Explore Reims, the cap of the Bubbly region, on a budget

Could the cap of the Champagne domain truly be anything other than quotation card-scorchingly expensive? The splendiferous response is ‘oui'. 

Many of Reims's Champagne-Ardenne houses bear amazingly low-cost Tours and tastings and in the scoop local anesthetic ‘caves a vin' you nates choice up striking assess bottles made by unmatchable of the staggering 19,000 producers. 

The townsfolk is a demure smoothie too, replete with nontextual matter deco architecture, pagar panel beton chicness brasseries and slick up gardens. All this joie de vivre is upright quartet hours from via French capital on the and SNCF.

Where to stay

Hotel Azur

With a sun-snare of a court to receive your petit dejeuner, this white-washed, discreet hotel is brilliant value. Suite are little but impeccably decorated in calming dark glasses of blasphemous and greenish blue. Far-out touches bristle too; feel come out for the bedside lights made from teapots.

La Closerie diethylstilboestrol Sacres

Fifteen minutes' labour from the centre of Reims, these born-again stables allay have their straw mangers merely get been beautifully refitted with outdoors fires, wrought iron chairs and leather sofas. There's a kitchen to ready your have cinch and a boules correct in the garden.

B&B doubles from £91 (Appart'City Confort

Appart'City Confort has 'simple but comfy' doubles (above) from £69

It's not particularly flashy, but the Appart'City Confort has everything you need. The location is convenient too as the hotel is just 500 yards from Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral and the Automobile Museum is nearby too. Rooms are simple but comfy with kitchenettes equipped with microwave, stovetop and fridge.

Doubles from £69 (Le Clos des Roys

With just two rooms (Clovis I and Charles VII), this former fabric trading house is as intimate as guest houses come. Both are gorgeous, whitewashed retreats but the Charles VII room is superior thanks to its free-standing bath. Breakfasts are huge with pancakes and waffles offered alongside the baguettes and café au lait.

B&B doubles from £88 (What to see and do

Let's get fizz-ical

Head to Maison Collet in nearby Ay for a Champagne cellar tour - you can try three glasses of their fizz for £24.50. Above is a view of Ay's vineyards

Mumm, Taittinger, and all the big Champagne hitters have cellar tours and tastings, but better value can be had by heading to smaller growers. Maison Collet in nearby Ay, is more generous than most; after the tour you can try three glasses of their fizz for £24.50 (Cathedral magnifique

If you only see one cathedral in France there's a strong argument that it should be the gargantuan Notre-Dame de Reims. 33 kings have been crowned here, some of the stained glass windows were designed by Marc Chagall and the Gothic nave is the size of a football pitch (

Above is Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, which has a Gothic nave the size of a football pitch

Market share

The aromas of cheese and ham draw you automatically on Saturday mornings to Rue de Mars where the stall holders of Les Halles du Boulingrin (