At first glance, the phrase ‘the heart of Champagne’ might only conjure images of bubbling flutes of the world’s most famous sparkling wine. But nestled amid the green hills and vineyard-striped plains of Reims, the Grande Dame of the Champagne region, awaits another marvel, a testament to human resilience, faith, and art. Stepping into the city limits, the beauty and intensity of Reims’ history is as palpable as the tart scent of grapes that perfumes the air.
The heritage of this northeastern French city is steeped in architectural marvel, none more intriguing than the Église St-Jacques, Reims’ only surviving medieval parish church. Standing unassumingly amidst the glamour of Reims Cathedral and the Basilica of Saint Remi, the Église St-Jacques draws in the discerning traveler. Seeming more a stoic homage to the past than a popular tourist attraction, the 12th to 14th-century church harbors an extraordinary secret.
Within its time-worn walls, a stunning ensemble of stained glass windows from the 1960s narrate history in vivid, prismatic tones. Some may declare the overwhelming colors and visual cacophony to be somewhat dreadful, but there is a peculiar charm to their presence, an unexpected verse in the centuries-long hymn of this building. Staring up into the dancing colors, the spectrum of sunlight transformed into art invites thought on notions of Beauty and its subjectivity.
For ease of access, buses and trams interconnect Reims beautifully, with the nearest stop, ‘Venise’, just a few minutes’ walk away from the Église St-Jacques. The Rémois, as locals are known, are always willing to point lost tourists in the right direction with a gracious smile. Budget friendly accommodations also dot the city, with the best ones providing a charming combination of authentic French hospitality and a view of the lavishly Gothic Reims Cathedral.
Reims is more than bottles of Champagne or Gothic architectures. Cribbed within this city, is a history of Kings and wars, resilience, and artistry. The merely curious and the deeply intrigued will both find the city’s spirit present in every local store selling the renowned pink biscuits, every vineyard tour, and each unassuming corner that offers panoramic views of the city. The Église St-Jacques is a chapter in this tale, asserting that no matter the age, art continues to evolve and beget discussion, always subject to interpretation and introspection.
Navigating the cultural topography of Reims is incomplete without contemplating the stained glass of Église St-Jacques. Like the sparkling wine nurtured in the cellars below the city, the church, too, requires a certain acquired taste, a readiness to challenge one’s perceptual borders. Such is the call of travel – not to merely see but to question, to explore the relationship between the self and the world, complex and wondrous. And perhaps in that exploration, raise a toast with a flute of Champagne to the thirst for discovery, to Reims, the heart of Champagne.