Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [68]
L’Opera.
$$ | FRENCH | Centrally located in Reims’s historic district, this traditional “Champenoise” restaurant specializes in local dishes such as filet mignon à la moutard de Reims, andouillette marnaise (sausage), and la ficelle Picardie (Picardy-style crepes). The copious plat du jour is always a sure bet, made with the market fresh ingredients chosen daily by chef Cédric Guyot. The setting is contemporary and stylish, yet laid back. Outdoor seating faces the pedestrian street. Two-course formules (set menus) from €18 and three-course menus €22 are available weekdays, with a special “organic” menu on tap for the weekends at €35. | 4 rue Thillois | 51100 | 03–03–26–02–68–43 | www.loperareims.com | MC, V | Closed Mon., no dinner Sun.
Château Les Crayères.
$$$$ | In a grand park, romantic with towering trees planted by Champagne legend Madame Pommery, this celebrated hotel remains the top showplace of Reims. Not far from the city center (on the A26, take the Saint Rémi exit), the garden estate is centered around its stylish, late-19th-century château, replete with glorious, gilt-trimmed, bouquet-laden salons. The legendary chef Gérard Boyer made Le Parc the most famous haute gastronomic restaurant in Reims. Since his retirement, Didier Elena, who forged his international reputation as head chef at Alain Ducasse’s Essex House in New York, has maintained the restaurant’s gastronomic flair for contemporary Champenois cuisine. Prepared with precision pairings, the fish and game dishes really shine, including the young rabbit with Granny Smith apples, the lacquered eel with celery rémoulade, or the cod and black truffles with a peppered artichoke sauce. The extensive wine list pays homage to Reims’s Champagne heritage, while the formally attentive silver service ensures that guests feel properly pampered at every moment. No matter that the restaurant (closed Monday, and no lunch is offered Tuesday; reservations and jacket and tie are all essential) may not hit the heights of Boyer’s era. For something less formal than Le Parc, guests should reserve a table at the newly opened brasserie Les Jardins, with a large terrace and light-filled contemporary dining room with a view of the chefs at work in the kitchen. As for the hotel, most guest rooms are bedecked with antiques, boiseries, and couture fabrics; the largest are Rooms 20 and 25 (the Princesse and Comtesse). For something less formal than Le Parc, guests should reserve a table at the newly opened brasserie Les Jardins, with a large terrace and light-filled contemporary dining room with a view of the chefs at work in the kitchen. Here diners can savor gourmet Champenois cuisine built up around an impressive wine and Champagne list. Pros: hotel and two restaurants in same luxurious setting; innovative food and Champagne pairings. Cons: more expensive than similar restaurants in Paris; outside the center of town. | 64 bd. Henry-Vasnier | 51100 | 03–26–82–80–80 | www.lescrayeres.fr | 20 rooms | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bar, tennis court, some pets allowed | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Jan. | BP.
Hôtel Azur.
¢–$ | Located on a quiet residential street close to Reims’s train station, the family-run Hotel Azur provides budget travelers with a comfortable and friendly base in the center of Reims. The rooms are simply furnished, decorated in cheerful primary colors with modern white tile bathrooms. Breakfast served in a sunny room, or in the garden patio during summer. Pros: free Wi-Fi, 10-minute walk to Cathedral, helpful staff; Cons: no bathtubs; limited reception hours. |9 rue des Ecrevées |51100 |03–26–47–43–39 | www.hotel-azur-reims.com | 18 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: Wi-Fi, parking