The city of Reims is small, but beautiful. I like the fact that I can walk everywhere, but also have the option of taking a bus. There is also a tramway that goes through the center of the city. The city is filled with parks, beautiful buildings, and champagne houses. The city feels completely safe and everyone is friendly. The main shopping area of the city is Place d’Erlon, which not only features many stores, such as Sephora and H&M, but also many restaurants and bars. Almost all of the places in Place d’Erlon have outdoor seating, which is great especially with the warm weather. In fact, students often go out on Thursday nights and sit in Place d’Erlon, while having a drink or two. There are many bakeries that sell both sandwiches and quiches for lunch, but also delicious desserts, such as pain au chocolat. There are also three great bakeries near the Sciences Po campus, where students who do not pack their lunches go to buy a lunch to eat on campus.
However, the main difference between Reims and Philadelphia, despite the sheer size, is the fact that practically nothing is open on Sundays, including the Science Po library. Although some restaurants in the center of town stay open, most small café’s do close; in addition, the supermarket stays open only until noon on Sundays. This atmosphere definitely takes some getting used to, but your Sunday afternoon can easily be filled with picnics in parks or mere exploration of the city.
One of the most notable aspects of the city is the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The Cathedral, which shares both its name and style with the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, is located in center of town. At night, residents of Reims gather to watch a beautiful light show shown at the Cathedral. The Cathedral is the centerpiece of the city and an angel that is found on the Cathedral is often viewed as the city’s symbol. Reims is a small, but lovely city that I am quickly getting to know.
