While back in Reims, we had a wonderful French breakfast every morning that did not disappoint. On our first (full) day we went to Norte Dame de Reims, which was big and a welcome escape from the heat. Max is estimating I will take roughly 2,000 pictures on this trip, especially after I took 225 of Norte Dame de Reims. It simply was breathtaking and not crowded. It was so peaceful.
This might be the most unfair way to show the church to you. It's the backside and not the first part I saw but the architectural brilliance of these guys from way back is just astounding. These structures survive so much. There had to be some repairs after WWII but generally this structure has stood the test of time.
I have some advice for you: when touring old Catholic churches, bring along someone with a Catholic background. Not only can they explain things like the 14 stations of the cross, but they won't laugh at you when it hits you that these churches are shaped like the cross. The stained glass gets me every time. Notre Dame de Reims was the church in which the Kings of France were crowned, which is strange to think about; that in the place we walked, the former kings have walked before me.
Interestingly, champagne was so important to the region that wine making was even captured in the ancient stained glass:
The stained glass was beautiful and I kind of obsessed over it at St. Remi, (where we went later that day) and where we heard Bach performed. The body of St. Remi was entombed there, which seems common with these old churches and makes me want to leave Europe if zombies ever take over. They would be really really old zombies. The St. Remi basilica was also beautiful and we turned out to spend a lot of time there between the visit, the concert, and a rain escape.
Let me show you more stained glass:
It's beautiful isn't it?
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