Reims was simply a stopover for us on our road trip back from Spain. But I have a small tradition. If we stop for the night, I choose a different place. It makes the break feel like a mini trip.
Reims sits in the Champagne region, so I expected vineyards. And yes, we definitely got them. We even made the arrival part of the fun. We left the highway and crossed the Côte des Blancs. That classic Chardonnay corner puts you in “bubbly country” mood fast.
Porte de Mars After Dark
However, the vineyards weren’t the biggest surprise. The Porte de Mars at night was. Our hotel sat directly opposite it. As soon as evening comes, the arch glows in vibrant colours. Because of that, the whole area feels instantly festive and dramatic—like Reims is quietly putting on a show. And honestly, when an ancient Roman gate lights
Same place, different mood. Morning light makes the Roman history feel so close.
up outside your window, you start smiling without trying.
Just in front of the Porte de Mars, you’ll find mini water features and the big “Reims-Champagne” sign. Naturally, we stopped for a quick photo. Then we kept walking. From there, Les Hautes Promenades—the Promenades Jean-Louis Schneiter—start immediately and guide you straight into the city centre.
Les Hautes Promenades: The Evening Walk
Les Hautes Promenades quickly became our little “mini park” home base. It’s made for slow strolling, with tree-lined paths, plenty of places to sit, and water elements that appear as you go. First you see the smaller ones near the Porte de Mars, and then, little by little, the water features get bigger further along. What I loved most is that it keeps changing—one stretch feels calm, then suddenly it turns lively, and after the next corner it feels like a new scene again. And the next morning, we didn’t just walk through it… we actually played with the water too.
We walked here at night… and came back in the morning to play with the water.
Reims After 10 pm: A Mediterranean Vibe
And this is where Reims gave me an instant Mediterranean vibe, which sounds ridiculous because it’s only about a five-hour drive from The Hague. Still, the energy was exactly that warm, outdoorsy southern feeling. Late in the evening—after 10 pm—I was genuinely surprised to see children still out playing, running around, and getting happily soaked in the water areas while the adults stood around chatting like the night had only just started.
Then, naturally, one thing led to another… and the stroll turned into dinner.
Place Drouet d’Erlon at night: terraces full, people everywhere. Totally Mediterranean vibes.
Dinner & Drinks in the City Centre: Place Drouet d’Erlon
We walked into the city centre and ended up exactly where you want to be for an evening out in Reims: Place Drouet d’Erlon. This is the “terraces and people-watching” place—restaurants, cafés, bars, and that busy-but-relaxed atmosphere that makes you sit down and forget you were ever tired from driving.
All the way down at the far end of Place Drouet d’Erlon is the Fontaine Subé—a beautiful, proper statement fountain. And yes, it basically works like a roundabout, with traffic circulating around it (very French, very elegant, very “why is even the roundabout pretty?”).
Reims at night = drama in the best way. Fontaine Subé glowing like a movie set
Morning Routine in France: Boulangerie First
We stayed one night, and the next morning we did what we always do in France: boulangerie first. This time it was Case à Pain, right in the centre near the cathedral—perfect for breakfast before seeing anything else.
Reims Cathedral: “Comparable to Notre-Dame… Even Better”
Now, we already knew Reims had a cathedral, but we were aiming for something light on this stopover. However, once I started talking to locals (I always do—locals know best), I kept hearing the same thing: you can’t leave without seeing it. And the funniest part? People didn’t just recommend it… they compared it. Again and again: “Comparable to Notre-Dame… even better.”
Locals told us: “Better than Notre-Dame.” Then we walked in… and understood.
So we went.
Reims Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Reims) feels grand in a way that’s hard to explain until you stand in front of it. It’s deeply tied to France’s royal history—it hosted decades of coronations, and that ceremonial “Cathedral of Kings” identity is exactly why locals speak about it with pride. The other reason it leaves people staring upward is the sculptural detail: it’s famous for being covered in statues—thousands of them—so there’s always something to notice, even if you’re not usually a “cathedral person.”
That quiet cathedral feeling… even with visitors, it still gives you goosebumps.
Why Reims Works So Well as a Stopover
And just like that, our simple Champagne stopover became a real little memory: we arrived through vineyard country, watched the Porte de Mars light up at night, wandered Les Hautes Promenades with all that late-evening park life, and finished with terraces at Drouet d’Erlon—then topped it off the next morning with a proper French boulangerie breakfast and the cathedral that everyone insisted on.
Tree-lined walkway in Les Hautes Promenades, Reims — green promenade leading toward the city centre. Caption: Les Hautes Promenades: the prettiest walk from Porte de Mars into the centre.
Not bad for one night in Reims.
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