Region
Reims
Northern capital of Champagne. Not a vineyard village itself, but home to the major houses and the UNESCO-listed chalk cellars (crayères).
What it is
Reims is not a vineyard commune in the strict sense, but the northern commercial capital of Champagne. The headquarters of six of the great houses are here: Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Taittinger, Krug, Mumm, Ruinart and Lanson. The vineyards begin south and southeast of the city, on the Montagne de Reims.
The crayères
Beneath Reims lie the crayères: chalk quarries cut by the Romans from around the third century. Deep vertical shafts whose walls have been carved into cellar chambers with a constant temperature (10 to 12 degrees Celsius) and high humidity. Ideal for slow yeast fermentation and long ageing. Since 2015 they have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list along with the vineyards and house streets of Reims and Épernay, under the title “Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars”.
Which house where
- Ruinart: oldest Champagne house (founded 1729), chalk cellars on Rue de Crayères
- Veuve Clicquot: Rue du Temple, developed the riddling technique in 1816
- Krug: Rue Coquebert, small-scale high-end with deep reserve-wine stocks
- Pommery: striking crayères with an art collection, Avenue Pommery
- Taittinger: crayères beneath the Saint-Nicaise abbey
- Mumm: Rue du Champ de Mars
- Lanson: Boulevard Lundy
- Roederer: Boulevard Lundy
Cathedral and history
The cathedral of Reims is France’s coronation cathedral: from Clovis (508) and from at least Hugues Capet (987) up to Charles X (1825), nearly every French king was crowned here. Champagne was poured at those coronations, though at the time mostly still wine. The city was heavily bombed in the First World War; the cellars served as shelter for thousands of residents.
For visitors
Train from Paris Gare de l’Est: 45 minutes by TGV. Almost all the big houses offer tours, often by appointment. For lexicon purposes: Reims is the distribution and marketing heart of Champagne, not the vineyard.
Which tour to choose
| House | Tour specialty | Price range | |---|---|---| | Veuve Clicquot | Madame Clicquot history, riddling demo | €30-€60 | | Pommery | Art installations in crayères, largest scale | €25-€40 | | Taittinger | Saint-Nicaise crayères, classic | €25-€40 | | Ruinart | Oldest house, exclusive and pricier | €60-€120 | | Mumm | Broader production explanation, basic tour | €25-€35 | | Krug | Limited, by invitation or premium booking only | €200+ |
Ruinart and Krug are the most exclusive, Pommery and Mumm the most accessible. Book at least two weeks ahead for weekend visits.
Frequently asked questions
Are grapes grown in Reims itself?
Not within the city limits. Reims itself is urban; vineyards start directly south, on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims toward Verzenay and Mailly-Champagne. The city functions as a hub for storage, blending, bottling and distribution, not grape production.
Why are the houses in Reims and not in a vineyard village?
Historical reason: the Roman chalk pits provided free cellar infrastructure with perfect climate. From the eighteenth century onward, the first commercial houses settled above them to use those cellars. Madame Clicquot, Krug, Ruinart and others expanded within the city walls.
Should I skip Reims if I want to see vineyards?
For vineyards go to Verzenay (the windmill viewpoint over the whole Montagne), Cramant (Côte des Blancs) or Aÿ (Vallée). Reims itself is about cellars, marketing and culture. Combine both for a complete trip: one day in the vineyards, one day in the Reims cellars.