Chateau de Courcelles

Chateau de Courcelles

The wine cellar at Château de Courcelles holds 700 references and 150 champagnes, curated over four decades by the Anthonioz family who have run this 17th-century estate since 1988. Built between 1690 and 1694 and welcomed into Relais & Châteaux in 1992, the château sits on the edge of Champagne country, thirty minutes from Reims and over an hour from Paris, with the Chemin des Dames close by. Twenty rooms and suites span two floors, some in the outbuildings with private terraces, and Chef Massimiliano Sena's kitchen at La Table de Courcelles earned a Michelin Guide plaque in 2025. Guests can spend an afternoon on the tennis court, take one of three jogging routes through the grounds, join a cooking class or a champagne tasting, then cool off in the seasonal heated outdoor pool before dinner in a dining room with wooden beams or the winter garden overlooking the park. History leans into the atmosphere rather than sitting behind glass: Christian Dior visited as a friend of the house, Jean Cocteau is said to have designed the main staircase banister, and the newest suite carries the name of Marie-Louise, whom Napoleon met here in 1810. This suits couples and small groups who want a countryside base with culinary weight and don't mind arranging their own onward plans, since there's no spa beyond in-room massage and no bar scene beyond the château's own. Families travelling with children can add a bed for 40 euros a night, and pets are welcome for a fee. It does not suit anyone chasing a city pulse or a resort's worth of facilities. What lingers is the cellar: not a feature, but the family's ongoing project. Château de Courcelles pairs a 700-reference wine cellar and 150 champagnes with 20 rooms in a 17th-century estate near Reims, family-run since 1988. Expect tennis, jogging trails, a Michelin-recognised table and a heated pool in summer, not a city buzz or a full spa menu.