Europe > Car Hire France > Paris to Reims

Paris is a great destination for a holiday, but if you hire a car while you are in Paris, you can explore more of France. In this article, we look at some of the things that you can see and do in the city of Reims, in the country’s Champagne region.

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Visit Reims – Notre-Dame Cathedral and Champagne Region

It will only take you about an hour and a half to drive to Reims in your Paris rental car, but there is so much to see and do there that it’s worth spending several days there and turning your trip into a two-destination holiday.

To get to Reims from Paris by car, simply head out of Paris on L’Autoroute de L’Est partial toll road and continue straight on along the A4 partial toll road. Leave the A4 at exit 23 and follow the signs into the centre of Reims.

Reims Attractions – Historic Buildings & Monuments

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Reims is full of beautiful historic buildings, with one of its most significant being Notre-Dame Cathedral, which is one of four sites in the city to have UNESCO World Heritage status. It took more than 200 years to complete the Cathedral, which was constructed on the site of the cit

y’s old cathedral, which burned to the ground in 1210.

24 French monarchs have been crowned in Notre-Dame Cathedral, which is adorned with more than 2,300 sculptures, including the famous “Smiling Angel”, which has now become the city’s emblem.

The other UNESCO World Heritage sites in Reims are: the Saint-Remi Abbey Museum; the Romanesque-style Saint-Remi Basilica, which houses Saint-Remi’s tomb; and Tau Palace, the palace of the former Reims’ archbishops.

Reims also has a number of important monuments, including the Porte Mars (a Roman arch dating from the 3rd Century), the Statue of Joan of Arc (which was sculpted by Paul Dubois) and the Fontaine Subé (which is situated in Erlon Square).

Reims Attractions – Other Attractions

Reims’ museums include the Reims-Champagne Automobile Museum, which houses a collection of more than 200 vehicles, together with other items, such as pedal cars, toy cars and signs. You can also visit Le Musée-Hôtel Le Vergeur, where you can see a number of works of art including engravings by Albrecht Dürer, and the Museum of Surrender (Musée de la Reddition) to see the Signing Room where the Third Reich signed the document which ended World War II.

Other attractions in Reims include the Planetarium, the Grand Theatre and the Carnegie Library. There are also a number of parks and gardens in the city, including Le Parc de Champagne, the Pierre Schneiter Horticultural Garden and The Colbert Square which holds an amazing array of flowers and shrubs all year round.

You can also use your hire car in Paris to visit some of the attractions that lie just outside of the city of Reims, such as the Pompelle Fort Museum (Musée du Fort de la Pompelle) or follow the Champagne tourist route to see the region’s famous vineyards and Champagne houses.

Car Hire in France – Hiring a Car in Paris

You can book a hire car in advance and get a good deal online with low-cost, specialist car rental firms. Find airport car hire in locations around the world, including Paris, and you can choose from a range of vehicles.