REIMS and VERDUN - France 2014 - page 1489

they are called, so count on €5 extra for the return trip. Wherever you go, bring a sweater,
even in summer, as the caves are cool and clammy.
Mumm
Mumm (“moome”) is one of the easiest caves to visit, as it's just a short walk from the
central train station. Reservations are essential, especially on weekends. You must choose
which tasting you want when getting your ticket (the cheapest Cordon Rouge tasting is
fine for most, though you can pay more for the same tour with extra “guided” tastings).
The tour starts with a good 10-minute promotional video explaining the Champagne-mak-
ing process. Then a guided walk takes you through the industrial-size chalk cellars, where
25 million bottles are stored (Mumm is Champagne's largest producer), and a museum of
old Champagne-making tools and traditions. The tour ends with your tasting choice.
Cost and Hours: One-hourtour,€13-28dependingontastinglevel;daily9:00-11:00
& 14:00-17:00, closed Sun; 34 Rue du Champ de Mars—go to the end of the courtyard
and follow Visites des Caves signs; tel. [phone], www.mumm.com ,
[e-mail] .
Getting There: It'sa15-minutewalkfromtheReims-Centretrainstationorfromthe
cathedral. From the station, turn left on Boulevard Joffre and walk to Place de la Répub-
lique; pass through the square, and continue along on Rue du Champ de Mars (to the left
of the Europcar office). You can also take bus #7 from the station (direction: Béthany) to
theJustice stop,turnright(south)ontoRuedelaJustice, andthenleftontoRueduChamp
de Mars. To return to the station on bus #7, turn left from Mumm and walk a block down
Rue du Champ de Mars to the bus shelter (direction: Apollinaire).
Caves Southeast of the Cathedral
Taittinger and Martel, offering contrasting looks at two very different caves, are a few
blocks apart, and can easily be combined in one visit. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is a bit
farther out and pricey—but has impressive cellars and that cool name. It's also a big draw
for American travelers and must be booked in advance.
Getting There: From the town center, it's a 30-minute walk to Taittinger and Mar-
tel—starting from behind the cathedral's right transept, it's a straight stroll down Rue
de l'Université, then Rue du Barbâtre (see map on here ) . Veuve Clicquot is another 15
minutes farther on foot.
To get near any of these caves by bus , take the small Citadine bus #1 from the
Cathédrale stop (behind the cathedral a block to the left—see map on here ) , and ride 10
minutes (direction: Buirette) to the St. Niçaise stop. The bus drops you close to Taittinger
and Martel (ask the driver to point you in the right direction). To return to the cathedral,