Celebrate 250 years of Veuve Clicquot on this luxury trip

Travellers with a taste for the finer things are in for a treat this June, when Champagne house Veuve Clicquot celebrates 250 years of savoir-faire with an exclusive journey from Reims to Venice aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Over two delicious days from 5–7 June 2022, this lavish adventure is sure to go straight to your head as you travel amid rolling vineyards, through spectacular alpine landscapes, and into some of the most enchanting cities in western Europe.

Journey to the home of Veuve Clicquot on this unique trip

Starting at £12,400 per person (AU$21,779), the experience begins with a private transfer from Paris to Reims, heart of the Champagne region and where Veuve Clicquot was founded back in 1772.

Madame Clicquot, known as the “Grande Dame of Champagne”, is credited with inventing the first known vintage champagne in 1810, and creating the ‘riddling table’ process to clarify the golden nectar in 1816.

Raise a glass (or two) of Champagne aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Scott-Powell

On arrival in Reims, where all the world’s top Champagne houses are located, you’ll check into Veuve Clicquot’s invitation-only Hotel du Marc for an evening of sparkling indulgence.

With six opulent guest rooms, exquisite detailing and corridors lined with artworks, the stately home is as extravagant as you’d imagine, but that’s not the best part. You’ll also enjoy an immersive tour of the hotel cellars, sampling La Grande Dame with the cellar master.

Join cellar master Didier Mariotti for a tour of the cellar
Romain Laprade

Then, it’s time to switch tracks and embark on a captivating rail odyssey from Reims to Venice via Innsbruck and Brenner aboard the Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, one of the world’s most celebrated and luxurious trains.

You’ll be transported back to a golden age of romance and glamour, with a themed party in the train’s Bar Car ‘3674’ – complemented by plenty of cuvée, of course – a flamboyant highlight.

One of the luxurious cabins aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Although already sure to be a holiday to remember, the trip will culminate in a Sunset Ball at the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice, where you’ll raise a glass to Veuve Clicquot’s effervescent history over cocktails and an exclusive dinner.

With borders open and the champagne already on ice, this is the perfect way to rekindle your love of international travel and pop a bottle in celebration of an icon at the same time.