City of Coronations and Champagne, Reims can be proud of possessing four historic buildings that are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Notre-Dame cathedral, the Tau palace, the Saint-Remi basilica, and the Saint-Remi museum.

The jewel of the city, the Notre-Dame cathedral is unusual in that it has been the place of coronation for 33 kings of France from 816 to 1825. Clovis was also baptized in this place in 498. The architectural harmony and remarkable statuary of this 13th-century building make it a masterpiece of Gothic art. Decorated with magnificent statues of angels with opened wings, the cathedral of Reims is really worth its nickname of Cathedral of Angels. Once inside, one is immediately attracted by the brightness of the nave and the magnificent stained glass windows, which date largely from the 13th century. Don't miss seeing the blue stained glass windows of the axial chapel, designed by the contemporary artist Marc Chagall.

Next to the cathedral, the Tau palace, a former archbishop's palace where the coronation banquets were notably organised, is today home to the Works of Notre-Dame museum, where tapestries, sculptures, the cathedral treasury and coronation-related objects are exhibited.

The next of the Champagne city's historic places to visit is Saint-Remi basilica, a magnificent Romano-Gothic building, and its museum. Situated in the buildings of the former Saint-Remi abbey, the museum recounts the history of the abbey and houses art collections from Prehistory to the Middle Ages.

Also not to be missed in the city: Place Royale square, surrounded by arcades, and Place Drouet-d'Erlon square with its lively cafés, shops and restaurants.

The museum-mansion Le Vergeur, installed in a mansion of the 13th and 16th centuries, is home to art objets, furniture and paintings.

Famous for its buildings, the City of Art and History of Reims is also well known for the cellars of its prestigious champagne houses, which are dug into chalk and open to visitors.

The forest of Verzy, situated in the Reims mountain Regional Nature Park, is home to dwarf beech trees, the Faux, with very unusual shapes. Steeped in mystery, these protected and particularly fragile trees can be discovered along a waymarked footpath.

Situated between Reims and Épernay, the Reims mountain Regional Nature Park extends over 50,000 hectares. During the visit, walkers can discover alternately forests, vineyards - those of the prestigious Reims Mountain vineyards - and beautiful villages.

The highlight of the park is in the Verzy forest, at an altitude of 288 metres. It is in this same forest that the Faux de Verzy stand, beautiful and protected dwarf beech trees with particularly strange shapes.

Situated in the heart of the Reims Mountain vineyards, the village of Hautvillers is the cradle of champagne. Indeed, it is here in the ancient Benedictine abbey of Hautvillers that the monk Dom Pérignon discovered the champagne wine-making process in the 18th century. Dom Pérignon's tomb rests today in the chancel of the Saint-Sindulphe abbey church. Hautvillers is also a charming wine-producing village with houses decorated with beautiful forged iron shop signs.

Capital of champagne, the city of Épernay is known all over the world for its important champagne houses, which succeed one another along its famous Champagne avenue. Dug into the chalk, prestigious cellars of Épernay can be visited.