Live music
Live music in Reims
One great mid-size venue, a proper opera house, and an arena for the big tours - Reims punches above its weight for a city this size.
The main stage
La Cartonnerie
Reims' SMAC (contemporary music venue) since 2005, set in a former cardboard factory. Around 1,200 capacity, excellent sound, and a programme that runs rock, electro, hip-hop, chanson and indie through the season - recent years have hosted everyone from Franz Ferdinand to Benjamin Biolay. Multiple rooms scale from club nights to headline shows, plus rehearsal studios supporting local bands. Check cartonnerie.fr for the season calendar.
Classical and big rooms
Opéra de Reims
The city's opera house programmes opera, ballet and classical concerts through the year - the dressed-up night out.
Reims Arena
The big touring-act room for arena-scale concerts. Check listings when you're in town; major French tours route through here.
LE KABARET Champagne Music-Hall
Champagne music-hall revue - dinner-show territory, unapologetically old-school and popular for celebrations.
Small rooms
Monkey's Barrel House (5 Avenue de Laon) runs live music and cabaret nights alongside its bar - the most reliable small-room gig in town. Pubs around the Erlon host occasional acoustic sets; the tourist office agenda (6 Rue Rockefeller) lists what's on.
Common questions
Where can I see live music in Reims?
La Cartonnerie (84 Rue du Dr Lemoine) is the main venue for contemporary music; the Opéra covers classical and ballet; Monkey's Barrel House does small-room live sets.
Do I need tickets in advance for La Cartonnerie?
For headline acts, yes - the 1,200-capacity room sells out. Club nights and smaller bills are usually fine on the door.
More to explore in Reims
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