Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
as
the
place for the coronation of 26 French kings, giving it a more important role in
France's political history than Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. This cathedral is to France
what Westminster Abbey is to England.
And there's lots more history here. A self-assured Joan of Arc led a less-assured
Charles VII to be crowned here in 1429. Thanks to Joan, the French rallied around their
new king to push the English out of France and finally end the Hundred Years' War. Dur-
ingtheFrenchRevolution,thecathedralwasconvertedtoatempleofreason(aswasParis'
Notre-Dame). After the restoration of the monarchy, the cathedral hosted the crowning of
Charles X in 1825—the last coronation here. During World War I about 300 shells hit the
cathedral, damaging statues and windows and destroying the roof, but the structure sur-
vived. Then, during the 1920s, it was completely rebuilt, thanks in large part to financial
support from John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Luckily World War II spared the church, and since then it has come to symbolize re-
conciliation. A French plaque set in the pavement just in front recalls the 1962 Mass of
Reconciliation between France and Germany. A German version of the marker was added
in 2012, commemorating 50 years of friendship and celebrating the fact that another war
today between these two nations would be unthinkable.
Cost and Hours:
Free, daily 7:30-19:30, helpful information boards in English
throughout the church, audioguides are rentable at the adjacent TI (though my self-guided
tour below works well for most),
www.reims-cathedral.culture.fr
.
Cathedral Tower:
An escorted one-hour tour climbs the 250 steps of the tower for
those who'd like to explore the rooftop and enjoy a close-up look at the Gallery of Kings
statuary (€7.50, €11 with Palais du Tau combo-ticket, about hourly, get tickets and meet
escort in the Palais du Tau).
Getting There:
The cathedral is a 15-minute walk from the Reims-Centre Station.
Follow
sortie
signs for Place de la Gare, then walk to the TI on the right. Cross the tree-
lined parkway and enter the pedestrianized Place Drouet d'Erlon. Turn left on Rue Con-
dorcet, then right on Rue de Talleyrand. Or, to go by tram, find the stop on the square in
front of the station (to the left of the statue). Take tram #A (direction: Hôpital Debré) or
tram #B (direction: Gare Champagne TGV) two stops to the Opéra stop—the cathedral
and TI are behind the Opéra building.
Cathedral Sound and Light Show:
For a memorable experience, join the crowd in
front of the cathedral for a free, 25-minute sound-and-light show on most summer even-
ings. The colorful lights and booming sound take you through the ages, evoking the build-
ing's design and construction, the original appearance of the statuary, the coronations that
occurred here, the faith of the community, and—in 2014, on the centennial of the Great
War—the shelling it absorbed during World War I. Sit directly in front of the cathedral or
