Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Reims

The Smiling Angel & Other Stories Of Notre Dame De Reims

## Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Reims: France’s Coronation Church in the Heart of Champagne

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Reims dominates Place du Cardinal Luçon in the city of Reims, in France’s Champagne region. Today it’s a major Gothic landmark, a working Catholic cathedral, and a key stop for anyone pairing culture with champagne tastings.

If you’re mainly here to plan logistics, you can jump straight to Practical visiting tips or Champagne cellars and nearby sights.

Located at Pl. du Cardinal Luçon, 51100 Reims, the cathedral stands roughly at coordinates 49.253828, 4.0340474, an easy walk from Reims’ main train station.

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## Why Reims Cathedral matters

### A masterpiece of Gothic art

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Reims is widely recognised as one of the purest examples of High Gothic architecture. UNESCO explicitly highlights the building as a masterpiece thanks to its innovative use of 13th-century structural techniques and the balance between architecture and sculpture. World Heritage Centre

Across its façade and exterior you’ll find well over 2,000 statues – more precisely, more than 2,300 sculpted figures – an unparalleled sculptural programme in a medieval church.

The cathedral, the former Abbey of Saint-Rémi, and the Palace of Tau together form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 1991), so you’re not just visiting one monument: you’re dipping into an entire historic ensemble. World Heritage Centre

### Coronation church of French kings

For centuries, Reims was effectively the coronation capital of France. The tradition goes back to the baptism of Clovis I, king of the Franks, in Reims in the late 5th century (in an earlier church on this site). That event set the precedent for later royal ceremonies.

From the 11th century onward, almost every king of France (all but seven) was crowned here with the holy oil of the Holy Ampulla, making this a crucial stage set for French history.

The cathedral is also closely associated with Joan of Arc: after her campaigns shifted momentum in favour of the dauphin Charles, his coronation as Charles VII took place in Reims in 1429. Statues of Joan – including a prominent equestrian statue outside – recall that moment.

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## A quick history: from medieval rebuild to war damage

### From fire to High Gothic

– In 1210, an earlier cathedral on this site was destroyed by fire.
– Construction of the current building began in 1211, moving quickly thanks to standardised stone blocks and an ambitious architectural plan.
– Most of the main structure was completed by the 13th–14th centuries, making it a textbook example of High Gothic design.

Over time, the cathedral went through multiple restoration campaigns, particularly in the 19th century, under architects such as Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who worked to bring parts of the building closer to its medieval appearance (with varying degrees of creative license).

### World War I and painstaking restoration

During World War I, Reims lay close to the front line. The cathedral was heavily shelled and bombed; fires damaged the roof, melted lead, and shattered much of the stained glass.

In the 20th century, a large-scale restoration began, supported in part by international donors (including American Rockefeller funding). This work not only stabilised the structure but also led to the commissioning of significant modern stained glass, such as windows by Marc Chagall.

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## Reading the façade: thousands of unique sculptures

One of the most striking things as you step into Place du Cardinal Luçon is sheer detail: figures crowd every arch, gallery, and portal.

### The “Smiling Angel” and friends

Among the thousands of statues, one has become a symbol of the city: the “Smiling Angel” (L’Ange au Sourire). Carved in the 13th century and located on the left portal of the western façade, this angel is notable for its subtle, almost playful smile. It was decapitated during World War I bombardments; its careful restoration later turned it into an emblem of resilience for Reims.

Practical tip:
– Stand slightly off-centre to the left of the main portal and look up at the figures around the doors; once you’ve spotted the Smiling Angel, it’s surprisingly expressive for a stone figure.

### A sculpted “comic strip” of theology and monarchy

The façade isn’t random decoration – it’s a visual narrative:

– Central portal: often interpreted as focusing on the Virgin Mary and her role in salvation history.
– Side portals: scenes from the life of Christ and the life of Mary, including the Passion and her coronation.
– Gallery of Kings above the west front: a line of 56 royal statues, with Clovis I in the centre, flanked by Queen Clotilde and Saint Remigius, tying French monarchy directly to the sacred story of Reims.

