We highly recommend service of Mr Thompson, we had chance to meet him, he is was very patient and helpful with his clients. He is truly mastering his subject about ww1 and ww2.
He is proposing among other tours a visit of Reims. Historical tour with Dr Thompson
He his proposing taylor made tours in Europe, he may take care of you for one or more days and share his knowledge and pasion for history. Dr Thompson biopic
The light show created for the 800th aniversary of Notre dame Cathedral in Reims will be displayed again this year from June to September.
This impressive show has attracted up to 10000 persons per night in 2011.
The Cathedral is litteraly painted again like it may have been centuries ago. It is very impressive to have this 87m high monument shining at night.
Here are some photos I have taken last year:
Enjoy a stay in our charming B&B in Reims town centre.
Reims city has decided extend the period while the light show on the Cathedral will be displayed. This show was highly appreciated as there have been up to 12000 persons watching it same time and even on rainy days it had more than 500 persons.
It is one of these events that is memorable and is a great ambassador of Reims city all over the world. Imagine a live show displayed on a 87 m high Cathedral front, literally painting it again like it may have been in the past.
It ll be shown again at nightfall during Reims Christmas market: from November 25th until December 31st.
If you like know more about the author of this light show: Skertzò or Reims Cathedral
- In November : 25, 26 et 27 at 18h00
- In december :
2, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30 et 31 at 18h00
On 3rd and 4th the show will happen at 19h30
On December 24th it will be displayed at 17h00 and 22h00
The show lasts 25 min and is followed by a static image for 5 minutes.
Book ‘Les Telliers’ B&B in Reims centre
Reims christmas market will start again on November 25th, please check these websites to discover all events related to Reims Christmas market in 2011
Noels de Champagne : A way of cribs will cross the vineyards. About 40 towns and villages invite you to discover many cribs of different sizes and origins, through greedy exhibitions. Choirs, orchestras, Christmas markets and villages, typical animations will paved this happy and magic way.
Féeries de Champagne in Epernay are particularly appreciated, please check Epernay tourist office for more information (not updated yet)
In Reims the Christmas market is very appreciated, it is composed of more than 150 stalls, an ice ring, and has many events from last week of November until New Year’s Eve.
See details in these websites:
animation and trading association website
Reims destination Noel (not updated for 2011 yet)
Reims tourist office Reims is a destination for Christmas with a host of festive and cultural events from late November to late January: Christmas village, various exhibitions, concerts, illuminations.
Christmas program of events in Reims for 2011
Whether you have a car or not it is recommended to spent at least half a day exploring regional park and drive along Champagne route.
There are many hidden places,old villages surrounded by vineyards, curiosities or historic places. And most of all you may stop and visit one of the 5000 family Champagne producer working in the Champagne area.
Here are some map extracts:
Please check Champagne Ardennes region website to get more information about Champagne route and its touristic sites.
They have recently added audio podcasts that illustrate many places on Champagne route (available in French English or German) so you may prepare an audio guide tour on Champagne route …
If you don’t travel by car then you may visit Reims vicinity with a private company:
They propose Champagne tours starting either from Reims or Epernay, they may pick you at the B&B.
The tour lasts between 3 and 4 hours and ends in local Champagne producer cellar with a tasting.
You will share a 6 to 8 van with other tourist or wine amateurs (it may be also a private tour on demand), all these tours are in French or English. (the persons we have met were fluent in English)
All the guests we have sent on these tours were really pleased and even some said it was their best part of their trip France ! They especially appreciated the visit to a local producer, which is a very different experience from the visit proposed by the major Champagne brands. These visits have a human dimension, you ll meet a wine maker with rough hands and painful back instead of an elegant hostess.
Cris events (Reims or Epernay, 40 Euro en 2011 for 4 hours, also proposing bike tours)
La vigne du Roy (Reims, 35 Euro in 2011 for 3 hours)
Champagne Domi Moreau (Epernay, we just know the website and have’nt been in contact with them)
Here is a photo selection a of places around Reims that you may discover on the Champagne route :
On the French version of Reims tourist office website you’ll find events calendar for the following months.
The English part of the website doesn’t show these documents just recall the main events in Reims city (which are many)
Once you have downloaded these documents you ‘ll have to have notions of French or use internet tools to translate them.
Here is a link to the calendar events section: link
August 2011 events calendar for Reims
September 2011 events calendar for Reims
These versions have been downloaded early in August but may have been updated meantime. Please get them from the tourist office in Reims. December 2011 is published so you may already check events related to Christmas market events and animations in Reims.
I recently made Ruinart Champagne cellar tour in Reims and really loved it.
The building above the ground is interesting but the cellars are even more attractive.
Ruinart cellars are based on Roman chalk pits which are about 70 meter deep.
Dom Ruinart bought these chalk mines in the 18th century and since then Ruinart is storing Champagne bottles in tunnels connecting these chalk excavations. .
They store millions bottles in there (they are very secretive about quantities).
The person in charge of our tour did a nice job, recalling history of the brand and giving notions of elaboration of Champagne.
But that is not the main interest of this Champagne tour, what we really appreciated was that we experienced a memorable instant during the tasting.
Not only because of the Champagne quality: we were served R de Ruinart 94 and Ruinart rosé 95
We simply spent a nice moment around Champagne, siping Champagne and chatting.
It was a memorable hour, an instant Champagne, an instant Ruinart.
That’s just what Champagne is made for: nice memorable moments !!!
Booking Ruinart cellar tour (like all Champagne cellars tours) takes very long time by mail. They must receive many mails a day so we recommend to give them a call instead and then confirm the booking made (by credit card number)
The price of the tour is 26 Euro in 2011 but is really worth it. For 4 Euro extra you will be able to taste a second wine.
If you have a booking at ‘Les Telliers’ guest house , we may also help book the tour for you.
Just keep in mind that you ‘ll need to schedule it weeks in advance as it very appreciated.
Here is a summary of comments left by our guests on Tripadvisor
This website is like a pin in your ass, that tickles you and keep you in motion …
If you look for accommodation in Reims, either a gite, a hotel or a B&B, tripadvisor may help choose wisely.
Some comments are a bit too harsh or too enthusiastic but they are sincere.
Feel free to use the link ‘Write a review’ above to leave a comment about your stay in our B&B
Here are some of the car rental shops available in Reims centre
All the major brands are present in Reims
ADA, HERTZ, SIXT, RENTACAR, AVIS, NATIONAL/CITER
Spot them on this map of car rental in Reims town centre nearby our B&B
Having a car in Reims centre is not essential as the bus and tramway network is rather efficient.
Reims streets in town centre are quite intricated and most of them are one way streets.
Parking may be a concern in the very town centre during the day though there are many platforms and underground car parks.
We higly recommend to have a map of Reims centre as the general scheme of one way street have been changed since the tramway works have started and most of the GPS won’t be updated before long.
Usually we recommend to our guests not to rent a car the first day they arrive in Reims as the very town centre may keep you busy for one full day. ( usually we recommend 3 to 5 half days of visits for Reims city only, then if you rent a car you may also spend one day along Champagne route)
Here is the calendar of touristic events prepared by Reims tourist office for May 2011
2011 – Mai Calendrier des Manifestations
It exists only in French but you may use translation tools available on the web to translate it.
If you stay in our guest house you may mail us to get a more precise explanation on any event.
Here is a link to ‘book a bed room’ page: maison d’hôtes