Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WWII buffs enjoy visiting the place where the Germans signed the document of surrender
of all German forces on May 7, 1945. The news was announced the next day, turning May
8 into Victory in Europe (V-E) Day. Anyone interested in World War II will find the ex-
tensive collection of artifacts fascinating, and it's thrilling to see the war room (or Signing
Room), where the Allied operations were managed and the war ultimately was ended.
Cost and Hours:
€4, Wed-Mon 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue, 12 Rue
Franklin Roosevelt, tel. 03 26 47 84 19.
Getting There:
It's a 10-minute walk from the Reims-Centre train station, or a five-
minute ride on tram #A or #B (get off at the Boulingrin stop). Or catch bus #4 in front of
the station (direction: La Neuvillette Mairie; go three stops to Mignot, then continue one
more block on foot).
Visiting the Museum:
Startwiththe10-minutevideo(nexttotheentry).Thenclimb
upstairs to the museum and Signing Room. Imagine running the European Theater of
Operationfromhere,asGeneralDwightEisenhowerdidfromFebruarytoMay1945(after
the Allies safely controlled the airspace).
Covering the walls of the Signing Room are floor-to-ceiling maps showing troop po-
sitions, gassupplies, wheretrainlineswerefunctioning, andsoon.Progresswaspainstak-
ingly marked and updated every day. This is where General Eisenhower and the Allies
received the unconditional surrender of the Germans. The chairs around the table, with
nametags each in its original spot, show where the signatories sat.
Reims, the capital of the Champagne region, offers many opportunities to visit its world-
famous cellars. All charge entry fees, most have several daily English tours, and most re-
quireareservation(onlyTattingerallowsdrop-invisits).Calloremailforthescheduleand
to secure a spot on a tour. The TI can make reservations for the Mumm and Martel cellars,
and they have information on minivan excursions into the nearby vineyards for tastings.
Champagne Tours by Cris
is one you can book directly (€55/person for 4-hour tour, tel.
03 26 88 26 37,
www.cristourschampagne-ardenne.com
)
.
Which
cave
should you visit? Martel offers the most personal and best-value tour.
Taittinger and Mumm have the most impressive cellars. Veuve Clicquot is popular with
Americans and fills up weeks in advance.
All told, Mumm is closest to the city center and train station, and offers one of the
best tours in Reims. Without a car, the others involve a long
walk
(40 minutes) or a short
bus
ride (for more, see “Getting There,” under “
Caves
Southeast of the Cathedral,” later).
A
taxi
from either train station to the farthest Champagne
cave
will cost about €13. To re-
turn,askthestaffatthe
caves
tocallataxiforyou.Warning:Themeterstartsrunningonce