Many statues on the lower levels lost their heads during the French Revolution, when royal and religious imagery was deliberately targeted. You can still see traces of this iconoclastic violence today in the damaged figures.

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## Stained glass: from medieval roses to Chagall and Knoebel

Inside, the focus shifts from stone to light.

### Medieval rose windows

The west front’s great rose window dates back to the 13th century and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Concentric rings of glass depict apostles, angels and Old Testament kings and prophets, creating a dense theological programme that complements the sculptures outside.

Look closely at:

– The upper western rose for its Dormition of the Virgin theme.
– The triforium windows below, which echo the royal coronations in stained glass – a visual equivalent of the Gallery of Kings on the façade.

### The Champagne Window and local identity

In the south transept you’ll find the so-called “Champagne Window”, a 20th-century creation celebrating the region’s vineyard workers and champagne-making traditions. It’s a rare example of stained glass explicitly linking a cathedral’s spiritual life to the local economy and landscape.

### Chagall and contemporary art

In the axial chapel at the east end, Marc Chagall designed a set of windows installed after World War II, using traditional techniques but distinctly 20th-century colour and composition. They depict themes such as:

– The life, death and resurrection of Christ
– The story of Abraham
– Scenes connected to the kings of France and Reims’ biblical heritage

More recently, the German artist Imi Knoebel created additional abstract stained-glass windows for the apse area, unveiled as part of the cathedral’s 800th-anniversary celebrations in 2011. These works are explicitly framed as a gesture of Franco-German reconciliation, a powerful statement given the World War I destruction.

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## Practical visiting tips

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### Opening hours and entry

– Opening times: Recent visitor information indicates that Notre-Dame de Reims is generally open daily from about 07:30 to 19:30, with slightly earlier closing (around 19:15) on Sundays and major religious holidays.
– Entry fee: Visiting the main cathedral is free of charge, though specialised tours or tower visits may be ticketed.

Important: Opening hours, security procedures and access to specific areas can change (for example, around religious services, events, or heightened security alerts). Always verify current information on local signage or an up-to-date official/visitor site before your visit.

### Services vs sightseeing

Reims Cathedral is an active place of worship. During Mass and other services, visitors may be restricted to certain areas, and walking around for sightseeing or photography may be limited. Plan your visit outside main service times if you want to explore quietly and take photos.

### Getting there from Paris

Reims is a popular day trip from Paris:

– Train: High-speed and regional trains from Paris (typically from Gare de l’Est) reach Reims in about 46 minutes on the fastest services, with an average journey time around an hour. The distance is roughly 130 km. Trainline
– From Reims station, it’s roughly a 10–15-minute walk to the cathedral along straightforward city streets. Trainline

Because train timetables and prices change frequently, treat any specific journey times or fares you see quoted online as indicative only and confirm them close to your travel date.

### What to wear and bring

There is no strict dress code enforced like in some pilgrimage sanctuaries, but this is still an active cathedral:

– Aim for respectful clothing (covered shoulders, no beachwear).
– Bring a light layer – Gothic interiors can be noticeably cooler than the street, even in summer.
– Tripods are often restricted; a fast lens or smartphone with good low-light performance is usually enough. Check onsite signs for current photography rules.

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## Champagne cellars and nearby sights

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One of the biggest advantages of visiting Reims Cathedral is what lies within walking or short-tram distance.

– Palace of Tau (Palais du Tau): Historically the archbishop’s palace and venue for royal coronation banquets, it stands right next to the cathedral and is part of the same UNESCO listing. Its museum displays original sculpture fragments, coronation regalia, and scale models. World Heritage Centre
– Abbey of Saint-Rémi: A little farther out, this former abbey church and its museum offer a quieter but extremely rewarding Gothic and Romanesque experience, also tied into the royal and religious history of Reims. World Heritage Centre

Of course, Reims is also the capital of Champagne:

– Major champagne houses (such as Pommery, Taittinger and others) offer guided tours of their chalk cellars (crayères) and tastings, often reachable by local transport or a short taxi ride. Times
– It’s entirely feasible to spend a half-day focused on the cathedral and Palace of Tau, and the other half touring one or two champagne caves.

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