A Taste of Reims
For my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to visit the Champagne region of France. Mainly because it's: a) within easy driving distance of Brussels, b) what self-proclaimed foodie would pass up an adventure like this, and c) because it's BEAUTIFUL.
I chose the city of Reims as the base for our weekend adventure. It's considered by many to be the capital of the Champagne region since it's one of the largest cities in the area. The city is also home to ten of the world's most renowned champagne houses, not to mention the countless smaller wineries surrounding the countryside along the famed Avenue des Champagnes.
Reims is a relatively small city, and most of its tourism is driven by the big champagne houses . . . and that gets expensive! Luckily, Reims is pretty cool to wander around, and it's totally possible to have a fantastic visit without your wallet running dry. Turns out you can have your champagne and drink it, too!
Here's how to have a taste of Reims without breaking the bank!
Visit at least one of the fancy, big-name champagne houses. We chose to visit Taittinger, which is one of the only houses that doesn't require an appointment for a tour (EDIT: this has changed since our visit in August 2015; Taittinger no longer allows walk-ins). They offer tours in both English and French, and the tour price includes at least one glass of their famous champagne, depending on which tasting package you choose. Naturally, we went for the least expensive option, which was €16 per person for a glass of Brut Réserve after the tour.
Even if it's the only splurge of the trip, it's worth taking a tour at one of the big-name champagne house in Reims or Épernay. Many of these old houses have an incredible history attached to them, literally, like the Gallo-Roman era chalk caves in the Taittinger cellars.
Soak in all the glitz and glamour of the champagne couture while you're there. Savor the tasting at the end; ours was the best champagne we ever had.
Tip: If you're determined to bring home a bottle of bubbly with you, purchase it at the champagne house for the best price. We almost bought a bottle of the Brut Réserve for €17 at Taittinger, but decided to see if we could find a better price in town. We didn't--the price was marked up everywhere else (which, in retrospect, makes sense. Oh well!).
Other popular champagne houses in Reims include Vranken-Pommery, G.H. MUMM, Demoiselle, Veuve Cliquot, Charles de Cazanove, Canard-Duchêne, and others. Make sure to check out the tour appointment process on their websites before you go!
Enjoy the free things around the city, like visiting the amazing cathedral in the city center. The name is a mouthful--Paroisse Notre-Dame Saint-Jacques de Reims, but it's become one of the icons of Reims for good reason (website here). The architecture and stained glass windows are incredible works of art. It reminded me of the opening scenes in Disney's Beauty and the Beast!
At the front door, look up at the angel statues surrounding the front of the cathedral. This guy is super happy you're there!
The Reims city center is a great place to wander around. There's a great shopping area along Rue de Vesle, tons of restaurants on Place Drouet d'Erlon, and even a carousel around the corner on Rue Condorcet!
Tip: If you have a car, there's a free parking lot on Boulevard Foch. It's covered with trees (very zen) and it's an easy walk to the shopping and restaurant areas.
We were lucky enough to catch the Saturday morning market at Halles du Boulingrin after enjoying a quick petit-déjeuner at Au Petit Comptoir across the street. It was so much fun to watch the hustle and bustle of the market and people-watch while enjoying café au lait and fresh viennoiseries. I felt very French, and it made me very happy.
The Saturday market in the Halles du Boulingrin was massive--I wished that we had time to bring home some of that fresh produce! Instead, Josh bought me some birthday roses, which more than made up for it.
Before we left Reims, we stopped in at Maison Fossier, one of the oldest biscuit bakeries in Reims, on the outskirts of the city to pick up some biscuit roses. These delicate, pink, rose-flavored cookies are one of the culinary delicacies of Reims, designed to be eaten with champagne.
Tip: If you're going to bring biscuit roses home to go with your bubbly, make your way to the Maison Fossier store for the best price.
For more information on Reims, check out their tourism website here. The tourism office is located right next to the cathedral in the city center, which is super helpful! Also, there's a free Reims tourism app available for iPhone and Android.