Reims Tours

Reims is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne region in northeastern France. It lies 129 km (80 miles) east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire. Reims played a very important role in French history, as the place where the kings of France were crowned. The most famous of these events was the coronation of Charles VII in 1429 in the company of Joan of Arc. Thus, the Cathedral of Reims played the same role in France as Westminster Abbey did in England. Some sources regard Reims as the capital of the province of Champagne, given its size as by far the largest city in the region.