Day trip from Paris Reims
The city where French kings were crowned and where the big champagne houses keep their cellars, 46 minutes from Gare de l'Est by TGV.
Is Reims worth a day trip from Paris?
Go. Book the cellar first.
Yes. At 46 minutes by TGV, Reims is closer in time than Giverny, and the station is in the centre, a short walk from the cathedral. A full day fits the cathedral, lunch and one champagne house visit, two if you plan tightly. The catch is booking. Cellar tours at the well-known houses sell out days ahead and many do not accept walk-ins, so reserve the cellar before you buy the train. Train fares are dynamic: from € 15 each way when booked early, around € 40 on the day. Entry to the cathedral is free.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 46 minone way · SNCF Connect
- Transport
- High-speed train
- Self-guided cost
- € 30–80TGV return (from € 15 each way booked ahead, about € 40 each way on the day); the cathedral is free, cellar tours are extra · SNCF Connect
- Tour price
- –
- Time needed
- 5–7 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- Not verified yet
- Best time
- Year-round; weekdays for cellar tour availabilityDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Reims
- 01
Notre-Dame cathedral
The Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned until 1825. Look for the Smiling Angel on the west front and the blue Chagall windows in the chapel behind the altar. Allow 45 minutes.
- 02
A champagne cellar
Guided visits of the chalk cellars under the big houses last 1 to 1.5 hours and end with a tasting. Most houses are on the Saint-Nicaise hill, 25 minutes on foot from the cathedral.
- 03
Saint-Remi basilica
An 11th-century abbey church, 126 metres long, holding the tomb of the bishop who baptised Clovis. Entry is free. It is a 20-minute walk or a short bus ride south of the cathedral.
- 04
Art Deco centre
Reims was rebuilt after 1918, which is why its centre is full of 1920s facades. See the Carnegie library beside the cathedral and the Boulingrin covered market. An hour on foot.
- 05
Musée de la Reddition
The schoolroom where Germany signed its surrender on 7 May 1945, with the wall maps left in place. Ten minutes from the station, 45 minutes inside.
Good forWine and foodChurches and monasteriesOld towns and villages
How to spend the day
Take the 7:06 or a TGV around 8:00 from Gare de l'Est and be in Reims before 9:00. Cathedral first, while it is quiet. Book a cellar tour for 11:00 or 11:30, eat around 13:00, then visit the Saint-Remi basilica or a second house at 15:00. Direct TGVs back run until 19:00, which was the last 45-minute train on the October 2026 timetable. Later departures involve a change.
Reims in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustJune to August gives long evenings and terrace lunches on Place Drouet-d'Erlon. The cellars stay at 10-12 °C all year, a relief on a hot day. A free light show plays on the cathedral front after dark from late May to early October, but in June it starts hours after the 19:00 train. Cellar slots sell out faster in summer, so book two weeks ahead.
Winter
December to FebruaryReims works well in winter because the main visits are indoors or underground. The Christmas market, one of the largest in France, fills the centre from late November to late December and pushes up weekend train fares. January and February are the quietest months, though some houses cut their tour times or close for a few weeks. Check before booking.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- December weekends; Saturdays May-Sep; cellar tours 10:30-12:00 and 14:00-16:00
- Quietest
- Tuesday to Thursday in Jan-Mar and November
The cathedral absorbs people easily. The cellars do not, because group sizes are fixed. Book a weekday tour and take the first or last slot of the day. Visit the cathedral before 10:00, ahead of the coach groups.
How do you get to Reims from Paris?
- Travel time
- 46 min
- Frequency
- 15 trains a day
- Cost
- € 15-40 each way
- Departs from
- Paris Gare de l'Est
Choose a train to Reims Centre, in the city. Trains to Champagne-Ardenne TGV stop outside the city and need a tram or a connecting train. Seats are reserved and prices rise as the date gets closer, so book both legs as soon as your cellar slot is confirmed.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Bring a jumper or jacket even in August: the cellars are 10-12 °C and damp, and tours start with long staircases. Wear flat shoes with grip. In the cathedral, cover your shoulders and take off your hat.
What to eat
Lunch options cluster on Place Drouet-d'Erlon and around the Boulingrin market hall. Local products: pink biscuits made to be dipped in champagne, Reims ham set in jelly with parsley, and mustard made with champagne vinegar. Bars around the cathedral sell champagne by the glass from small growers.
What you will spend
The train is the swing cost: from € 15 each way booked early, about € 40 on the day. The cathedral and the Saint-Remi basilica are free. Cellar tours are the paid part, and the price depends on the house and on how many glasses you taste.
How to get the most out of the day
- Do not plan to walk in to a cellar. If the famous houses are full, less famous ones often have slots in the same week.
- Trams run from the station forecourt through the centre. For the Saint-Nicaise houses, take a bus or walk 25 minutes from the cathedral.
- The Palais du Tau, the bishops' palace beside the cathedral, has been shut for a long renovation. Check that it has reopened before counting on it.
- Buy bottles last. House shops pack them in carry boxes, and the station is a 15-minute walk from the cathedral.
How long do you need in Reims?
Plan 5–7 h on site, plus 46 min of travel each way from Paris.