Reims punches above its weight for a provincial French city. Three UNESCO World Heritage monuments are within walking distance of each other in the historic centre, and the champagne cellars cut deep into the chalk beneath the city. The Cathedral is the obvious starting point, but allow time for the Tau Palace next door and the Saint-Remi Basilica and museum on the southern edge of the old town.
The Porte de Mars — a Roman triumphal arch wider than the Arc de Triomphe — stands near the covered market and is easy to miss if you're focused on the Gothic sights. The Museum of Fine Arts on the Rue Chanzy holds a stronger collection than its provincial address suggests. The Hôtel le Vergeur on the Place du Forum is the best-preserved historic house in the city, with a remarkable collection of Dürer engravings. And the small red schoolhouse that serves as the Surrender Room is where Germany signed its unconditional surrender in May 1945 — one of the most affecting war memorials in France.
For champagne, the major cellar tours are at Veuve Clicquot and G.H. Mumm, both of which need advance booking in summer.