Reims may be the undisputed capital of Champagne, but its skyline tells a quieter story of hidden terraces, sun-warmed stone, and glasses raised above the city’s rooftops. Away from the grand cathedral and the busy boulevards, a growing number of rooftop cafés invite you to pause, look out over the slate and zinc rooftops, and appreciate the city from a different angle. Whether you are visiting for a weekend of cellar tours or simply passing through the Grand Est, these elevated spots offer a refreshing change of pace.
The appeal of a rooftop café in Reims goes far beyond the view. It is about catching the soft afternoon light on the cathedral’s flying buttresses, feeling the breeze that carries the scent of nearby vineyards, and enjoying a coffee or a glass of local wine in a setting that feels both intimate and open. These terraces often operate seasonally, so timing your visit between late spring and early autumn will give you the widest choice of open-air experiences.
Many of the best rooftop cafés in Reims are attached to hotels, cultural venues, or restored historic buildings, which means the atmosphere can shift dramatically from morning to evening. A quiet breakfast terrace can transform into a lively apéritif spot as the sun begins to set. Knowing what each place does best, from its drink menu to its food offering and opening hours, will help you match the moment to the terrace.
The local café culture in Reims is relaxed but refined. Expect a strong emphasis on regional products, including Champagne of course, but also locally roasted coffee, fresh pastries, and seasonal fruit juices. Service is generally unhurried, making these terraces ideal for people-watching, reading, or simply letting an afternoon drift by with no particular agenda.
Because rooftop spaces are limited in a city of this size, it is wise to arrive early on weekends or during major events such as the Fêtes Johanniques or the Christmas market season. Some of the more popular terraces do not take reservations for drinks only, while others are happy to hold a table if you are planning to eat. A quick phone call or a look at the establishment’s social media can save you a long wait.
The following selection of rooftop cafés in Reims is based on a combination of location, atmosphere, drink quality, and the overall experience they offer. Each one brings something slightly different to the table, from panoramic city views to hidden courtyard gardens raised above the street. Use this guide as a starting point for your own exploration of the city’s elevated drinking and dining scene.
Restaurant Il Duomo
| Address | 46 Rue Buirette, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Thursday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Friday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Saturday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Sunday: Closed |
| Phone | 03 26 78 99 99 |
Nice restaurant, part of the hotel, Nice friendly service. The food was good but it was pity to get so many “pois chiches” with the fish. Not enough vegetables. For the rest tasty. The atmosphere was ok but the chairs not comfortable.
I honestly don’t know how they manage to get 4.6/5. This location is ideal for drinks, but i wouldn’t recommend eating here. They only serve 5 main dishes of which we ate 2. Both were subpar. Would definitely not recommend or go back to Il Duomo
We went to the rooftop for some champagne and enjoy a beautiful sunset. The 2 staff were very helpful, professional and friendly and would recommend visiting the rooftop.
The food and service was great. I was nervous that the food wouldn’t fill me up, but I was more than satisfied.
Came in for a drink late in the afternoon. Nice view, but really nothing more. Drinks overpriced. Staff seemed very busy.
Gabrielle Bar & Lounge
| Address | 11 Rue des Fuseliers, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM Thursday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM Friday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM Saturday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM Sunday: 5:00 – 11:30 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 82 35 71 |
A beautiful place with breathtaking view on the Cathedral!
We had a glass of champagne, caviar and some cheese and dessert as Lunch.
Service was lovely even though the waitress didn't speak good english, she still managed to make us feel welcome.
Very nice restaurant, great views, very nice food. Pity that the service was not what you’d expect. Table of four, ladies first was not respected. Head waitress was really not pleasant, no smiles. But overall a good experience. Room for improvement.
Having booked here after our tours of champagne houses, the atmosphere was nice, however the service and food were disappointing. The service mess slow, until the meals arrived and it then felt rushed, the food wasn’t as tasty as we expected for the prices. If you like view, just come for a drink!
