Editing Reims (section)

== Tips ==
Surfing couches in the city should not be a problem. However, if you enjoy the countryside, there are very few members located around Reims. So you'll have to widen your search somewhat. At night, the area around Place Drouet-d'Erlon, facing the railway station, is the most lively spot in town. 

=== Currency change ===
There are few places where you can change currencies. The most central one is a particular post office:

'''La Poste'''<br />
2, Rue Cérès<br />
51100 Reims<br />
Phone: +33 3 26 77 64 80‎<br />
Fax: +33 3 26 77 64 90‎<br />
[http://maps.google.com/maps?&q=la+poste+reims&fb=1&cid=9757309436719047223&li=lmd&ll=49.255748,4.03475&spn=0.010476,0.027766&z=16&iwloc=A map]

If you are close to a bank, you might check with them as they may provide this service.

=== Get to / turn in / run out from Reims ===
==== General information about traffic ====
'''Please note''': Extensive road works are under way until 2010, as the city is building a new streetcar line through the center. For that matter, the information provided by GPS, internet mapping system road maps and older bus route maps may be obsolete. Please follow the road signs or ask your host if the area you are planning to drive through has specific traffic regulations. You must expect to run into unusual traffic jams, especially on rush hours (weekdays,7:30-9:00, 12:00-12:30, 13:30-14:00 and 16:30-18:30). Parking may also be difficult.

==== Hitchhikers and backpackers ====

Advice:
* There '''no''' luggage service of any kind in any of the two train stations.
* If you want to hitch-hike in 1:30 hours to Paris, you can get to the bridge "Pont de Venise", a hitchhiker launch ramp with the [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=fr&geocode=FQBt7wIdDnw9AA%3B&mra=mr&dirflg=w&sll=49.245509,4.029558&sspn=0.009806,0.019312&z=16 highway entry]. The interchange #23, facing the police station on boulevard Roederer, is closer to the center and also used for that purpose. But make sure you hitch hike ahead of the interchange, many policemen come in and out the station!

==== Bus companies ====
'''TUR / Transports Urbains de Reims''' http://www.tur.fr (partial translation into English)
<p>
This is the city bus company.<br />
Bus network spreads across the whole city. Daytime lines are identified with letters (from A through Z); Evening routes are different and run from around 8pm to 12:30 am. They are numbered 1 to 5<br />
You can buy day tickets (€ 3), single tickets to the bus driver (€ 1, with one connection allowed) or 10-ticket booklets (€ 8.60, 14% cheaper than singles) in shops like tobacco and newspapers shop, train station...<br />
If you want to visit typical small Champagne wine villages in the surroundings, you can reach Rilly-la-Montagne, Avenay-Val-d'Or or Ay by train from central train station, or board a regional bus from the central train station.<br />
[http://www.tur.fr/uploads/File/Pdf%20r%C3%A9seau%2027_10/plan%2027_10.pdf Bus map (pdf file)]<br />
[http://www.tur.fr/pages/9 Tickets and pricing]
</p>

'''STDM / Société de Transports de la Marne''' http://www.stdmarne.fr/ (in French only)
<p>
STDM is the regional bus company. It offers transportation to local cities and villages around Reims like Châlons-en-Champagne, Épernay, Troyes, Charleville-Mézières. 
Timetable is on a 2x daily basis. You can buy the tickets at the office in central train station <br />
Phone: <br /> 
[http://www.stdmarne.fr/images/carte_ligne.jpg Bus map]
</p>

'''Eurolines''' buses also stop in the avenue facing the central train station (more details in a next update)

==== Railway stations ====
Usually, you can book railway tickets online on the [http://wwww.voyages-sncf.com SNCF Website]<br />
Well, usually, because the site experiences problems every one in a while. You might also try [http://tgv.com tgv.com] and [http://www.tgv-europe.com/index.html tgv-europe.com] if you are interested in booking only high speed line tickets. Tag prices are higher on high speed lines, but if you book early, you may easily board a high speed train for much cheaper than local trains. In this case, the earlier, the better.

'''Reims-Centre'''
This station is central, very close to downtown city.
Here you can get board fast lines (TGV) and regular lines. Be careful: '''Most''' TGV trains to/from Paris Gare de l'Est stop at/leave from this station. Check your booking.

Don't worry, there is a bus line and a local train to/from the other station: Champagne-Ardenne TGV.
[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=49.259184,4.025373&daddr=&hl=fr&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=15&sll=49.259095,4.025116&sspn=0.020278,0.055532&ll=49.258759,4.025116&spn=0.02095,0.055532&z=15 map]

'''Champagne-Ardenne TGV'''
This station is on the outskirts of the city, 15 min. by bus or 4 min. by local train from central station.
'''Only''' high speed trains (TGV) will stop here. This is the station you should book to/from if you want to travel to/from Strasbourg, Disneyland Paris, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport, Lille, Bordeaux, Poitiers, Nantes ... Some trains will also take you to Paris Gare de l'Est, but most of these leave from the central station.
[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=115128024751910155282.00044dfeb1fa37d41fcc1&ll=49.216504,3.995719&spn=0.020968,0.055532&z=15 map]

=== Communicate ===
==== Cyber bars ====
* '''Clique et croque''' [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=19,+rue+chanzy+%C3%A0+reims&ll=49.253843,4.030867&spn=0.009804,0.019312&z=16&iwloc=r0 19 rue Chanzy], close to the cathedral
* '''Cybergames''' [http://maps.google.fr/maps?f=q&hl=fr&geocode=&q=cybergames+Galerie+Lion+d%27Or+52+pl+Drouet+d%27Erlon+51100+REIMS&sll=49.254844,4.027101&sspn=0.004678,0.009656&ie=UTF8&ll=49.255888,4.026875&spn=0.004678,0.009656&z=17 52 place Drouet-d'Erlon], the area where most of cafés/shops/restaurants are located.
* '''Internet Café''', [http://maps.google.fr/maps?f=q&hl=fr&geocode=&q=internet+caf%C3%A9+rue+lesage+reims&sll=47.15984,2.988281&sspn=16.08374,39.375&ie=UTF8&ll=49.270577,4.037991&spn=0.015065,0.038452&z=15 3 rue Lesage], close to the place de la République, sometimes called '"place de l'Œuf "'' ("Egg square")'' and avenue de Laon. Open until 11 pm.

==== Free wifi access ====
McDonalds retaurants provides free internet wireless access. There is one facing the theater at the angle of rue de Vesle and rue de Talleyrand

==== Free phone ====
Many people in France have Internet+Phone+TV from DSL lines. Most ISP will allow you to phone home for free to more than 90 countries and territories ('''landbased lines''') and maybe GSM, to USA & Canada. Please check with your host as conditions may differ.
[[File:Sans titrebfnfcxd.JPG|thumb|right|350px|CS Meeting at the Gin Pamp, February 2008]]