Roman Ruins in Reims, France

To achieve a complexity of color and texture, artists apply paint in layers, each one subtly influencing the final effect. Just so, the Old World fascinates as we sense the sequential cultures that composed its current face. Travelers to Reims in northeastern France do not need to know that the city was born as Durocortorum, the capital of the Remi tribe, to smell antiquity hanging in the air like perfume despite the prefabricated suburbs and sparkling-wine glitz. Visits to the few preserved Roman ruins add to the experience of the city's many-layered culture.

Mythological Foundation

• Even legend works its way into the texture of a city. Mythology aligns Reims with the Roman Empire by suggesting that Reims was initially founded by Remus, the brother of Romulus who founded of the ancient city of Rome. The Celtic tribe occupying the region supposedly assumed the name of Remes after the city's founder. History establishes that the Remes tribe constructed Reims in about 80 B.C. and called it Durocortorum, meaning circular stronghold. When the Romans conquered the area, they combined the current Champagne region of France with the region encompassing modern-day Belgium; Durocortorum became the capital of the entire area.

Porte de Mars

• Mythology says Mars fathered both Romulus and Remus, so it seems appropriate that the most impressive Roman ruin standing today in Reims is the Porte de Mars, or door of Mars, built in honor of the Roman god of war. The monument stands near the central park in the city, not 15 minutes' walk from the train station. The triumphal arch, composed of three joined arches, is an extraordinary piece. It's adorned with friezes that portray ancient Roman legends, including that of Romulus killing his brother Remus after the latter foolishly criticized the wall Romulus built around Rome. The grand and imposing monument is largely ignored by the modern city, and no nearby marker sets out its name or history.

Cryptoporticus

• Since Reims was flattened during World War I, it's remarkable that an ancient Roman passageway escaped harm. Le Cryptoportique -- the Cryptoporticus -- is an arched passageway set partially below ground. The roof of the passageway was a walkway for the residents of Durocortorum. Three such passageways surrounded the town center during Gallic-Roman times. Le Cryptoportique is located in central Reims at the Place du Forum. The city does little to protect this monument, but it remains well preserved and you can stroll through free of charge.

Taittinger Cellars

• Most visitors come to Reims for its champagne, and Taittinger is a big name in that trade. The champagne cellars of Taittinger (taittinger.com) include galleries that were cut into the chalk deposits 60 feet below the ground by the Romans. They were part of a chalk quarry used between the 4th and 13th centuries. The town is seeking UNESCO World Heritage status for the quarries. During the siege of the town in World War I, residents of Reims lived in them and even published a newspaper there.

Getting to Reims

• Reims is an easy drive or train ride from Paris. It is 89 miles east of Paris, and some 28 miles from Chalons-en-Champagne. Drivers take the A4 east from Paris. Train passengers head to Paris's Gare de l'Est for the 45-minute trip; trains leave every 90 minutes. You can also take one of five trains a day from Strasbourg, a two-hour trip.