Loved this beautiful restaurant and thoroughly appreciated the friendly service. We had mistakenly thought that we booked a reservation in advance, but when we showed up, they had no record of it. However, they squeezed us in, if we agreed to finish by a certain time for the next reservation. They were very polite about it and never made us feel rushed whatsoever. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The food was delicious and the service was great! Bonus, they serve Dom by the glass, while it is not my favourite champagne, it still felt luxurious to have it by the glass before dinner 🙂
Great service, amazing view and very good cocktails!
Restaurant Gabrielle Toit Terrasse
| Address | 11 Rue des Fuseliers, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 12:00 – 2:00 PM, 7:00 – 11:00 PM Thursday: 12:00 – 2:00 PM, 7:00 – 11:00 PM Friday: 12:00 – 2:00 PM, 7:00 – 11:00 PM Saturday: 12:00 – 2:00 PM, 7:00 – 11:00 PM Sunday: 12:00 – 2:00 PM, 7:00 – 11:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 82 35 71 |
Wonderful Rooftop Experience
We had a fantastic evening at Gabrielle Rooftop! Our reserved table was ready when we arrived, and the service was attentive, friendly, and professional, even with the restaurant being very busy.
The food was a real highlight. The puff pastry with snails was rich and beautifully prepared, the sea bream ceviche was fresh and vibrant, and the roasted sea bass was perfectly cooked. The roasted French duck was especially memorable—flavorful, tender, and beautifully presented.
We paired the meal with a fantastic Blanc de Blancs Champagne from Herbert Beaufort and loved the excellent Champagne selection.
The beautiful terrace, lively atmosphere, and spectacular views made the evening truly special. Great food, wonderful service, and an unforgettable experience. Highly recommended!
This is a classic French cuisine restaurant, with an ultra tiny modern pinch to it. They have an okay champagne list but only two options available by the glass. The ham terrine was well made and was tasty. It didn’t seem like anything special or something to go to a restaurant for to be honest. The beef tartare was underwhelming - there was no prominent taste of the meat, it was hidden by the garnishes and seaweed. Tuna tartare was a bit better but in general had the same seaweed taste. The snail puff pastry had a really nice creamy garlicky sauce and the snails didn’t have any bad stale water flavour. The pastry itself though was average. The foie gras duck terrine page was really good and had a prominent flavour of ratafia that they marinated it in. I’d prefer a more plain flavour of foie gras but still this was a great dish and the pastry accompanying it was nice. The potatoes that were served on the side were good and well made, with a rich potato flavour.
Overall price/quality ratio was quite underwhelming - some dishes were well made, some like tartare were not as good but in any case the price was too high for what you get. On the bright side, the view on the cathedral was nice and the staff were really attentive and the service was great. The atmosphere inside was nice and everything was well maintained despite the style itself seeming a bit dated
Excellent fine dining experience in Reims. The sommelier was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain the wines in detail, helping us choose the perfect pairing for our main course. The Rossini was exceptional, with tender, high-quality beef and delicious foie gras. The view of the cathedral added to the elegant atmosphere. Outstanding food, service, and wine selection—highly recommended.
What a great restaurant. Location with views of the cathedral are superb. Food amazing and staff friendly and helpful. Will definitely visit again!
Lovely atmosphere and attentive staff. The food was delicious (forgot to take photo of my dessert before I started) and unsurprisingly a very good selection of wines/champagne.
Thienot champagne house
| Address | 3 Rue du Marc, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 77 12 69 |
We were there with our toddler, who was sleeping, so my Partner took the tour while I sat in the hotel bar. They were so lovely at calling me down, so that I could join the tasting and Emma (who did the tour) was such a fun, charming and very well spoken guide. She was funny and informative and made the whole experience really fun. The museum was really nice to visit and there was a lot to explore. Like I written above, we were there with out toddler and it was a lovely experience. From the bartender who turned the music down, so that our daughter could sleep, to the chocolate milk which we got and the very kind staff. Of course the champagne tasted incredible as well. Would recommend.
