In late November, Reims changes pace. The Hautes Promenades fill with wooden chalets, the scent of gingerbread and mulled wine wafts up to Place d'Erlon, and the great wheel lights up above the rooftops. The Reims Christmas market is often cited among the largest in France — and it is undoubtedly the only one where you can toast with champagne just steps away from the cellars of the houses that produce it. Here is what you need to know to make the most of it, and which Reims champagnes to bring back from your visit.
Reims Christmas Market 2026: dates
The City of Reims has announced it: the 2026 Christmas market opens on Wednesday, November 25 and closes on Sunday, December 27, 2026. It is open daily except December 25, with extended hours on weekends — until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Last year, the 28th edition was held from November 26 to December 28, 2025. Detailed hours are at the bottom of this article.
Where is the Christmas market located?
The market is set up on the Hautes Promenades Jean-Louis Schneiter, the long tree-lined promenade that borders the city center, and on the esplanade of the Porte de Mars, at the foot of the Roman arch, a few minutes' walk from Reims-Centre station. Around 150 chalets offer gourmet, artisanal and festive products. The festivities then spill over onto the Place Drouet-d'Erlon, Reims' large pedestrian square, with its grand Christmas tree. From the station, you can reach the chalets in five minutes: it's one of the reasons the market attracts so many visitors from Paris, 45 minutes away by high-speed train.
What to do at the Reims Christmas Market?
Browse the chalets
Plan for at least two hours to walk through the aisles. In addition to the chalets, the market hosts a village of artisans and the Boutique #rémoise, dedicated to local creations. You'll find Christmas decorations, jewelry, wooden toys and plenty of treats: gingerbread, nougat, cheeses, charcuterie from the Ardennes, and of course the famous pink biscuits of Reims, which are traditionally dipped in champagne.
Ride the great wheel
Standing 55 meters tall, the great wheel operates from November 14, 2026 to Sunday, January 10, 2027, daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. — it opens before the market and stays after. On clear days, the view extends over the city's rooftops, the cathedral towers and, in the distance, the first slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Best enjoyed at dusk, when the lights come on.
Activities for children
The youngest have their Village of Teddy Bears and a small train. For rides, the Christmas and Kings Fair sets up on Chaussée Bocquaine and remains open until January 4, 2027.
The illuminated cathedral
Ten minutes' walk from the chalets, the Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, where French kings were crowned and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, is free to visit. On Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. (except December 12) and until January 3, 2027, its façade comes alive with the light show Regalia, which brings the color of the statues back to life. A path of lights also connects the city's emblematic places, with other sounds and lights on several monuments. It is one of the most beautiful moments of an evening in Reims in December.
Champagne, at the heart of Reims' Christmas
Reims is the capital of the great Champagne houses. Beneath Saint-Nicaise hill, twenty minutes' walk from the market, lie the crayères — ancient chalk quarries dug in the Roman era — where the houses age their bottles. They have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2015, as part of the "Hillsides, houses and cellars of Champagne." Several houses open them for visits, by reservation only: in December, slots go quickly, so reserve before you come.
At the market itself, you mostly drink mulled wine and a few glasses at gourmet stalls. To extend the experience at home, it's better to choose your bottles calmly than at a chalet counter.
Which Reims champagnes should you bring back?
Here are cuvées from houses located in Reims, all available in our online wine shop — a way to extend your visit around the Christmas table. Prices observed in our shop at the date of publication.
- Taittinger Brut Prestige (€44.90) — the house brut from Taittinger, fresh and refined, rich in chardonnay: the quintessential aperitif champagne. View the cuvée.
- Veuve Clicquot Brut Carte Jaune (€46.12) — the most famous yellow label from Veuve Clicquot, dominated by pinot noir, round and generous. View the cuvée.
- Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve (€44.80) — a non-vintage brut rich in reserve wines, indulgent and brioche-like, ideal with toasts and foie gras. View the cuvée.
- Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel Extra Brut (€41) — lightly dosed, clean and precise, for those who love taut champagnes. View the cuvée.
- Louis Roederer Collection 246 (€54.90) — the house blend from Louis Roederer, built on a perpetual reserve: a food-friendly champagne, ample and profound. View the cuvée.
- R de Ruinart (€59) — the oldest Champagne house, founded in Reims in 1729, whose cellars are among the most spectacular in the city. View the cuvée or the entire Ruinart range.
- Krug Grande Cuvée 173rd Edition (€262) — for an exceptional Christmas: a blend of over one hundred reserve wines, aged for a long time. View the cuvée.
To go further, our selection of the best champagnes for Christmas 2026 classifies them by course and budget, and our guide to champagne gift boxes helps you choose a gift. For a large gathering, consider a magnum. Our entire wine shop is on the champagnes page.
Bringing champagne back from Reims: our advice
By train or car, bottles travel well: keep them lying down or standing upright well-secured, away from the heat of the trunk in direct sun — rare in December. By plane, 75 cl bottles cannot go in the cabin (liquids limited to 100 ml): you must put them in the hold, well-protected, or do without them. The easiest option is often to have it delivered: you enjoy the market with your hands free, and the bottles arrive at your home wrapped in boxes designed for transport.
Upon arrival, let the champagne rest for a few days before opening it, kept cool and away from light, then serve it between 8 and 10 °C. Our tips on storage and serving detail the correct temperature depending on the cuvée.
An idea for the holidays: champagne soup
A specialty from Champagne evenings, champagne soup mixes a brut, triple sec and sugar cane syrup, served very cold in a large bowl. It is the ideal drink to welcome guests when they return from the market. Our champagne soup recipes provide exact proportions and a few variations.
Practical information
- Dates: from Wednesday, November 25 to Sunday, December 27, 2026 (closed Friday, December 25).
- Hours until December 20: Monday 2 p.m.–8 p.m.; Tuesday to Thursday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
- Hours December 21–27 (school holidays): Monday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Thursday, December 24, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Location: Hautes Promenades Jean-Louis Schneiter and esplanade of the Porte de Mars, downtown Reims; grand Christmas tree on Place Drouet-d'Erlon.
- Access: Reims-Centre station is five minutes on foot; Paris is about 45 minutes by high-speed train.
- Admission: free and open to the public; great wheel is paid, open from November 14 to January 10, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Tip: come on weekdays or early afternoon to avoid the crowds of December Saturdays, and book your cellar visits in advance.
