Every winter Reims turns festive: one of the largest Christmas markets in France fills the Hautes Promenades, the cathedral's great façade becomes the canvas for a light show on certain evenings, and half an hour away Épernay sets its Avenue de Champagne ablaze. Here is what to see, when to come, and how to enjoy it all on a warm private evening.
Christmas in the capital of Champagne
From late November to the end of December, Reims puts on one of the biggest Christmas markets in the country, with some 150 wooden chalets spread along the Hautes Promenades and the Porte de Mars esplanade, across from the train station. Mulled wine and, this being Champagne, glasses of bubbly; roasted chestnuts, the famous pink biscuits of Reims, regional crafts and gifts. It is a warm, walkable, thoroughly festive affair right in the heart of the city.
And there is a second act. In mid-December, Épernay stages Habits de Lumière, when the Avenue de Champagne, the grandest street in the region, is lit up for a weekend of illuminations, tastings and fireworks. The two together make for a magical winter evening, and a chauffeur is what lets you take in both without the cold, the driving or the parking.
This guide covers the market, the lights, the practical details, and how we build a festive evening around them.
What to see at the Reims Christmas market
The chalets
Some 150 wooden huts of crafts, decorations, regional food and gifts, gathered on the Hautes Promenades and the Porte de Mars esplanade. One of the largest Christmas markets in France, and one of the most atmospheric.
The illuminated cathedral
On set evenings over the holidays, usually Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., the Gothic façade of Notre-Dame de Reims becomes the canvas for Regalia, a free sound-and-light show of about ten minutes. Check the dates for your season: it is the highlight of a winter evening in the city.
Mulled wine and Champagne
Vin chaud to warm your hands, and, this being Champagne, plenty of stands pouring a festive glass of bubbly. The local way to toast the season.
The big wheel and the rink
A Ferris wheel over the rooftops and a seasonal ice rink usually join the festivities, a favorite with families and a fine view over the lit-up city.
The pink biscuit of Reims
The famous biscuit rose from Maison Fossier, best dipped in a glass of Champagne. A sweet, very local souvenir to take home from the market.
Lights all through town
Beyond the market, the streets and Place Drouet-d'Erlon glow with decorations. A stroll from the cathedral to the square is a pleasure in itself.
Épernay and the Habits de Lumière
Half an hour south of Reims, Épernay holds its own winter highlight, usually over the second weekend of December: Habits de Lumière. For a few evenings the Avenue de Champagne, lined with the grand houses and their cellars, is dressed in light, with projections on the façades, tastings, vintage cars and a fireworks finale over the avenue.
If your visit lines up with that weekend, we warmly recommend pairing the two. An early evening at the Reims market and the illuminated cathedral, then over to Épernay for the lights on the Avenue de Champagne, all in one warm car. Dates shift a little from year to year, so it is worth checking the exact weekend for the season you are planning.
A festive evening, handled
Warm door to door
We collect you at your hotel and bring you back, so the winter evening stays a pleasure. No cold walk from a far-off parking lot, no icy windshield at the end of the night.
No parking to worry about
The city center fills up fast in December. We drop you as close as possible and handle the rest, while you head straight for the chalets.
Reims and Épernay in one evening
On a Habits de Lumière weekend we can pair the Reims market with the lights of the Avenue de Champagne, a run of about half an hour between the two, timed around the fireworks.
Made for groups
Family, friends or an office outing: our minibus seats larger parties comfortably, everyone together and warm. Ask us about keeping a driver for the evening.
Beyond the market, the cellars await
While you are in the region for the festive season, a daytime Champagne tour rounds out the trip beautifully. Every tour is private, chauffeur and logistics included; visits and tastings are paid on site.
Champagne Discovery Tour
A half-day introduction: one grand house and one grower, perfect for a first visit.
Crayères UNESCO Tour
The Gallo-Roman chalk cellars listed as World Heritage, beneath the Saint-Nicaise hill.
Avenue de Champagne
A day in Épernay along the "world's most beautiful avenue," the same one that lights up for the Habits de Lumière.
Under-the-Radar Champagne Growers
Grower champagnes off the beaten track, visited with just your own party.
Grape Varieties & Grands Crus
The three grape varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, across the classified villages.
All our tours
An overview of our Champagne tours and the houses we drive you to.
What travelers ask us about the Christmas market
When is the Reims Christmas market open?
It usually runs from late November to the end of December, open every day except December 25, with longer hours on weekends. Exact dates shift each year, so it is worth checking the official schedule for the season you are visiting.
Where is the market held?
On the Hautes Promenades and the Porte de Mars esplanade, in the heart of the city across from the train station, with some 150 chalets. The Ferris wheel on Place Drouet-d'Erlon is a short walk away.
Is the Christmas market free?
Yes, entry to the market and to the cathedral sound-and-light show is free. You pay only for what you eat, drink or buy, and for attractions such as the Ferris wheel or the ice rink.
Can I combine Reims with Épernay's Habits de Lumière?
Yes, and on the right weekend it is our favorite winter outing. Épernay's Avenue de Champagne is about thirty minutes away and lights up in mid-December. We time the evening so you catch both the Reims market and the Épernay illuminations, fireworks included.
Won't it be too cold for an evening out?
Dress warmly and it is pure magic. The advantage of a private chauffeur is a warm car between stops, no long walk from a distant parking lot, and no frozen windshield at the end of the night. You simply enjoy the lights.
Do you provide transport for the Christmas market?
Yes. We run private evening pickups from your hotel in Reims, Épernay or the surrounding area, with a dedicated chauffeur, and we can pair the market with the Épernay lights. Our minibus is ideal for families and groups. Ask us about keeping a driver for the evening.