World-renown for its standing as the capital of the champagne industry, Reims is home to many of the Grandes Marques, such as Veuve-Clicquot, Mumm and Tattinger. Below the city are miles of chalky caverns, originally dug by the Romans as quarries. They now serve as caves for the storage of millions of bottles of bubbly, before they are shipped to connoisseurs around the globe. Visitors to the city can book a tour of the cellars, including a champagne tasting, and take a guided trip to the vineyards to see champagne production in action.
Reims is proud of its role as a gastronomic centre of France, with several famous local specialties. The city has a long history of producing fine gingerbread from rye flour, which can still be found in local artisan bakeries. Visit Maison Fossier, a 250-year old biscuit factory to sample local specialties, such as the biscuit rose de Reims and the twice-baked biscuit. Apart from patisserie, the city has a number of excellent restaurants serving French regional food, along with steakhouses, breweries and dozens of luxurious five-star French eateries.
All kings of France were crowned in Reims, and although champagne and gastronomy are major attractions of The Coronation City, it also offers a rich cultural history, commemorated in several excellent museums. Much of the architectural history of Reims was destroyed in World War I, so few of the city's original historic buildings remain. However, Reims does hold four UNESCO world heritage sites, including the Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral and the Palace of Tau. Both of these sites demonstrate the city's past as the coronation city for France's monarchs. Kings were crowned in the cathedral, and then hosted grand coronation parties afterwards in the Palace of Tau.
The city has a particular international historical significance, as General Eisenhower had his headquarters in Reims, and it was here that the Allies received notification of the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich in 1945.
