It is in the heart of a seven-hectare park on Saint-Nicaise hill, at the entrance to Reims, that stands the Château des Crayères, a sumptuous estate housing a luxury hotel and a two-Michelin-star restaurant.
This legendary property built by Louise Pommery, on the Saint-Nicaise hill, only became a hotel in the 1980s. Its rotundas, its peristyle and its cut stone facade reflect the purest classical French style of this castle built in 1904.
The whole is about to undergo some transformations to regain its original appearance.
No closure announced, only construction taking place in two phases.
The vast terrace will thus double its surface area to offer a new setting for its restaurant “Le Parc”, which has been doubly starred since 2012 in the prestigious red guide.
And the departure of chef Philippe Mille, made official this Friday, February 9 after fourteen years at the helm, will change nothing, the macaroons being awarded to the place.
“We selected a Burgundy stone for the slabs.
Nothing is chosen at random: the color, the marbling or the pink appearance.
Everything is carefully scrutinized by our architect", underlines Arnaud Valary, general director of Crayères, who, at the time of writing these lines, had not yet reacted to the announcement of his boss, who had left to "steal his own wings” in his own restaurant which will open in April in the heart of Reims.
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At Les Crayères, every detail counts: woodwork, tapestries, elegant chandeliers, high-end fabrics contribute to the cozy atmosphere that reigns inside this vast century-old building.
“To have perfect symmetry, we plan to create on the left wing the same winter garden as that of the glass roof which already exists on the right wing of the castle.
The construction of a new annex will also allow us to expand our bar which will retain its tartans and upholstered armchairs.
The objective is not to welcome more customers but to renew the customer experience,” assures Arnaud Valary.
Precisely, the Crayères bar, which offers, according to the specialized magazine “The World of Fine Wine”, “the most beautiful wine list in the world” is a must-stop point for tourists from all over the world.
The award recognized the work of sommelier Martin Jean and his team of around ten people.
With more than 2,500 references, the list is long and is aligned with two cellar books, the first being dedicated to champagne.
“The promise of Les Crayères must not change, we must remain iconic,” says Arnaud Valary.
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The height of luxury, these changes will therefore be almost imperceptible, even to a trained eye.
Even if certain transformations promise to be significant, such as the development of French gardens at the level of the current terrace.
“Our landscape architect did a lot of research to return to the original essences.
We are going to recreate the yew tables that existed at the time the castle was built.
French-style arabesques will be reborn, at the foot of the steps, thanks to the drawings that we found,” explains Arnaud Valary.
More than six thousand yews and 4,000 bulbs will be planted in the coming weeks.
Gardeners and landscapers are hard at work to allow for the opening of this new green terrace next March.
At the same time, upstairs in the residence, the renovation work continues discreetly in the Eugénie suite.
The structural work was carried out during the seasonal closure, last December.
Tiling, parquet flooring, furniture fittings, taps, everything is being installed for an opening in the spring.
A second phase, in winter 2025, will concern the new glass roof and the construction of the additional annex with a view to expanding the bar.
A little more patience, delivery is not scheduled until April 2025.