194 � squaremeal.co.uk

There's no wine quite like

Champagne. It's the drink that

has celebration written all over it.

�at magical rush of bubbles, that

fine crispy, zingy freshness, make it the

most glamorous wine on earth. And for

Champagne lovers, a trip to the region has

to be top of your wish list. Make Reims

(pronounced 'rance') your destination: it's

a hop on the Eurostar, and everything is

within an easy walk. In two days you can

visit top producers and taste their wines,

and still have time for fine art, great food

and plenty of history.

Let's start with history. Dump your bags

at the hotel and head straight through the

pedestrianised old city to the Notre-Dame

Cathedral, a massive Gothic masterpiece.

Decorated with 2,000 statues on the

outside, it's impressive in the daytime,

and glorious at night when bathed in

spotlight. You will come back to marvel

at it again and again; no wonder Claude

Monet painted it endlessly.

ROYAL FLUSH

For the French, it's a legendary place. �e

kingdom of France began here, on the site

where the cathedral now stands - with the

baptism of Clovis, who became the first

king (33 kings were crowned here in total).

Inside, seek out the brilliantly coloured

window by painter Marc Chagall. �e

nearby windows, completed in 1954,

illustrate a year in the vineyard.

Next door to the cathedral is the

suitably grand archbishops' palace, the

Palais du Tau. It's a treasure trove telling

the history of the coronations and kings

- as well as housing many of the actual

statues from the cathedral walls (they

were removed for protection, and replaced

with very convincing copies). �e number

of rooms is daunting, so head straight to

the Salle du Tau, where the coronation

Bursting with fine art, culture and gastronomy, the Champagne region is a feast for the

senses - and that's before you've even set foot in its labyrinthian cellars

GRAPE

ESCAPEWORDS SARAH�JANE EVANS