Boulingrin covered market

It’s time for gastronomy! This astonishing semi-cylindrical building houses the town’s covered market. The Boulingrin covered market was built five years after an architectural competition was organised in 1922. It was built by Emile Maigrot and Eugène Freyssinet. At the time, the materials and construction techniques used to build this edifice were at the cutting edge of modernity, and symbolised the success of reconstruction following the raids that devastated the city during the war. Despite being considered an architectural masterpiece, the building was abandoned at the end of the twentieth century because of its poor condition. The city authorities even threatened to demolish it. To prevent its destruction, it was finally listed as a Historic Monument, thanks to which work began in 2008 to restore it to its original function. The open market has reopened to public since 2012. Nowadays, Bourlingrin covered market is used as an exhibition space, but above all, it is a place where you can find all the delicious flavours of the region, which are clearly not limited to a glass of champagne. Here, you can sample andouille from Revin, dry-cured ham from the Ardennes, potée champenoise and grey truffles from Haute-Marne, nicknamed the jewel of the woods. Cheese lovers will also find something to their liking, with the delicious Chaource and tasty Langres produced here. For those with a sweet tooth, there’s plenty to choose from. Don’t leave without trying the famous Reims pink biscuit, a real remois delicacy. This rectangular biscuit has a soft, crunchy texture and a lovely pink colour. In the same style, the croquignole takes the form of a stick and comes in several flavours: almond, raspberry or chocolate. Nonette is a circular gingerbread cake filled with orange marmalade or raspberry jam. Lastly, you can go for marzipan, a kind of small almond macaroon. With all that, you’ve got enough to treat your taste buds to a whole meal, which you can accompany with a good glass of red Bouzy, or champagne. So don’t hesitate to go in and discover it all!