Domaine Les Crayères

Domaine Les Crayères is an early 20th-century château in the centre of Reims, standing in seven hectares of parkland that once belonged to Madame Pommery, founder of the Champagne house; some of the trees she planted still shade the lawns. The cellars of Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger are close by, and the concierge arranges visits and tastings, Pommery included. The house is decorated in the classic French manner, with portraits, painted ceilings, chandeliers and period furniture, and modern comforts are added with restraint. The 20 rooms and suites are shared between the château and a cottage 50 metres behind it in the park, where two of the three connecting rooms are duplexes, and no two are decorated alike. Dining is the reason most guests come. At Le Parc, chef Christophe Moret holds a two-MICHELIN-star rating for generous, precise cooking built on fine produce, with desserts by pastry chef Rosalie Boucher and a list of nearly 900 Champagnes; in summer, tables move into the garden. Brasserie Le Jardin is the easier option, and Bar La Rotonde completes the house. Reims station is three kilometres away.