Chateau Les Crayeres

Reims, France

Chateau Les Crayeres 64 Blvd Henry-Vasnier Reims 51100 France

Toll Free: +33(0) 825 32 32 32 Local #: +33 3 26 82 65 52 http://www.lescrayeres.com/

Château Les Crayères belongs to Reims and its region: as soon as it was built in 1904, it became a privileged place of elegance for the town, region and entire Champagne world, a tradition that has never been denied since. Indeed, the Marquis and Marchioness of Polignac, for whom it was built, represented one of the best names as well as one of the most illustrious families in France. As a great sportsman, the marquis had initiated such International events as Reims's Great Weeks of Aviation or institutions such as Parc Pommery, which housed the School of Athletes, a sort of National Sports Institute in the making: so many circumstances that were to turn Château Les Crayères into a hub of society life that extended far beyond Reims… Later on Madame Pommery's descendants saw that the park was kept as she had designed it, with its view of the cathedral, Saint-Rémi basilica through the trees and glimpses of the incredible neo-Tudor building of the Pommery Estate. During seventy-five years, Château Les Crayères was to remain the Polignac family's home in Reims.

In 1979, Pommery Champagnes, the Estate and its buildings, vineyards and various homes were sold to Xavier Gardinier and his group. Very rapidly it was decided that the château should be turned into a hotel. The property in Paris that belonged to the trademark was to be sold to be invested into the project, an architect was to be found and the work to be finished. It took a little more than three years for these different tasks to be completed, the work being conducted by young interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. The same year Gérard Boyer and his father Gaston won their third Michelin star together for La Chaumière, their restaurant on the outskirts of Reims. Shortly after Gaston retired and Xavier Gardinier suggested that his son take over the luxurious building that was then nearing completion. The deal was agreed upon and Gérard and Elyane Boyer took over the management of Château Les Crayères. It opened in 1983, and was to become the gastronomic meeting place of the Champagne estates.

The establishment was not to suffer the same changes of ownership as the Pommery brand the very next year: after its sale by Xavier Gardinier at the same time as the Champagne Estate, it was to remain the property of the Danone group until Franck Riboud decided to sell it in 2001, Gérard Boyer having retired. Among the potential buyers was Xavier Gardinier who saw such a return as an occasion to set up an "affective, moral and reasonable synergy" with the other activities within this family group. As with all changes of hands, this was also seen as an opportunity to modernize the establishment. Work was undertaken, with Pierre-Yves Rochon yet again (who had meanwhile made a career for himself in hotel architecture among other things) in order to give to what was henceforth to be known as Château Les Crayères, a discrete touch of modernity. But the greatest changes were no doubt undertaken in the restaurant. In over twenty years, its cuisine has changed considerably, as have the habits of customers who go to gastronomic restaurants: the days of very long menus and restaurants packed with tables having gone for good.