I'm looking to do a day trip to Rheims from Paris by train (or maybe stay overnight). Is it feasible and how long does it take? Where do you catch the train from? Any recommendations for the best/most accessible champagne houses to visit?

It's an easy and enjoyable day trip. It takes about 90 minutes one-way by train which leaves from the Gare de l'Est station. I didn't go to a champagne house when I was there because I was more interested in the museums and cathedral although I was planning to go to Mumm's which is closest to the train station. There are several others to the southeast of the main city center where the cathedral is -- Taittinger, Pommery, Piper-Heidsieck and Vevue Clicquot. There should be information on these in the train station in Reims or the main tourist information center which is to the left of the cathedral.

By the way, if you do a search online for info (there is a tourism website and probably some for the caves), the name of the city is Reims.

Hi Supersal

check out www.tourisme.fr/reims/

Used to be 12 connections a day from Paris. Easy daytrip, but warrants an overnight IMHO. Enjoy your trip.

Not only can you do it in a day, but you can also through Epernay into the day if you want on the way back. We went by train quite early in the morning, first seeing the cathedral then doing a champagne tour (at Maxim's, which also has a film and an interesting little museum of old wine equipment. Taittinger wasn't doing a tour for that day, or rather it was a private tour, but that would be my first choice for a tour. We left Reims about noon and headed to Epernay where we had lunch and then did Moet and Chandon tour -- a very nice one!

I'll be the first to admit we didn't see Reims in depth, but we enjoyed it, and made the day more about champagne tastings than seeing Reims. We enjoyed seeing Epernay as well as Reims.

"throw" not "through" Epernay into the day. Where's my head?

Patrick, did you have to sign up for the champagne tours in advance or did you just show up? I'd love to do the Moet and Chandon tour

We went to Maison Cliquot-Ponsadin and was great. Great tour, great wine, great people. But you MUST reserve. You can use the e-mail in their homepage. We went also to the Mercier cave, in Epernay, but was a little bit "Disney" style, we didn't like it.

ttt