One of the most picturesque cities in France, Reims reveals to tourists the charm of the French countryside. Here the historical past and the present day coexist in harmony: Roman arches, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the XVII and XVIII centuries, Art Nouveau and Art Deco….
The unhurried lifestyle of the French province does not seem to have changed much over the past centuries, when festive processions came here to Reims for the coronation of the future monarchs of France. Here, in the cathedral of Reims, they took the oath of office, and yesterday’s dauphins turned into full kings. Only a coronation in Reims was considered a true confirmation of the right to the throne.
In the history of the cathedral, 25 French monarchs were crowned there. The choice of Reims as the place of coronation is not accidental: it was here in the V century that Bishop Remy baptized the first king of France, Clovis, who defended his kingdom in battles with the Romans and West Goths and declared Paris its capital.
According to legend, during his baptism, St. Remy received from a dove – in Christianity a symbol of the Holy Spirit – Holy Myrrh, which was later carefully kept in the Sacred Vessel and with which French kings were crowned …
The Sacred Vessel was kept in the Abbey of St. Remy, which as well as the cathedral is one of the sights of Reims. During the revolution the vessel was smashed….
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 kind of link between Russia and France. The fact is that all French kings swore an oath on the Bible, which belonged to Queen Anna, daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, married to Henry I in the XI century. Written in Old Slavonic, this bible was considered one of the French relics that no one in France could read. What was the surprise of the priests when Peter the Great, during his visit to the cathedral of Reims, began to read this bible aloud!
In addition to religious monuments, Reims and Champagne attract tourists as a wine region. The invention of champagne, which has brought world fame to the area, was 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 the picturesque cellars, where millions of bottles are stored in endless underground galleries. A whole underground city supplying the whole world with its wine.
Near Reims is Épernay, the Champagne capital, where most of the champagne cellars are located. And between Épernay and Reims there are charming vineyards….
