We will be spending a day in Reims in late April. I have booked an 11am cellar tour at Veuve Cliquot and a 1300 lunch at Le Jardin. We will be taking the train from Paris that morning and return that afternoon or evening. I would like to see the cathedral in Reims if it is not too late but I am a bit concerned about getting back to Paris so late and arriving at the Gare du Est. Comments?

Is there anything that we should not miss?

Your plan is easy and leaves time for plenty of wandering.

What are you worried about in Paris? Gare de l'Est is a nice area and it isn't even dark at this time of year until after 20:00 and even later at the end of April.

Wow, great to know that there is no problem getting back late to Paris. In something I read it cautioned against being in that area at night but that I why I wanted to reach out. We will plan to stay and see the cathedral lit.

I would like to take in other champagne houses while we are there for the day but decided against booking others in advance so that we did not end up feeling rushed. Do you agree with this or is there one that we should book in the afternoon after lunch?

We enjoyed the Palais du Tau adjacent to the cathedral where the original treasures of the cathedral are displayed... Coronation Chalice, Talisman of Charlemagne, tapestries, reliquaries, statues, etc. Interesting architecture, including evidence of the building's beginning as a Gallo-Roman villa, and beautiful spaces like the Palatine Chapel and banquet hall.

We also enjoyed the Musee de la Reddition where the German army officially surrendered to the Allied Forces, but I doubt you'd have time... although it's very near the train station.

When I made an impromptu trip to Reims with my brother and sister-in-law (his 3rd wife and finally the correct one), we just went to the tourist office in front of the cathedral. They have a big directory of all of the champagne tours (and the languages of such -- my sister-in-law does not speak French) and they were able to direct us to one that was starting in less than an hour.

I might not want to arrive back in Paris at midnight and then walk around there back to a hotel, but you aren't doing that, I presume. That isn't a long train ride, so are you getting back at 7-8 pm? And then taking the metro? That's what I do, but I"ve done day trips and gotten back to Paris in early evening several times, since I don't eat dinner that early anyway. Never at that particular train station, though, true. I wouldn't myself call that a nice area in particular, but as I said, you aren't getting back late anyway, you even said maybe afternoon. Are you aware there is a metro station right there? about 3 lines run right through it (4/5/7)

Even at this time of year, night doesn't fall until 9pm.

I recommend dinner at Batifol, directly across from Gare de l'Est in the same building as the Holiday Inn (former Terminus Est).

Yes, there is one thing you should not miss. The Cathedral.

For us, Dom Perignon in Epernay was a must, but we had a car, not sure distance from Reims. We stayed overnight in Epernay too so travel timing not an issue. Good luck!

Easy to catch the train from Reims to Epernay and pretty quick

Yeah, bilboburgler, just noticed that too