Reims (English traditionally Rheims) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. Its history can be traced back to the period of the Roman Empire.
Reims played a very important role in French history, as...
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Reims (English traditionally Rheims) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. Its history can be traced back to the period of the Roman Empire.
Reims played a very important role in French history, as it was the place where the kings of France were crowned. Thus, the Cathedral of Reims, damaged by the Germans during the First World War but restored since, played the same role in France as Westminster Abbey did in England. It was there that was kept the Holy Ampulla ("Sainte Ampoule") containing the Saint Chrême (chrism), which allegedly was brought by a white dove (the Holy Spirit) at the baptism of Clovis in 496, and was used for the anointing, the most important part of the coronation of French kings.
Reims is often considered the capital of Champagne, an old province of France made world-famous by its Champagne sparkling wine, although in reality it is only the largest city of Champagne, but not its capital, being only a sous-préfecture of the Marne département.
At the 1999 census, there were 187,206 inhabitants (Rémois) in the city proper (commune) of Reims, while there were 291,735 inhabitants in the whole metropolitan area (French: aire urbaine).
From http://archive.joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_letter_aug_5_1429.html
This is a letter sent to the citizens of Rheims on
August 5, 1429, while she was near the town of Provins with the
army during its march to Paris. The letter
refers to a new truce with
the Duke of Burgundy which she was none too pleased with, being
aware (no doubt) of the Duke's famous talent for duplicity. The previous month
she had sent a letter
proposing that a permanent peace with Burgundy
be established; but the... Read Full Story
From http://archive.joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_letter_Mar1430.html T his is the last known letter dictated by her, dated
March 28, 1430 at Sully-sur-Loire, just before she set out on her final series of
campaigns, addressed
"To my very dear and good friends the men of the Church, magistrates,
bourgeois, and inhabitants and laborers of the town of Rheims"
("A mes tres chiers et bons amis les gens de eglise, echevins,
bourgeois et habitans et manens de la bonne ville de Reims").
This... Read Full Story
Linked from http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/cir-062.html
One of the most famous of the road circuits of the Twenties, the Reims track was first used in 1925 and was the home of the Grand Prix de la Marne. Close to the village of Gueux, to the west of the champagne city, it consisted of a triangle of public roads. It was a track where slipstreaming was vital and the long back straight rivaled the Mulsanne at Le Mans. In 1932 the circuit hosted the French Grand Prix for the first time and this... Read Full Story
From http://archive.joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_letter_march_16_1430.html
This is a letter sent to the city of Rheims on
March 16, 1430. The reverse is addressed: "To my very dear and
good friends, men of the Church, bourgeois, and other inhabitants
of the town of Rheims" ("A mes treschers
et bons amis gens deiglise bourgois et aultres habitans
de la ville de Rains").
An English translation is on the left; notes and commentary on the right.
A transcription of the original language... Read Full Story
As part of the preparations for the trip we’re going to take to France in May, we rented The Messenger , a film about Joan of Arc on Saturday. It was shelved with the French films at the local art video store, and so we were a bit surprised to discover that it was in English with John Malkovich and Dustin Hoffman in prominent roles. A lot of blood too, and rather light on the historical context, but 130 minutes which passed quickly. And of course we started poking around to find out just what... Read Full Story
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