Reims and the surrounding region
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The 13th century cathedral of Reims has sanctified the coronation of most of the French kings. It is renowned for its pure Gothic architecture and ornate sculptures of which the most famous is undoubtedly the Smiling Angel. The Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Rémi is equally exceptional.
Other monuments not to be missed include: the Porte Mars and the Gallo-Roman forum, the Palais du Tau, the Saint-Denis museum, the Saint-Remi museum, various 15th and 16th century dwellings and the Chapelle Foujita named after the celebrated Japanese artist who decorated it.
Close by, the Fort de la Pompelle and the Ferme de Navarin remind the visitor that the region was the scene of fierce fighting in the First World War. Outside Reims itself, you will find some very pretty side trips.
To the west lie the picturesque valleys of the Ardre and the Vesle with their rustic villages and impressive Romanesque and Gothic churches.
To the south, the route meanders in and out of the vineyards on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims. As you leave Gueux by way of Villedommange (fine church and magnificent view from the chapel of Saint-Lié), you reach Verzenay (wind-mill, museum of the ‘Phare’) and Verzy (forest of thousand year old twisted beech trees known locally as the ‘Faux de Verzy’; also the view from Mount Sinai).
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