Part 2 - LP native takes us on European trip

FREE CONTENT - Beyond Bunches Bend By Trey Phillips

Second in a series

Last time, I wrote about boarding the train in Strasbourg bound for Reims, France. As I mentioned, I knew nothing about Reims (pronounced like “France” but without the F). I just knew it was on the train route I was taking to Paris, was within an hour or so distance from Paris, and there were some reasonably- priced hotel rooms available in Reims for last minute travelers like me.

I arrived in Reims in the late afternoon. It was a beautiful, sunny day, so I decided to walk to the hotel, with luggage in tow. The first thing I noticed about the Reims train station, both inside and out, was how clean and tidy everything was. Out front, the taxis were clean and shiny, with “taxi” signs on the top of Mercedes, BMW and Audi automobiles. I thought that was a sign of a nice town.

As I walked across a beautifully- landscaped open plaza, I noticed that the colorful trams on the light rail system were, as were the taxis, shiny and new in appearance. The streets and sidewalks along the plaza on the way to the hotel were also immaculate. I don’t recall seeing any trash, debris or stains It crossed my mind that there was something unusual about Reims. There weren’t even any crowds at what was approaching the end of the workday.

After about a half hour of walking, I arrived at my hotel. (Hotel Azur Reims, 7-9 Rue des Ecrevees, Reims, France) Considering the diminutive but classically styled building, I thought the Azur must be a boutique hotel.

Inside was a small lobby with a compact front desk. Keys were hanging on hooks mounted to the wall behind the front desk. After a couple of minutes waiting, the front desk clerk checked me in with the usual paperwork and handed me the key to my assigned room. My key was attached to what appeared to be a cork from a wine bottle, apropos for a small boutique hotel in France.

When I arrived at my room, I was pleasantly surprised with more than I had expected from a last minute, reasonably-priced hotel accommodation.The room was colorful and, when I opened the window, I saw it overlooked the courtyard. I kicked off my shoes and plopped down on the bed for a few minutes of rest.

Later, I decided to find a good place to eat. As I had throughout my Europe trip, I went to both the Yelp app and Google to look for local restaurants and reviews. It was almost sunset by the time I walked outside to explore the neighborhood.

One of the first dining establishments that I walked past that evening was a small but luxuriously decorated bakery that had at least two gigantic crystal chandeliers sparkling with bright lights.

(Aux Merveilleux de Fred, 3 Rue de Mars, Reims) All the displayed baked items were fluffy, but rough-textured, cakes, identical in texture. The only difference was color and size. Later, I learned that the cakes are called merveilleux, which originated long ago in Belgium and Northern France. Merveilleux consist of two light meringue segments or layers stacked and slathered all over with whipped cream and dusted with chocolate shavings. I hate to admit that I didn’t indulge in merveilleux that night. I just wasn’t in the mood for sweets. Fortunately, I’ve read where they can be found in some major cities in the United States, so I’ll be on the lookout for merveilleux.

I continued down the street, checking out several restaurants in the area. They all seemed to be busy. There appeared to be bottles of wine (not surprising) and bottles of champagne (somewhat surprising) sitting on many of the outside tables. Everyone at the restaurants appeared happy (not surprising!).

Finally, tired of walking and growing hungry, I spotted a quiet, seemingly casual restaurant which wasn’t too busy. (Le QG Brasserie, 16 Rue de Mars, Reims) I was seated at a small table and ordered a hamburger and a Diet Coke. No fancy French dishes for me that night. Even though burgers were on the menu, a selection of wines and champagne was also listed. While waiting for my burger, I chatted, in English, with a well-dressed woman at the next table who was dining alone and reading a book. Turns out, she was from the U.K. and frequently visited Reims. Considering her friendly back-and-forth conversations with the staff, I suspected the U.K. lady was a frequent diner at La QG. I thought that a good sign.

After my burger, I wandered down the street a few blocks and walked past an imposing, architecturally- beautiful building, the appearance of which was enhanced by well-placed lighting. I assumed it was a palace. I checked Google Maps and found that the palace was actually Reims Town Hall. (Hotel de ville de Reims, 9 Place de L’Hotel de Ville – Esplanade Simone Veil, Reims) After viewing the magnificent Reims Town Hall, I knew this was no ordinary town. I texted one of my brothers and told him where I was. He immediately recognized and recalled a visit he had taken to Reims. He told me it’s famous for the “Champagne Houses” in the region. He had toured some of the area’s massive networks of underground catacombs and tunnels where champagne is aged. Some of the champagne brands associated with the Reims region are Tattinger, Mumm and Dom Perignon. Upon learning of the historic champagne roots of Reims, I understood why the entire town seemed to display that special sparkle.

The next morning, I had a light breakfast at Hotel Azur and set out for the train station. The walk back to the station was as sunny and pleasant as the walk to the hotel had been the afternoon before.

After the train had departed for Paris, I pulled out my iPad to read more about the history of Reims. I learned that the town was where the Germans had formally surrendered to the Allies to bring WWII to an end. Also, I learned that Reims was damaged by German bombing during WWII and was almost destroyed by German artillery during WWI.

Reims Cathedral (Notre- Dame de Reims) suffered serious damage during the wars. Fortunately, all was rebuilt and restored. I was surprised to learn that Reims Cathedral is 800 years old and was where more than two dozen Kings of France had been crowned. Joan of Arc attended the coronation of King Charles VII at Reims Cathedral on July 17, 1429. In early June of each year, there is a week-long Joan of Arc festival in Reims.

During my research on the train, I realized that I may have made a mistake by not extending my stay in Reims. There is a lot of fascinating history and culture associated with Reims and I hope to return soon.

Next time, the beautiful and exciting city of Paris. I stayed in Paris for several days and will have a few stories to tell. Stay tuned …

See all the stories in the series Beyond Bunches Bend