Champagne and wine names can often have unfamiliar names, spellings, and pronunciations. If you want to appear more confident when discussing Champagne, Reims is an important city in the Champagne region so it is worth getting Reims pronunciation just right.
Reims is a common subtopic when talking about champagne and the best of them. Reims is pronounced similar to “rance” in the word “France”. If possible, roll your “r” like the French do – but if you can’t, say the “r” as you usually would. Also, make sure to pronounce the “s” as it isn’t silent.
Many English speakers might guess how to pronounce Reims in other ways based on how it is spelled. While this is totally understandable, learning the correct French pronunciation will make you sound more confident and clear on the subject of champagne.
How to Pronounce Reims Champagne: The Correct Pronunciation
Champagne is the staple celebratory drink and this comes as a no surprise. The bubbles, sparkles, and fizz that come in the bottle add even more fun and festivity to any celebration. Whether you’re celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, milestones, or just hosting parties, a bottle of champagne will complete the night, no doubt.
Whether you’re a champagne or wine aficionado or would like to enjoy a drink or two every once in a while, you would know by now that some of these alcoholic beverages have rather complicated names.
While there are a couple of champagne variants that are much easier to read and say, there are quite a few out there with more complicated spellings and pronunciations.
The names of wines would typically reflect the place or region where they were made and processed. Some incorporate the principal type of grapes used to make the flavors.
Even the places where your favorite champagne bottles can have complicated names and pronunciations. While there’s no shame in pronouncing things wrong, there is always room for growth and for champagne fans to learn how to say them right.
On the topic of champagne and its origins, one word comes up often and you’ll see it on bottles frequently: Reims.
Most English speakers most likely read it as it is written. But the correct way to say it is far from that.
If you search for videos of French people pronouncing the word, you will find that Reims is pronounced as “rance”, with an obvious nasal vowel sound. The correct way to pronounce it is to roll your “r” like the French pronunciation. If you can’t roll your “r”, then pronounce it as you typically would with any English word. Keep in mind that the “s” isn’t silent as well to further enhance the quality of your pronunciation.
Reims: A Champagne Capital
Reims is right in the heart of the historical province of Champagne, a wine-producing district right in France. Reims is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off the northeast of Paris, just about 45 minutes away.
Like in the rest of the Champagne region, the principal grapes grown in Reims are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Reims is a champagne production center in all of France. The city is home to various champagne houses and champagne cellars. Some world-famous champagne cellars in Reims include Martel, Taittinger, Mumme, Veuve Clicquot, and Cazanove. These host several tours for the ultimate champagne enthusiast.
What Else You Need to Know About Reims
Here are a few more facts about Reims you might be interested to know:
The City of Coronation
Reims was the traditional place of the coronation of several kings of France, playing an important role in the monarchical history of the country.
The Cathedral of Reims: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Cathedral of Reims, the Reims Cathedral, or the Notre-Dame de Reims – with its Gothic architecture design – is one of the most popular structures in the city. This was the traditional site of the coronation of the kings of France.
The Catholic church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.
The Basilica of Saint-Remi, the Palace of Tau, and the Musée Saint-Remi have all been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1991, as part of the Reims Cathedral.
The Smiling Angel
The Smiling Angel, also known as the Smile of Reims or Angel of Annunciation, is a stone sculpture at the Reims Cathedral. The sculpture not only witnessed the historic coronation of several French kings. It’s also one of the most popular and widespread representations of angels in the world.
Biscuit rose de Reims
Reims not only boasts of its cultural spots and champagne but also the Biscuit rose de Reims.
Biscuit rose de Reims is a pink French biscuit, originating from Reims.
The French biscuit is often dipped in champagne or red wine. This would bring out its flavors. Other liquids that can also be partnered with the biscuit are coffee, milk, or lemonade.
Conclusion
Champagne is the ultimate celebratory drink, no matter what the occasion is. If you like serving it for parties and events, you might want to make sure you have the correct Reims pronunciation down to a T.
Reims is pronounced as “rance”. Like the French do, you should roll your “r” while pronouncing the word. If you can’t, then you can say the “r” as you normally would with any other English word. The “s” is not silent and should be read out loud.
If you’re an English speaker, then you might pronounce Reims as it is written. While it can be a common mistake to pronounce words wrong, getting them right might just give you a new flare of confidence.
