France

Meticulously reconstructed after the ravages of war, Reims - whose name is pronounced something like 'rance' and is often anglicised as Rheims - is neat and orderly, with wide avenues, well-tended parks and a famous cathedral. Along with nearby Épernay, it is the most important centre for champagne production in France.

Before the 20th century

Reims began life as Durocortorum, when it was the ancient capital of the Gallic tribe of the Remi - from which the city subsequently derived its name. It was then conquered by the Romans.

The Champagne region's most famous convert to Christianity was the Merovingian warrior-king Clovis I, who founded the Frankish kingdom in the late-5th century and began the tradition of holding royal coronations in Reims. For centuries, the focal point of such affairs was Cathédrale Notre Dame, a Gothic edifice begun in 1211 - on a site occupied by churches since the 5th century - and mostly completed a century later. The most famous event in the cathedral's history was the coronation of Charles VII, with Joan of Arc at his side, on 17 July 1429. Charles was one of 34 sovereigns (including 25 kings) who began their reign at Reims' cathedral between 816 and 1825.

In the Middle Ages, the region around Reims became rich thanks to commercial fairs at which merchants from around Europe bought and sold products from as far afield as the Mediterranean. The region's name has been associated with bubbly since the late-17th century, when a Benedictine monk named Dom Pierre Pérignon perfected the process of using a second fermentation to make ho-hum still wine sparkle. Before the champagne industry was established, Reims was well known for its woollen textiles.

Modern history

Reims hosted the first international air meeting in 1909, with major aviation personalities such as Glenn Curtiss, Louis Blériot and Louis Paulhan in attendance.

During WWI, the city was practically levelled. The cathedral was very badly damaged by artillery and fire, destroying the interior and most of the stained-glass windows, and subsequently became one of the central images of anti-German propaganda. The edifice was restored with funds donated largely by John D Rockefeller. The reconsecration took place in 1938 - just in time for WWII, when, again, the city was almost completely ruined (although the cathedral got off lightly this time). Reims is famous for being the place where WWII ended in Europe. Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally at 02:41 on 7 May 1945 in US General Dwight D Eisenhower's war room in Reims, now a museum known as the Musée de la Reddition (Surrender Museum; 12 rue Franklin Roosevelt). The original Allied battle maps are still affixed to the walls of Reims' one-time technical college, now known as Lycée Franklin Roosevelt. The surrender was signed by German Chief-of-Staff General Alfred Jodl, representing Karl Dönitz.

Apart from ongoing champagne production, other manufacturing industries developed during the 20th century including aircraft and automobile equipment, paper, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, clothing and soap.

Recent history

Reims remains a significant crossroads city for northeastern France and its river port continues to be one of the most important in the country.

The champagne keeps on flowing freely, although its storage is presenting a potential problem to the city's architectural heritage: the cellars are carved into the chalk that underlies the region and the soft stone has a tendency to collapse.

Banking, insurance and real estate are becoming increasingly vital to the city's economy, which is also benefiting from foreign direct investment in areas such as telecommunications.

Reims made the headlines in 2006, when, according to Le Monde, 277 vehicles across the country were set on fire by youth gangs on the anniversary of the previous year's suburban riots. The situation in Reims wasn't as bad as in other parts of France though - police and youths clashed, and a young group tried to burn a bus.

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Situated on a plain on the right bank of the Vesle River, Reims has four distinct seasons. You'd rarely raise a sweat during summer, when average temperatures range from 11-24°C (52-75°F); anything over 32°C (89°F) is unusual. Conversely, winters can get downright nippy - while average temperatures range from -1-7°C (30-45°F), the mercury has a habit of slipping well beneath the lower end of that scale. Surprisingly, rain is more likely in summer and autumn than during other seasons, and humidity increases in the cooler months.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting around

The Centre International de Séjour (03 26 40 52 60; www.cis-reims.com) rents city bikes to the public for 15.00 per whole day.

Two circular bus lines, the clockwise Citadine 1 and the anticlockwise Citadine 2, operated by TUR (03 26 88 25 38; 6 rue Chanzy), serve most of the main sights in town. Most TUR lines begin their last runs at about 20:50; the five night lines operate until 0:15.

There is free car parking north and northwest of the train tracks.

A tram line is supposed to start running in 2010 so expect traffic snafus during construction.

For a taxi, call 03 26 47 05 05.

Getting there and away

Reims airport is 7km (4mi) from the city - Champagne Airlines is based there.

The best way to get to Troyes is to take a bus operated by TransChampagne (03 26 65 17 07; 1.75-2.25hr, three or four daily on weekdays, two on Saturday, one on Sunday, none on holidays). The stop is next to the train station; hours are posted.

To hire a car, take your pick from these rental companies with offices facing the train station car park: ADA (03 26 50 08 40), Loc Vel (03 26 40 43 38) and Rent-a-Car Système (03 26 77 87 77).

By train, direct services link Reims with Épernay (24-46min, 23 daily weekdays, 14 daily weekends), Laon (45min, eight daily Monday to Friday, six on Saturday, two on Sunday) and Paris' Gare de l'Est (1.75hr, 10-15 daily). In the city centre, information and tickets are available at the Boutique SNCF (1 cours JB Langlet). The trip from Reims' newly renovated train station to Paris will take just 45 minutes once the long-awaited TGV Est Européen line starts running in June 2007.