Champagne isn't only about bubbles. An hour and a half from Reims lies Verdun, the largest battlefield of the First World War, and Reims itself carries the scars of 1914-18 and of 1945 everywhere you look. Here are the remembrance sites worth seeing, how to reach them, and why a day with a private driver is by far the simplest and most fitting way to visit.
Reims, a martyred city of the Great War
From September 1914, the front line froze just a few kilometers from Reims. The city was shelled for four years, its burning cathedral became the symbol of a wounded France, and champagne aged on in cellars turned into shelters. Thirty years later, it was again in Reims that Germany signed its surrender, on 7 May 1945. Few cities hold so much history within such a short radius, which makes it an ideal base for a pilgrimage across both world wars.
Remembrance sites in and around Reims
Even before setting off for Verdun, Reims and its surroundings offer several major sites, easy to string together over a half-day.
Fort de la Pompelle
The most important WWI museum in the region, in a fort that held out against assault throughout the war. Rich collections of weapons, uniforms and equipment. Open daily except Monday.
Museum of the Surrender
The room where the German surrender was signed on 7 May 1945, kept in its original state. Fully renovated, it reopened on 7 May 2026. Open daily except Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Set ablaze by the shelling of 1914 and restored between the wars, it remains the symbol of a wounded, then reborn, Reims. A must-see, not least for its Gothic architecture.
Less than an hour away, two more stops round out the 1914-18 memory: the Chemin des Dames and its Caverne du Dragon (an underground museum fifteen meters below ground, scene of the 1917 fighting), and the American Memorial Bridge at Fismes, honouring the United States troops engaged in 1918.
Coming for the American story? Our page on American WWI and WWII sites from Reims covers Belleau Wood, the Aisne-Marne and Oise-Aisne cemeteries, Château-Thierry and the room where the war in Europe ended.
Verdun, the greatest battlefield of 1914-18
The Battle of Verdun lasted three hundred days and nights in 1916, over a tiny stretch of ground. A century on, the forest has reclaimed the land but the soil still bears the mark of the shells, and the great remembrance sites can be visited in a day from Reims.
Douaumont Ossuary
Verdun's emblematic monument holds the remains of some 130,000 unknown French and German soldiers. Its lantern tower rises above the vast national cemetery.
Verdun Memorial
The reference museum on the battle, built on a village wiped off the map and never rebuilt. A modern, sober and powerful telling through objects and testimonies.
Fort Douaumont
The mightiest fort of the Verdun defences, whose tunnels and casemates you can walk. With the nearby Fort de Vaux, it tells the story of the underground war and the horror of the assaults.
Depending on time, add the Fort de Vaux, the Trench of Bayonets, the underground Citadel of Verdun, or, for American visitors, the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, the largest United States military cemetery in Europe.
Getting to Verdun from Reims
This is the key point: the Verdun sites are scattered across the countryside, over several kilometers, and are not served by public transport. Without a car, a proper visit is simply impossible. Verdun is about an hour and a half by road from Reims, which makes a day trip very doable.
With a private driver, you leave at the time that suits you, move from a fort to the ossuary and on to the memorial without worrying about the route or parking, and go at your own pace, time for reflection included. We take care of the road and the logistics. See our private Reims – Verdun transfer with a driver for details and a quote.
Would you like historical insight on site? On request, we can arrange for a licensed guide-lecturer to accompany you and bring the sites to life. Just let us know ahead of time.
Where to stop for lunch
The day is full and moving, so a real break matters. Around Verdun and along the way you'll find inns and simple, local tables, some right next to the remembrance sites. We suggest a spot to suit your program and the hour, and we can book it for you. The meal is settled on site.
Go further: Champagne and remembrance over two days
Many of our guests pair remembrance with the vineyards. One day at Verdun, one day in Champagne: the combination works beautifully, and we drive you for both.
Reims – Verdun transfer
Our private-driver service for the remembrance day, round trip from Reims at your own pace.
One day in Reims
Cathedral, champagne cellars and heritage: the perfect complement to the remembrance day with a day in town.
Crayères UNESCO Tour
The listed chalk cellars of Reims, some of which sheltered people during the war: the link between champagne and 1914-18.
Your questions about a remembrance day at Verdun
Can you visit Verdun in a single day from Reims?
Yes, very comfortably. Allow about an hour and a half of driving each way, a full day on site for the main sites (ossuary, memorial, one or two forts), and the return in the evening. We tailor the program to the time you have.
Can you get there by train?
The train does not serve the remembrance sites, which are scattered across the countryside around Verdun. A car is essential to link them. This is exactly where a private driver makes all the difference.
Do you need a guide, or can you visit on your own?
The sites are perfectly visitable on your own, with the signage and museums. For deeper historical insight, we can arrange a licensed guide-lecturer to accompany you on request.
Is the visit suitable for families?
Yes, it is a powerful place to pass history on to children and teenagers, and the museums are informative. Bring good shoes and clothing for the weather, as part of the visit is outdoors.
Can you combine Verdun with a Champagne day?
Absolutely, it is one of our favorite formats: a remembrance day at Verdun and a day in the vineyards, with the same driver. We plan the whole thing and drive you for both.