Champagne-Ardenne Things to Do

  Chagal windows
by jnyvegas
 
  • Chagal windows
      Chagal windows
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  • Welcome desk at Mercier
      Welcome desk at Mercier
    by Herkbert
  • Now that's a big barrel - 200,000 bottles.
      Now that's a big barrel - 200,000...
    by Herkbert
  • Tasting Room
      Tasting Room
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  • Mill'Bulles, Little Tourist Train
      Mill'Bulles, Little Tourist Train
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Most Viewed Things to Do in Champagne-Ardenne

51.

Cathédrale Notre Dame   Reims

Cathédrale Notre Dame, Reims

 43 Reviews  The site of the coronation of France's kings for centuries, la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims is among the most important in French history. It is also considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture,... 

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52.

Champagne Tasting and Tours   Reims

Champagne Tasting and Tours, Reims

 28 Reviews  This wonderful museum has 200 vehicles on show, some 160 cars and some 40 motor-cyles and also numerous very special and extraordinary vehicles. You can also admire some 4,000 miniature cars, enamel... 

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53.

Basilique Saint Rémi   Reims

Basilique Saint Rémi, Reims

 14 Reviews  Maybe my favourite church in Reims. While less impressive than the cathedral, the basilique Saint Rémi is a superb example of gothic over roman style. The outside, too many times renovated (sometimes... 

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54.

Palais du Tau   Reims

Palais du Tau, Reims

 8 Reviews  Right beside the Cathedral downtown, the Palace du Tau is a museum that still contains remnants of its 13th century origins. It was redesigned in the 17th century by Mansart and Cotte. The Tau Room... 

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55.

Mumm Champagne House   Reims

Mumm Champagne House, Reims

 10 Reviews  It was founded by three brothers, Jacobus, Gottlieb and Phillip Mumm, German winemakers from the Rhine valley and G. Heuser and Friedrich Giesler on March 1, 1827 as P. A. Mumm Giesler et C°. P.A.... 

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56.

Moet & Chandon   Reims

Moet & Chandon, Reims

 4 Reviews  Visit the Moët et Chandon winery in Epernay including the caves and Champagne sampling. Unique Qualities: My personal preference over Pommery and Momms. They produce the Don Perignon which remains an... 

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57.

Musée-Abbaye Saint-Rémi   Reims

Musée-Abbaye Saint-Rémi, Reims

 3 Reviews  Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the adjacent Basilica, this complex was once the Abbey of Saint-Rémi, where the Holy Ampulla, used for the coronations of French kings, was held.... 

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58.

Hôtel le Vergeur   Reims

Hôtel le Vergeur, Reims

 3 Reviews  This "speciality" is situated at the Place du Forum. This large individual house is basically an example of Renaissance Style, although it also has a 13th Century GOTHIC hall. But first and foremost... 

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59.

Cryptoportique   Reims

Cryptoportique, Reims

 3 Reviews  What was once the Roman Forum of Durocortorum (Roman Reims), remained a square full of commercial activity to the present day. Below ground level at the centre of the square is an archaeological site,... 

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60.

Place Drouet   Reims

Place Drouet, Reims

 3 Reviews  The most animated part of Reims, Place Drouet-d'Erlon is the cultural heart of the city. Although referred to as a square ("place"), it is in fact a long, tree-lined, pedestrianised avenue with... 

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61.

Salle de Reddition   Reims

Salle de Reddition, Reims

 3 Reviews  During the last part of World War II, the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, General Eisenhower, set up his headquarters here in Reims. He chose a former schoolhouse near the railroad... 

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62.

Église Saint Jacques   Reims

Église Saint Jacques, Reims

 2 Reviews  One of the oldest surviving churches in Reims, Église Saint-Jacques is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Its construction began around 1190 and continued until 1270. Some remodelling occurred... 

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63.

Musée des Beaux-Arts   Reims

Musée des Beaux-Arts, Reims

 2 Reviews  Housed in the old monastery of Saint-Denis, le Musée des Beaux-Arts is considered one of the most important regional fine arts museums in France. It was founded in 1794 and was originally located... 

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64.

