Reims Cathedral and the champagne houses

The Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned for centuries, with more than 2,300 statues on its façade, including the famous 'Smiling Angel', and stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Reims and nearby Épernay are the heart of Champagne. The great houses, such as Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Pommery in Reims, and Moët & Chandon on Épernay's Avenue de Champagne, offer tours of their chalk cellars, kilometres of tunnels deep underground, with tastings. Book ahead. Reims is 45 minutes from Paris by TGV.