Reims

Behind a facade of austerity, Champagne’s largest city remains one of France's richest tourist sites, thanks especially to the fact that it sparkles with some of the biggest names in Champagne production. This thriving industry has conferred wealth and sometimes an arrogant reserve on the region's inhabitants. The maze of Champagne cellars constitutes a leading attraction here. Several of these producers organize visits to their cellars, combining video presentations with guided tours of their cavernous, hewn-chalk underground warehouses. The city’s tourist office will provide you with a complete list of Champagne cellars. While there, you can also get information on other standout sights. Although many of Reims's historic buildings were flattened in World War I and replaced by drab, modern architecture, those that do remain are of royal magnitude. Topping the list is the magnificent cathedral, in which the kings of France were crowned until 1825.