Reims is where our tour adventure began. It started off with a literal bang, or I should say  a "pop" as the first thing we learned was how to open a champagne bottle with a long, curved saber-type sword! This method is called "sabrage" and I'm going to say it's a "don't try this at home" thing. A big highlight here is the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims, the site of the coronation of most of the kings of France. The Gothic architecture, the stained glass, the history were all very impressive! Reims is also historically important as this is where the Germans surrendered to the Allies, ending WWII. You can see where it happened at The Museum of Surrender (Musee de la Reddition). I did not get to go see it, but some in our group did and said it was really interesting.

 

We arrived in Reims two days before the tour started, so we had some time to explore on our own. I loved the fountain in the middle of the pedestrian square. It is the Fontaine Subé. The four statues around the base represent the four local rivers and at the top is a gold Victory angel. It's surrounded by flowers and is a popular photo spot. The first night we were here, we dined across the street from our hotel at Le Grand Cafe. I had scallops and mussels in a butter sauce. The next day, I finally found a coffee drink I liked (had been having trouble ordering the right thing until now) at Le Lion.  Macchiato with vanilla for the win!