Reims, France

Laid flat by the shells of World War I, REIMS (pronounced like a nasal "Rance", and traditionally spelled Rheims in English) was rebuilt afterwards with tact and touches of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, but consequently lacks any great sense of antiquity. It makes up for this with a walkable centre, beneath which lies its real treasure – kilometre upon kilometre of bottles of fermenting champagne. Its status as champagne capital of the world aside, Reims possesses one of the most impressive Gothic cathedrals in France – formerly the coronation church of dynasties of French monarchs going back to Clovis, first king of the Franks, and later painted obsessively by Monet. These attractions, plus a handful of interesting museums and a big city buzz unusual in this part of France, make it worth a day or two's stopover.