Reims turns its Belle Époque city centre into a festive stage each December, anchored by wooden-chalet markets along Place Drouet d'Erlon and a Ferris wheel that lights up the pedestrian boulevard. Rather than a single mega-market, the tradition here is spread across a few squares near the cathedral and train station, paired with the citys signature pink biscuits and mulled Champagne.
Illuminated facades, an ice rink, and small artisan stalls near the Cathédrale Notre-Dame round out a walkable winter itinerary that pairs naturally with a Champagne house visit earlier in the day.
Reims's main Christmas market fills the long pedestrian square of Place Drouet d'Erlon with wooden chalets selling mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, regional cheeses, and the city's famous biscuits roses de Reims. In December 2026 the market is expected to run on its usual schedule, opening in the final third of November and continuing through the holiday period into early January, similar to prior years.
Local artisans sell ornaments, toys, and gifts alongside the food stalls, and string lights turn the square into the favourite evening stroll for both visitors and Champagne-house workers. Weekday evenings are noticeably calmer than weekends. The market sits an easy ten-minute walk from Reims train station, making it simple to combine with a Champagne cellar tour earlier in the day.
A seasonal Ferris wheel and an outdoor patinoire (ice rink) typically set up alongside the Christmas market on Place Drouet d'Erlon each winter, giving views over the market chalets and the square's Belle Époque facades. The wheel usually operates through the same window as the market, roughly late November into early January 2027, weather permitting.
Skate rental is available on site and no advance booking is normally required, though queues build up on weekend afternoons and school-holiday days. Its a good stop after browsing the market stalls, especially once the lights come on at dusk. Families with young children should check opening hours locally, as the wheel and rink sometimes close earlier on weekdays than on weekends.
Reims's Gothic cathedral, where French kings were once crowned, gets a festive treatment each December as its floodlit facade and the surrounding square become a natural gathering point for the holiday season. Some years bring projected light shows onto the west front after dark, echoing the summer son et lumière tradition the cathedral is known for.
Even without a scheduled show, the illuminated facade paired with nearby market stalls makes for one of the best free evening experiences in Reims during December 2026. Arrive around dusk to see the transition from daylight to floodlighting, and allow time to walk around to Place du Cardinal Luçon on the cathedral's south side, which tends to be quieter than the main square.
December is a naturally festive time to pair the city's Christmas market with what Reims is truly famous for: Champagne. Major houses near the centre, including Taittinger, Pommery, and Veuve Clicquot, keep their chalk-cellar tours running through the holiday season, often with seasonal tastings or decorated cellars for December visitors.
Tours typically run daily but fill up around the holidays, so booking a slot a few days ahead is worthwhile. Most cellars are a short taxi or tram ride from Place Drouet d'Erlon, making it easy to spend a morning underground among the bottles and an evening at the Christmas market above ground. Its a distinctly Reims way to round out a winter visit that a generic market alone would not capture.