Forget Paris — This Charming French City About 2 Hours Away Will Be One Of The Trendiest Destinations Of 2027

Even familiar countries can produce unexpected contenders for trendy destinations. In France, Paris may be an evergreen favorite, but Reims is making a case for itself as a destination to watch for 2027. It was named one of Booking.com's top trending destinations, and it could be a pleasant discovery for travelers on the lookout for the next big thing. Under two hours if you drive from Paris, and less than an hour by rail, Reims is an underappreciated Paris alternative known for its Champagne. That could make it an easy addition to a French itinerary, where travelers can tour world-famous bubbly cellars, admire the UNESCO-listed Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, or simply spend a day browsing the city's specialty coffee shops and rooftop Champagne bars.

Travel trends might be driven by anything from viral social media spots to new hotels, but Booking.com used real data to support its 2027 predictions. In July and August 2026, the platform surveyed over 28,000 global travelers about where they planned to go in the next 12 to 24 months. It narrowed the field to destinations among its 1,000 most-booked places in early 2026. From there, it crunched the year-over-year growth to determine the places gaining the most momentum.

The rising buzz around Reims comes amid a broader appetite for exploring France beyond its capital. In an earlier 2025 study, Booking.com reported increased searches for regional cities including Nice, Colmar, Lyon, and Strasbourg. Reims's inclusion in the 2027 trending destinations list could signal that it's next in line for a city break that shows a different side of France.

While Reims has long-standing appeal for its Champagne culture and diverse architecture, there are a couple of new things for 2027 to seek out in the city. One is the reopening of the Palais du Tau, the former archbishop's palace that sits next to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, making it a convenient attraction to pair with one of the most gorgeous churches in France. According to the Palais du Tau website, the palace closed in 2023 for renovations. While some works are being restored, the broader museum experience is also getting revamped as the Musée des Sacres. Set to reopen sometime in 2027, visitors will follow a redesigned, theatrical visitor route, with royal regalia, precious textiles, reliquaries, and stained glass.

For travelers who'd rather get a royal treatment themselves, Reims's Domaine Les Crayères is planning a major expansion for 2027. The grand hotel, built in the early 1900s, offers a taste of aristocratic French living with its refined rooms and Michelin-starred restaurant. Its 2027 additions include a new spa, restored lake, and an entirely new villa, set to open in the first quarter of the year, according to a press release.

Even if you don't make it for the 2027 additions, the Reims Champagne scene has gained a couple of  newcomers in recent years worth checking out (especially for travelers making a train journey through France's iconic wine regions). Le 3 by Champagne Thiénot opened in 2026 with a boutique hotel, museum, and rooftop Champagne bar, per Le Monde. Meanwhile, Maison Ruinart added the Nicolas Ruinart pavilion in 2024. The modern building houses a Champagne bar and a surrounding sculpture garden that visitors can explore for free.