Excellent visit to a champagne house. We had a lovely tour. The building is only recently renovated and opened.
Had the most fantastic time here. Justine and Emma were so lovely, warm and very knowledgeable. Champagnes were excellent, my partner and I shared both flights and the range was fantastic. We also walked away with a 2000 vintage champagne from the library (you must see the library!). Thanks for having us, we will absolutely visit here again in future.
We absolutely loved this experience, it was a real mix of new world meets the old. A very interactive interesting tour and Justine was fantastic and knowledgable and to boot the champagne we tasted were delicious. The sensitively renovated building was stunning and the rooftop terrace was beautiful to sit and enjoy a bottle of Thienot champagne. We would highly recommend this time we spent and the champagne.
Thank you
Justine was our excellent host who talked us through the process of making champagne for this relatively new champagne house. The museum and caves have only recently opened and it was very well done and the facilities were excellent. The tour finished in light and airy tasting room where several types of champagne were offered. If you only visit one champagne in Reims this should be the one
Mamatte Reims - Cafe & Brunch
| Address | 70 Rue de Vesle, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 02 60 82 |
Lovely place for brunch/ breakfast/lunch.
Self service ordering, plent yo f serainf available including rooftop. Great coffee and pastries. Rose cocktail was good, more like a spritzer, quite strong!!!
Loved the place! It's big with a lot of sitting options and AC!
The food was excellent and the different lattes are so tasty!
Great breakfast spot! Suggested by the Caserne Chanzy concierge, and it didn’t disappoint. Ordering was simple with their QR code menu, and the food was fresh and delicious. Highly recommend.
Terrible service — well, equal to none, because everything is ordered through a screen anyway. Allergens and bread descriptions were completely wrong: what was listed as sourdough turned out to be milk bread. I asked for it to be changed, but they refused because apparently “their boss does not like it.”
If your system and ingredient descriptions are incorrect, that’s not the customer’s mistake. Instead of taking accountability, the 4 waiters ignored me and wouldn’t even listen to what I was trying to explain.
Absolute shitshow.
A nice location for brunch. We got loads of food through the brunch offer and it all tasted great. Service was fast and the experience through the QR code ordering was efficient. I only wish the drinks were slightly more elevated in quality, as my coffee was overly sweet and the ice tea was a bit weak. Very good brunch nonetheless.
Café Clicquot
| Address | 1 Rue Albert Thomas, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Friday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Phone | — |
Everything was perfect! Everyone recommends the burger and with reason. The burger was great, and a perfect match for the glass of champagne. The service also incredible, thanks to Yacine and Seydou, they were lovely and help with recommendations. And also the vibe, amazing!!
Excellent lunch spot. Limited food options, but everything we had was good. Can’t beat the champagne. The atmosphere is so fun and great for pictures. Reasonable prices too. The staff was so friendly!
A great place to have lunch
Veuve us quite had to go a tour booking and I didn’t have enough foresight to book two weeks in advance so I did the Pommery tour than came here for lunch
You can do a tasting for 55 euro
And I must say the burger which i ordered, actually was one of the best burgers I have had. Most people were ordering it
A great spot and a great way to do a tasting
We had a nice afternoon at the cafe, the service however was quite unaccomodating while we were a large group it was not possible to sit together according to one waiter and then it was according to another. In the end we had to sit at three different tables with two people sitting alone. The food was great, the salad really surprised us from what is said in the menu - absolutely delicious. The Ambiente was of course really nice with the decorations. All in all we enjoyed ourselves but given the amount we spend on champagne and food the service did not match.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cafe Clicquot — A Perfect Champagne Moment! 🥂✨
Absolutely loved Cafe Clicquot! The warm orange decor was so cheerful and stylish — totally on-brand and instantly uplifting. The staff were wonderful, friendly, and attentive without hovering (which I really appreciate). We ordered glasses of Yellow Label and Rosé, both perfectly chilled and just fabulous — because really, what’s better than sipping Champagne in Champagne? 🍾
We also shared a charcuterie board, which was generous and delicious, and finished with the apple dessert topped with Chantilly cream — honestly to die for! The texture, the sweetness, the cream... pure heaven. The whole experience felt refined yet relaxed, and for around USD $95 total, it was an absolute bargain for the quality, service, and ambiance.