Porte Mars   Reims

Porte Mars, Reims

 2 Reviews  Named after a nearby non-extant Temple of Mars, this Roman-period structure was a triumphal arch built in the 3rd century AD. It once led into the cardo maximus, the road which cut through the city of... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

The little castle of Mesmont

by kokoryko

The weather was improving in the beginning afternoon, and still wandering around we came across this little castle in the village of Mesmont.The castle has been built in the 15th century, and has since been renovated several times, but the original lay out and the renaissance style has been kept; I quote the plaque at the entrance: “the Chateau de Mesmont was built by the Pavant family in the 15th century, and then passed by marriage into the hans of the family of Romance in 1638. The end lodge, the square building date from the period of Henri IV while the communal building and the vault at the entrance are Louis XIII (17th century).”On a nice day, it is very peaceful and relaxing to walk around the castle (entrance forbidden!), look at the buildings, the beautiful little tower above the ditch, sit in the grass for a while, enjoy the calm of the place. I found the square lay out very...

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South Ardennes countryside

by kokoryko

Driving back to Paris. . . a corn field in the south of Ardennes (main picture), abandoned farms (second and third picture), strange and sad views; rural exodus (people leaving the farms and rural areas) is still continuing in Ardennes, and many farms are abandoned, the fields being purchased and merged by big wealthy farmers, the small ones leaving the area for another (not sure better!!) life in the cities. . . . . But at the mall village of Mesmont (picture 4), a little gem was waiting the visitor of this Sunday (next tip).

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Rocroi

by kokoryko

I already wrote about the fortification line of the north and eastern marches of France. Rocroi is one of the most famous; it is a fortified city since 1555, where the streets radiate from a central place (Place d’armes); Vauban, the famous military engineer of Louis XIV (the Sun King of France: Versailles, etc. . . ) gave in 1675 the fortifications the shape they have today: a star, really amazing for air photographs. Vauban’s fortifications were very efficient when he built them, with the star pattern and advanced blockhouses and bastions to take the assailants under cross fire but they were outdated one century later, and did not resist long time to the invaders coming from the North or East. A small museum, dedicated to the Rocroi battle (mai 19th 1643) and the 30 years war, located in an ancient guard room on the south western entrance was closed when I visited; there is information...

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Revin in the mist

by kokoryko

The beauty of Ardennes is in its countryside, the cities are a a bit. . . . sad looking, like Revin, a grey little industrial city, nested in a meander of the Meuse, and the weather was not helping. . . . . The look outs from the road to the Mont Tranet leave some place for imagining it can be nice with clear and sunny weather!A misty view from a lookout on the roadside to the city (picture 1) and to the Meuse Valley (picture 2) show a “beauty potential”; on the plateau driving to Mont Tranet is a monument to the Resistance people who died in action against the occupation troops during WWII (picture 3); on this monument you see the symbol of Ardennes: the wild boar, le sanglier. Lots of these animals still live in the deep forests, symbolising courage and strength; detail of the monument on picture 4.

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Along the Meuse Valley

by kokoryko

Take a few hours and drive along the Meuse Valley, not on the main road, but on the towing trail (chemin de halage); this trail was used by heavy horses or bullocks to tow the barges and canal boats upstream before they were motorized.This trail is sealed now, lots of bikers use it but very few cars; you can drive slowly there, enjoy the views on the river, watch the boats, stop at some canal lock, see villages on the opposite bank. . . . In one word, a very nice trip in deep Ardennes, and its beautiful landscapes.On the road from Monthermé to Revin, at the village of Deville, reach the right bank of the Meuse and drive down one of the numerous little streets leading to the river, you come on the towing trail; then follow it upstream (at 10-15 km/h)until Revin. You will not regret this detour (it also can be a day hike or a bike tour): look at the pictures, it was misty and rainy that...

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The Meuse meander at Monthermé

by kokoryko

The meander of Monthermé is marked as a “must see” on every map of the Ardennes; arriving by car, a very good view is from road D989, drive slowly and stop on one of the parking places a few km before arriving at Monthermé; I just can wish you a better weather than I had, but even with cloudy weather, it is beautiful; a wonderful view over a village nested in a green cradle. There are other stops on the road down where you can admire the hills and the forest; the oblique light under black clouds was beautiful when I was there (picture 2). Monthermé is surrounded by forests (picture 3). The Semoy river merges with the Meuse at Monthermé and in the village a few boats like the one on picture 4 are parked on the calm waters of the Semoy. Near the northern entrance of the village is a small monument (picture 5) commemorating an abbey where the monks were brewers (like many nowadays in...

