As a “City of Art and History,” Reims boasts an exceptional heritage shaped by more than two thousand years of history. The cathedral, champagne houses, mansions, Art Deco buildings, and industrial sites all bear witness to the city’s architectural and cultural richness.

Step inside Villa Douce and discover one of Reims’ most remarkable Art Deco residences. Built between 1929 and 1934 for notary André Douce by architects Pol Gosset and Jacques Debat-Ponsan, the villa exemplifies the architectural elegance of the 1930s, with its brick facade and interior inspired by the ocean liner style.

During the guided tour, you’ll explore areas that are usually closed to the public and observe the details that make this place so unique. The tour takes you from the lobby to the staircase, then to the living room, dining room, and auditorium on the ground floor. You’ll continue to the first floor to see the bedrooms, before heading to the second-floor terrace overlooking the garden.

Renowned for its remarkable music salon, Villa Douce is now home to the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne.

Practical Information:

⌛ Duration: 1 hour
📍 Location: Villa Douce – 9 Boulevard de la Paix, 51100 Reims
👥 20 participants per tour – Reservations by phone at 03 26 91 84 15 before September 19
🗣️ In French

📆 Dates and times:
Saturday, September 19 (4 time slots): 1:30 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 4:30 p.m.

During the Relais du Goût, come discover La Belle Enchantée, a historic residence on Lundy Boulevard, which is open to the public on a special basis ahead of its official opening. Built in 1876 in the Napoleon III style, this remarkable Reims residence is now enjoying a new lease on life thanks to Philanthropic ArsNova, an endowment fund initiated by the Taittinger Champagne House.

Throughout the tour, you’ll discover a space undergoing transformation, designed to host experiences centered on the culinary, performing, and visual arts.
Self-guided tours of the house are available, subject to the established capacity limits, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with access:

– At the exhibition organized by students in the Master’s program in Design & Culinary Arts at ESAD Reims, on the theme of the 58th Prix ArsNova for Signature Cuisine: venison.
– In the “Secret Recipe” scavenger hunt: find the various clues hidden around the house and garden, and discover a secret recipe created especially for the occasion.
– At the “C’est à croquer” exhibition: where visual and culinary arts come together.

Various activities will punctuate your tour:

– 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: “Carte Blanche” talk featuring Mauviel1830, a family-owned French brand of iconic kitchen utensils used by chefs around the world.
– From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Cooking workshops for children ages 6 to 12 (fee required; reservations required—see the dedicated page on the Relais du Goût website).
– L’ExtrA, an inclusive fine-dining restaurant in Reims, will be on hand to offer drinks and snacks.