Being one of the most picturesque cities in France, Reims opens up the charm of the French countryside to tourists. Here, the historical past and the present day coexist harmoniously: Roman arches, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 17th and 18th centuries, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco…
The leisurely lifestyle of the French countryside seems to have changed little over the centuries, when festive processions came to Reims for the coronation of future monarchs of France. Here, in the Reims Cathedral, they took their oath, and yesterday’s dauphins became absolute kings. Only the coronation in Reims was considered a true confirmation of the right to the throne.
Throughout the history of the cathedral, 25 French monarchs have been crowned there. The choice of Reims as the coronation site is not accidental. It was here in the 5th century that Bishop Remi baptized the first king of France, Clovis, who defended his kingdom in battles against the Romans and Visigoths and declared Paris its capital.
According to legend, during the baptism, Saint Remi received from a dove – a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity – the Holy Chrism, which was later carefully kept in the Sacred Vessel and used to crown the kings of France…
The Sacred Vessel was kept in the Abbey of Saint Remi, which, like the cathedral, is one of the attractions of Reims. During the revolution, the vessel was shattered…
For a Russian person, the cathedral in Reims is not only a beautiful example of medieval architecture, not only bright pages of the history of the French monarchy, but also a peculiar link between Russia and France. The fact is that all French kings took their oath on the Bible that belonged to Queen Anna, daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, who was married to Henry I in the 11th century. Written in Old Slavic, this Bible was considered one of the French relics that no one in France could read. How surprising it was for the priests when Peter the Great, during his visit to the Reims Cathedral, began to read this Bible aloud!
In addition to religious monuments, Reims and Champagne attract tourists as a wine-growing region. The invention of champagne, which brought worldwide fame to this area, is the work of the monk Dom Perignon, who lived in one of the local abbeys. In Reims, you can taste the most famous Champagne in picturesque cellars, where millions of bottles are stored in endless underground galleries. An entire underground city supplies its wine to the whole world.
Nearby Reims is the town of Épernay – the capital of champagne wines, where most of the champagne cellars are located. And between Épernay and Reims are the enchanting vineyards….
