Food Tour in Reims
The food scene in Reims is best discovered on foot — walk between Palais du Tau and Champagne cellars to taste what makes this city's culinary identity distinct. Tuck into lesser-known corners like Art Deco architecture for the dishes visitors rarely find. From morning market runs to late-night street food, every neighborhood here has its own flavor.
Reims Cathedral, where 33 French kings were crowned over the course of a thousand years starting with Clovis I in 496 AD, is one of the greatest Gothic buildings in Europe. Its west facade holds over 2,300 carved figures, including the famous Smiling Angel — a statue that has become the symbol of the city. Reims was devastated during World War I, enduring over 1,000 days of German bombardment that destroyed 80 percent of its buildings and severely damaged the cathedral. The city was rebuilt in the 1920s and 1930s with one of France's richest collections of Art Deco architecture, designed by leading architects of the era. Beneath the streets, over 120 kilometers of chalk tunnels — originally quarried by the Romans — store an estimated 200 million bottles of Champagne aging at a constant 10 degrees Celsius in the cellars of famous houses like Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot, and Ruinart. It was also in Reims, on May 7, 1945, that General Eisenhower accepted Germany's unconditional surrender, ending World War II in Europe.
Free Food Tour in Reims with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free food tour route in Reims. The audio walking tour can include stops such as Palais du Tau — Named after its T-shaped floor plan, this former archbishop's palace adjacent to the cathedral served as the royal banqueting hall during coronation ceremonies. Now a museum, it displays the original cathedral sculptures removed for conservation, the coronation treasures including Charlemagne's talisman, and a massive 15th-century Goliath tapestry. The Salle du Tau, the great hall where coronation feasts were held, retains its original 15th-century timber roof structure., Champagne cellars — The great Champagne houses of Reims age their bottles in over 120 kilometers of crayeres — chalk tunnels quarried by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, maintaining a constant temperature of 10 degrees Celsius and 90 percent humidity. Taittinger's cellars incorporate the remains of a 13th-century Benedictine abbey, while Veuve Clicquot's tunnels extend 24 kilometers beneath the city. Ruinart, founded in 1729 as the oldest Champagne house, offers tours through UNESCO-classified crayeres., plus hidden gems like Art Deco architecture — After German bombardment destroyed 80 percent of the city during World War I, Reims was rebuilt in the 1920s and 1930s with one of France's most concentrated collections of Art Deco buildings. The Carnegie Library, funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1928, features geometric facades and stained glass by Art Deco masters. Along the main boulevards, residential and commercial buildings display characteristic geometric ornamentation, ironwork, and colored mosaics. and Cryptoportique — Hidden beneath the Place du Forum in the center of Reims, this semi-underground Roman gallery dates to approximately 200 AD and was part of the ancient forum complex. Three parallel barrel-vaulted corridors stretch 30 meters long, once used as grain storage. Discovered in 1920 during postwar reconstruction, the cryptoportique is one of only three such Roman structures surviving in France..
Use this page as a starting point for a Reims walking tour, a free route, or the Roamee app for Reims. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
How to Plan This Food Tour
A strong Reims food tour should connect recognizable anchors like Palais du Tau and Champagne cellars with a few slower discoveries around Art Deco architecture and Cryptoportique. Use the major stops for orientation, then let the route bend toward the neighborhoods, viewpoints, markets, paths, or cultural details that match a food tour.
Roamee Pro treats the page as a starting brief rather than a fixed script: it can prioritize history, architecture, food, adjust the walking time, and keep narration focused on why each stop matters for this specific theme.
Top Food Tour Spots
- •Palais du Tau — Named after its T-shaped floor plan, this former archbishop's palace adjacent to the cathedral served as the royal banqueting hall during coronation ceremonies. Now a museum, it displays the original cathedral sculptures removed for conservation, the coronation treasures including Charlemagne's talisman, and a massive 15th-century Goliath tapestry. The Salle du Tau, the great hall where coronation feasts were held, retains its original 15th-century timber roof structure.
- •Champagne cellars — The great Champagne houses of Reims age their bottles in over 120 kilometers of crayeres — chalk tunnels quarried by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, maintaining a constant temperature of 10 degrees Celsius and 90 percent humidity. Taittinger's cellars incorporate the remains of a 13th-century Benedictine abbey, while Veuve Clicquot's tunnels extend 24 kilometers beneath the city. Ruinart, founded in 1729 as the oldest Champagne house, offers tours through UNESCO-classified crayeres.
Hidden Food Tour Gems
- •Art Deco architecture — After German bombardment destroyed 80 percent of the city during World War I, Reims was rebuilt in the 1920s and 1930s with one of France's most concentrated collections of Art Deco buildings. The Carnegie Library, funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1928, features geometric facades and stained glass by Art Deco masters. Along the main boulevards, residential and commercial buildings display characteristic geometric ornamentation, ironwork, and colored mosaics.
- •Cryptoportique — Hidden beneath the Place du Forum in the center of Reims, this semi-underground Roman gallery dates to approximately 200 AD and was part of the ancient forum complex. Three parallel barrel-vaulted corridors stretch 30 meters long, once used as grain storage. Discovered in 1920 during postwar reconstruction, the cryptoportique is one of only three such Roman structures surviving in France.
Food Tour Perspective
While Reims is best known for history and architecture, stops like Palais du Tau and Champagne cellars sit alongside bakeries and cafes tucked into side streets — and quieter spots like Art Deco architecture where the real locals eat. A food-focused walk connects the culinary landmarks with the places that reflect daily life, turning a sightseeing route into an edible discovery.
Walking Tip
The city center is flat and compact. Start at the cathedral, walk through the Art Deco quarter, then head south to the Champagne house district.
Best Time to Visit
May through October. Some Champagne houses require advance booking for cellar tours.
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