L'Apostrophe
| Address | 59 Pl. Drouet d'Erlon, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Friday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Phone | 03 26 79 19 89 |
Indoor and outdoor seating options on a bustling main street in Reims. Sitting outside feels like classic French café culture, while inside is much more modern and surprisingly smart in contrast.
They were very busy on the Wednesday evening we visited and you could sense some of the staff starting to feel the pressure a little, but nothing that negatively affected the experience in any major way.
We chose the €45 three-course menu along with a bottle of local Alsace Pinot Gris, which was absolutely delicious.
The standout dishes for us were the egg with parmesan — honestly, just no words — and the rose veal, which was excellent.
Would absolutely recommend this place for dinner in Reims.
My husband and I happened to come upon L’apostroohe while in Reims for the weekend. Our server, Olivier was magnificent and the food was amazing. We had the Cordon Bleu and the Veal Hanger Steak; both were delicious!
Absolutely delicious dinner. The service and atmosphere were great. The food was delicious and everything we expected. The steak frites and fish were perfectly prepared and the tart was great for desert. I would highly recommend anyone that is in Reims to eat here. The area is lively which is an added perk. This will be a repeat the next time we are in Reims!
A very good restaurant in centre of the town.
Service was quick, the waiter very helpful and food was good especially the Salmon
Wonderful food, drinks & service! Our waiter Benjamin was very accommodating & attentive! We would recommend to all for great French cuisine!
Le Clos
| Address | Champagne-Ardenne, 25 Rue du Temple, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: 6:00 PM – 12:30 AM Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 12:30 AM Thursday: 6:00 PM – 12:30 AM Friday: 6:00 PM – 2:00 AM Saturday: 12:00 PM – 2:00 AM Sunday: Closed |
| Phone | 03 26 07 74 69 |
Iconic champagne bar, worth a visit prior to dinner or bar hopping. We tasted some local champagnes, by the glass. Great buzzing atmosphere, perfect to start the night. Excellent, knowledgable service. Champagne menu changes regularly!
Great place to hang out in the evening. We had a few drinks but loved the options to play darts, foosball, or pinball. They even had uno behind the counter and a cute photobooth
This was my first time visiting and I have to say it is a great 1st impression. We have found our go to place when in town. The atmosphere is amazing! The service was great and fast. A huge shout out to the service staff. Everyone seemed as they are happy to be there which reflects heavily on their customer service. One name is Raul, his energy and hospitality was impeccable. Food was good. No pics but my wife and I had the cheese-plate. It was great and had a decent selection. If you’re a foreigner they do speak English. But I always recommend to know a little bit of French when in France. 🙃. They were really busy in the evening with music playing. Great choice of music that evening :). There is a club in the back which has a separate entrance. I don’t have any concrete feedback but it’s seemed fun when glancing inside during my way to the bathroom.
During my vacation in Reims I notice that Le Clos is one of the most popular bars in the city. The bar is huge and is divided into three different environments: Terrace bar, Wine lounge and Garden bar. I loved the style of the bar and the way in which each environment has characteristics that are different from each other. In the terrace bar it is very relaxing and facing the market, the wine bar is inside with a very rustic decoration and several bottles of champagne and wine around the bar and the Garden bar is more like "club" style with louder music, fewer places to sit, game tables, has a large bar and serves various types of snacks. I really liked the place and the prices are not expensive depending on what you decide to drink. The waitresses are super attentive, very friendly, they are super customer focus. Someone of them won’t speak english, but they will do everything possible for you to understand them and them to you.
My only criticism is the security guard at the door of the Gardem bar, he is very unfriendly, thick, 0 customer service, but that didn’t ruined the great time I had on this bar.
