Reims Les Relais du Goût
Reims Sets the Table for Les Relais du Goût
The third edition of the Champagne and culinary festival Les Relais du Goût returns from September 18 through September 20, 2026.
This festival transforms Reims into an expansive celebration of gastronomy, history, and craft, offering wine lovers an irresistible reason to visit.
Last year, the first sight greeting me upon entering Reims looked remarkably like a giant Ferris wheel. Drawing closer, I realized people were dining suspended in the air.
That attraction, “Dinner in the Sky,” hoisted guests high above the rooftops to savor a meal prepared by Michelin-starred chef Philippe Mille.
It was glamorous, theatrical, and slightly terrifying—capturing the adventurous spirit that drew 27,000 visitors in 2025, a ten percent increase over the prior year. After attending last September, the growing appeal makes total sense.
A Lively Epicenter: Village des Relais du Goût
Most wine lovers know Reims for its famous Champagne houses and Gothic cathedral, yet the city assumes a distinct personality during this festival.
Historic landmarks become dining rooms, subterranean chalk cellars host intimate tastings, and chefs set up across markets, chapels, and plazas.
The epicenter remains the Village des Relais du Goût on the Porte de Mars esplanade, hosting around forty winemakers.
During my visit last year, music drifted across the lawn as families and wine lovers strolled between stalls under the warm September sun.
Tastings were generous, and producers were eager to chat. Many represented smaller, grower-focused houses not typically found on American shelves, making every stop an authentic discovery.
Asking where the fruit was harvested and how each cuvée was crafted turned Champagne into an approachable, personal dialogue.
For 2026, the Village adds large communal tables, extended Saturday hours until 10:00 PM, direct Champagne purchases, and the debut competition
“The Coronation of the Pâté en Croûte,” where visitors can sample artisan entries and cast votes for the People’s Choice Award under jury president Christophe Raoux.
Intimate Dining and Heritage Settings
Philippe Mille returns this season with the Secret Table, a pop-up restaurant tucked inside an undisclosed heritage landmark revealed only shortly before service.
Another notable debut is the Suspended Table Facing the Cathedral, set on the fifth floor of the five-star La Caserne Chanzy. Limited to twelve guests per seating, Chef Julien Raphanel partners with guest chefs to present bespoke menus paired with front-row terrace views of Régalia, the cathedral’s evening light show.
Having dined at La Grande Georgette inside the property, I can attest that the cathedral backdrop is extraordinary; watching Notre-Dame glow during Régalia elevates the meal into something truly cinematic.
For a contemplative setting, the Carmel Banquet will place a communal table right in the nave of Chapelle du Carmel, where Chef Matthieu Audinot will serve a globally inspired four-course menu. In Reims, history is never confined behind museum glass—you drink and dine directly inside it.
Cellars, Markets, and Bold Pairings
Beneath the streets of Reims lies the city’s ancient network of chalk pits (crayères), where houses age their wines in cool darkness.
Champagne Abelé 1757 opens its historic stone galleries for guided tours led by Cellar Master Étienne Eteneau, pairing four flagship cuvées with dishes from Michelin-starred chef Nawal Rezagui. Descending into these limestone quarries makes the heritage of the region tangible.
Above ground of Reims, the historic park of Domaine Les Crayères will host its open-air Farmers Market. Having stayed at Domaine Les Crayères, the estate feels like a private kingdom of classic French luxury. The market transforms these aristocratic grounds into an approachable weekend gathering filled with forty local artisans, seasonal produce, and outdoor Champagne bars.
Dessert enthusiasts can look forward to live pastry demonstrations and a charity afternoon tea curated by 2024 Junior World Pastry Champion Alistair Smith. For a sharper sensory twist, Champagne Thiénot has teamed up with Inferno Peppers to craft spicy Champagne cocktails paired with custom savory bites.
Experiencing the Region at the Table
Many travelers initially view Champagne merely as a luxury toast. On the ground, you quickly realize it is an agricultural landscape defined by grower families, centuries-old traditions, and a terroir built for the table. Les Relais du Goût connects those dots effortlessly.
Last year, the biggest surprise hung in the sky. This year, the discoveries lie deep in historic chalk cellars, inside quiet chapels, and directly across from an illuminated cathedral.
Les Relais du Goût runs September 18–20, 2026. Paid experience tickets open July 10, with complimentary reservations available August 28.
Marisa D’Vari is a respected international wine and travel journalist based in Manhattan. Her latest book is France’s Champagne Region.
