The gorgeous French city without the crowds and only 30 minutes from Paris

One French town just 30 minutes from is quite literally built on top of bottles of champagne.

This may be less well-known than Paris, but with its grand buildings and sublime gastronomy, you can see why Reims in the Marne region used to be the capital.

Sitting in the prestigious champagne region, its impressive gothic cathedral was even used to crown French monarchs for around 1,000 years. 

Now, around 250 million bottles of champagne and tastings at one of the champagne houses, such as Veuve Clicquot, Lanson or Taittinger, should be booked in advance. 

If you’re unable to explore the cellars, a tour of the beautiful vineyards which roll around the city is just as impressive.

Gallo-Roman and Art Deco architecture can be admired by wandering the pretty streets, but the cream of the crop is the towering gothic cathedral, Notre-Dame de Reims, with ornate stained glass windows from the 13th century.

Once inside, there’s of course an ode to the man credited with inventing champagne, Dom Perignon, in the shape of a portrait. 

Although the city was heavily damaged in both World Wars, it is home to more than one such as the Palace of Tau, and its chapel that dates back to 1207 can still be seen. 

Thanks to the high-speed trainline, Reims is also linked to major cities of Lille and Bordeaux, and Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport is around 30 minutes away.