Ramparts of Reims, Medieval fortification walls in Reims, France.

The Ramparts of Reims are the successive defensive works that protected the city from the Gaulish period to the 19th century. Of the medieval enceinte, begun in 1295 and completed in 1359, only the Porte de Mars, vestiges of the Porte Bazée and the powder magazine on the Butte Saint-Nicaise remain visible. The Gaulish fortification was 50 metres wide, with an 8-metre ditch and an earth bank.

The fortifications began with Gallic roots and were later occupied and modified by the Romans before becoming medieval structures. Major expansions happened in the 14th century to accommodate the city's growing population.

The name of the Porte de Mars comes from a monumental Roman arch reused in the 4th century as a cardinal entrance to the walled city; its arcades were walled up in 1209 and a new gate was cut near today's Boulingrin parking area. The Porte Bazée vestiges and the gunpowder magazine on the Butte Saint-Nicaise are the last visible remains of the successive ramparts.

The ramparts can be explored on foot across several areas, with information panels at preserved sections explaining what you see. Start your visit near Porte de Mars to get a good sense of the different remaining sections and their various states of preservation.

Of the successive ramparts of Reims, only three visible remnants survive: the Porte de Mars, vestiges of the Porte Bazée and the powder magazine on the Butte Saint-Nicaise. The medieval wall itself was dismantled in the 19th century, which allowed the canal to be cut and the Porte de Mars to be cleared and restored.