Great bar split into 3 distinct sections - buzzing and huge courtyard out the bar, more relaxed inside lounge and seats outside. We did not eat, but marvelled instead at the champagne options Would love to see more wines by the glass, but the by the bottle list was impressive. Lots of other busy places around made for a great Friday night.
Place des Oliviers Reims
| Address | 19 Rue Jacques de La Giraudière, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 11:45 AM – 11:30 PM Tuesday: 11:45 AM – 11:30 PM Wednesday: 11:45 AM – 11:30 PM Thursday: 11:45 AM – 11:30 PM Friday: 11:45 AM – 12:30 AM Saturday: 11:45 AM – 12:30 AM Sunday: 11:45 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Phone | 03 79 45 98 10 |
Village square-themed restaurant, complete with patonque. Good atmosphere and music. Open, serving food till late on a Saturday, which made it great for us travelling a long way. Good selection of beers. Calamari starter excellent, my main was quite rich and the vegetables were surprisingly greasy. A tad difficult to catch the waiter's eye at times.
Nice option for families, reasonable food and petanque (free). Varied menu with French and western dishes. Inside and outside seating (watch the mosquitos, there are so many!).
Disappoint: boeuf tartare, had to chew, consisted of pieces of meat, nothing like the smooth or creamy versions you can get anywhere in France
We also had the Petit Cochonnet and Spanish Croquettes, Salad La Fanny, were ok.
Nice: big glass of Ciney and the chardonnay was good as well
Good: prices
Service is medium, staff is very busy and therefore could not get their attention easily. Paid inside
What a great concept! Play petanque while waiting for your food. Great fun with the family, and the food was excellent - from salads to steaks to desserts.
Great find. Well worth a visit.
Excellent
En Aparthé Reims
| Address | 23 Rue Chanzy, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 02 58 94 |
Lovely brunch and fairytale-esque interior! Thanks a lot team, the food was delicious, lovely quiet morning atmosphere, and the coffee was on point too! Wish we had more space for the pies and cakes, as they looked delectable😍
We had a short break here for a drink and a bite. Surprised by the beautiful decor and food/ drink! Service was good and quick too!
An amazing atmosphere and a great service, definitely recommend this flowery spot!
The drinks were great, the matcha melon had that iconic matcha-tea flavor, the lemonade base in the Bloom was very nice, if you like sour lemonade you’ll like the Bloom!
For our waiter;
Dankjewel voor de geweldige service, en tot de volgende keer!
That was a delicious fresh breakfast, served very fast and looked amazing! We took a brioche with salmon and toast with beetroot and granola + eggs - they were fantastic! And very nice coffee! ❤️
Very cosy café! The decorations are amazing, we went in winter and it was full of Christmas decorations 🙂 The food was good; we chose the brunch formula for €32 per person. The service was fast and the waiters were kind.
Since it was Sunday, we had to queue outside and waited around 30 minutes, as they unfortunately don’t accept reservations.
The only thing I would change about the brunch formula is the timing of the hot drink: it would be better to serve it after the savoury dish, rather than bringing everything at once, or at least to ask the customer. Apart from this detail, everything was great!
Café du Palais
| Address | 14 Pl. Myron Herrick, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Thursday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM Sunday: Closed |
| Phone | 03 26 47 52 54 |
A wonderful experience in a stunning setting! The architecture and interior design of this place are truly unique and create a fantastic atmosphere.
The highlight of the meal was the beef Tartare. I loved the fact that you can assemble it entirely yourself—it’s rare to find a place that provides all the ingredients separately, from the egg yolk and onions to the capers, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. It allowed me to create the perfect balance for my taste.
The service was very friendly and attentive, and the house champagne was excellent. A must-visit in Reims for anyone who appreciates great food and a beautiful environment
Cafe du Palais was the most pleasant lunch we have had this far in our trip. The service was warm, welcoming, gracious and attentive. The selection on le carte was expansive and we enjoyed our choices fully. We would choose to dine here again! There is a reason they have been in business since 1930.