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Charleville Mezieres

by kokoryko

Too short visit here!Charleville is really not a touristy town, and we spent only a shorttime for a quick city tour, it was late afternoon, and I wanted to sleep somewhere in the forest; too short because Charleville-M. is the hometown of Arthur Rimbaud, for me one of the greatest poets, the archetype of the rebellious poet, writing with an unsurpassed sensitivity, expressing with very simple words very complex feelings.I was not at the museum where many of his original manuscripts have been collected, but there is not a lot more; I will check next time. His wanderings, travels, hikes in the Ardennes inspired him a lot, so I thought of him when I visited the forests of Ardennes.Back to Charleville; this city had lots of industries in the 19th- beginning 20th centuries, but did not adapt to industrial changes of the second part of the 20th century; it is a quiet city and a walk will take...

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The Frahan meander

by kokoryko

We are now on the Belgian side of the Ardennes, the landscape did not change, neither the language of people; here too, there are a number of hikes, check on the website.Driving back from Germany to Charlevilles-Mezieres, through the forests, we decided to have a quick lunch at Rochehaut, where the map indicated a look-out. We were above the Frahan meander, a beautiful view above the small village of Frahan (Google Earth: 49° 50’ 03”N : 50° 00’ 04”E) surrounded by a meander of the Semoy river.I was not at the restaurant of picture 3, I took the picture for its name: a balcony in the forest. It is the title of a novel from Julien Gracq (see intro) who describes a few month of the life of a soldier in the Ardennes waiting for the German attack on France; except the Wagnerian end of the novel, it is a description of the forest, the life in the forest, the deep relationship this man built...

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A walk on the walls of the fortress (Montmédy)

by kokoryko

The most important “thing to see” in Montmedy is the fortress which has been built by Charles V of Hapsburg, king of Spain, all Americas, Philippines, Nederland, Austria, etc. . . . to defend Nederland from France. This Fortress has been conquered by French military engineer Vauban who “improved it a lot, giving its general shape we can observe today. The fortress had been ran over by the Prussian in 1870, and after the defeat of 1870-1871, French General Serré de Rivières added blockhouses, widened the walls and installed underground barracks. That helped a lot, as the German in 1914 and in 1940 took the place within a few hours. . . . . Ah, these military engineers! Well, this fortress is part of the North East defence line of France since the 18th century, composed of more than 200 fortresses, not telling about many walls, isolated blockhouses. . . . In “normal” circumstances you will...

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A visit to the church and the village of Montmédy

by kokoryko

On our way to Luxembourg, we passed a few kilometres through the Lorraine region, and there we arrived to Montmedy ; I never had thought I will visit this place (Few minutes before, I even did not know that place exists! I love random wanderings!), and when arriving on the road, looking at the hill (Main picture), capped by the fortress and the two bell towers, we decided to have a closer look! Montmedy is divided in two main parts, the upper village, small, surrounded by the citadel walls, and the lower city, the main part, modern which we did not visit.The church St Martin has been built in the 18th century and is mainly remarkable from its setting, and that you can see it from very far; it is not in a very good shape, and has no obvious architectural particularities; but inside, you will see very wide paintings and a few statues; one of them is a painted Virgin with Jesus from the...

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Fun things to do in Champagne-Ardenne

Top 3 Hotels in Champagne-Ardenne

Chateau Les Crayeres  Reims

 2 Reviews and 118 Opinions  This hotel is housed in one of the most beautiful chateaux in eastern France. The hotel is... 

 Hotels in Reims

Mercure Troyes Centre  Troyes

 146 Opinions

 Hotels in Troyes

La Villa Eugene  Épernay

 115 Opinions

 Hotels in Épernay

237 Hotels in Champagne-Ardenne
 
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Reviews and photos of Champagne-Ardenne attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Champagne-Ardenne sightseeing.

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Things to Do: Cities in Champagne-Ardenne
  1. Reims Things to Do
  2. Épernay Things to Do
  3. Troyes Things to Do
  4. Châlons-sur-Marne Things to Do
  5. Sedan Things to Do
  6. Charleville-Mézières Things to Do
  7. Fismes Things to Do
  8. Langres Things to Do
  9. Valmy Things to Do
  10. Vroncourt-la-Côte Things to Do
  11. Villemaur-sur-Vanne Things to Do
  12. L'Épine Things to Do
  13. Étoges Things to Do
  14. Auberive Things to Do
  15. Châlons-en-Champagne Things to Do

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Questions and Answers

lindanne profile photo

Q:  Does anyone know what this town is like? Thinking of staying there for one night to break up journey driving from Alsace (near... 

aurelien85 profile photo

A: Avoid !!! My parents live 45 minutes drive from there, so I've been there a few times on the road to summer holidays. Vitry le François is a small city with nearly... 

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