Meh, the experience didn't match the high Google rating. Duck confit was ok, but I got a nice piece of plastic (unwrapped for picture) at the top of my side salad which I didn't bother getting returned. The waiter also took forever to pour my champagne glass... After 35 minutes waiting and asking a few times, he finally filled it the first time. I get the check at the end and see I got charged for 2 glasses, which they did correct after I informed them. Just an ok lunch.
The whole experience was fantastic. The staffs were super friendly to our 3 year old son, the food was delicious, and of course the champagne was brilliant. We would definitely recommend to our friends to visit!
Really warm and attentive service, delicious local cuisine and charming decors that captures the spirit of the Champagne region. Great local choice for an amazing experience.
Le Black Pearl
| Address | 67 Pl. Drouet d'Erlon, 51100 Reims |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 5:00 PM – 12:30 AM Tuesday: 3:00 PM – 12:30 AM Wednesday: 3:00 PM – 12:30 AM Thursday: 3:00 PM – 12:30 AM Friday: 3:00 PM – 2:00 AM Saturday: 3:00 PM – 2:00 AM Sunday: 5:00 PM – 12:30 AM |
| Phone | — |
Didn't eat there only stopped for liquid refreshments. Partner was happy with his beer and my apricot juice was good tasting. Service was friendly even though only one person was there. A very cute little dog was walking around. Will go back.
We enjoyed some drinks on the back terrace while staying for a weekend in Reims - super friendly staff - amazing drinks at a correct price. They even offered a free ice cream for our little one. Looking for a drink in the busy promenade, stop here !
Cool bar with nice coctails
Very nice pub. I recommend.
Beer pong au top!!!
Tips for Enjoying Rooftop Cafés in Reims
A little preparation goes a long way when you are planning to spend time on a rooftop terrace in Reims. The city’s climate is temperate but changeable, and the character of each café can vary significantly depending on the hour and the season. The following tips will help you make the most of your visit, whether you are looking for a quiet morning coffee or a lively evening glass of Champagne.
Check the weather and the season before you go. Most rooftop terraces in Reims are open only from roughly April to October, and even then they may close at short notice during rain or high winds. A quick look at the forecast and the café’s social media page will help you avoid a wasted trip.
Arrive early for the best seats. The tables with the clearest view of the cathedral or the most comfortable loungers tend to fill quickly, especially on sunny weekend afternoons. Arriving shortly after opening, or just before the traditional apéritif hour, gives you a better chance of choosing your preferred spot.
Bring a light layer, even in summer. Rooftop terraces are often more exposed to the breeze than street-level cafés, and the temperature can drop noticeably in the early evening. A light jacket or scarf will keep you comfortable if you decide to stay for one more drink.
Ask about non-alcoholic and local options. While Champagne is the obvious choice in Reims, many rooftop cafés also serve excellent locally roasted coffee, house-made lemonades, and alcohol-free cocktails. Asking about regional products often leads to pleasant discoveries you would otherwise miss.
Respect the local pace of service. Rooftop cafés in Reims are not designed for rushed visits. Service is attentive but relaxed, and you may need to ask for the bill when you are ready to leave. Settle into the rhythm of the terrace, and you will enjoy the experience far more.
Reims rewards those who take the time to look up. Whether you find yourself on a sleek hotel rooftop or a modest terrace tucked behind a historic façade, the chance to see the cathedral spires and the surrounding hills from above adds a memorable layer to any visit. A good rooftop café is not just a place to drink; it is a place to understand the city’s scale, its light, and its unhurried charm.
When you are ready to plan your next stop, consider pairing your rooftop visit with a walk through the Boulingrin district or a visit to the Carnegie Library, both of which lie within easy reach of several terraces mentioned above. The best rooftop cafés in Reims are not isolated attractions but natural pauses in a day spent exploring one of France’s most elegant small cities.
