AMBIANCES chambres d 'hôtes

Between Reims and Épernay, this luxury hotel, set in a sort of modern-day amphitheatre built out of light-coloured stone, hugs the hillsides of Champagne. The interior celebrates the wine and the gilded ceiling sports a huge chandelier with 36 blown-glass orbs (bubbles). There is also a nod to Napoleon Bonaparte, said to have stopped off here when it was a coaching inn. The perfect foil to high-flying haute cuisine in tune with the seasons and founded on traditions that traverse the annals of French cookery, further enhanced by a crack front-of-house team. The wine cellar is, of course, well s

At the foot of the Montagne de Reims and on the road to Épernay, this imposing inn unabashedly brandishes its opulent style. Come evening, the elegant dining space done out in pale wood takes on a romantic air – the perfect setting for fine classic French cuisine delivered by chefs Dominique Giraudeau (who shone for many years in the kitchens of Gérard Boyer at Les Crayères) and his associate, Pascal Champion. On the menu, top-notch produce, from John Dory to free-range milk-fed veal, as well as game, lobster and truffles.

You might say that Arnaud Lallement grew up at Assiette Champenoise, which was originally opened by his parents. Trained by the best in the business (Roger Vergé, Michel Guérard, Alain Chapel), he cooks high-calibre cuisine – inspired by the classics, generous and above all very tasty – and lets his Breton roots (on his mother's side) shine through. A larger-than-life presence on the restaurant floor, and supported by a warm and dedicated team, Lallement loves to engage with guests and treat them to simply good food. The dishes are accessible and enhanced by memorable sauces; ingredients are t

Once Louise Pommery's mansion, this small château (early 20C) standing in superb grounds exudes classic elegance. Using premium ingredients, chef Christophe Moret concocts refined, approachable dishes that are as generous as they are delicious – spider crab infused with sea fennel, or glazed mallard duck with juniper and elder. Rosalie Boucher's desserts are cleverly devised for maximum lightness. These gems feature in the various set menus but also – an increasingly rare pleasure – on the à la carte menu. The wine list includes almost 900 champagnes. Superb guestrooms and suites.

Here in the heart of Reims, there is definitely something interesting afoot. This small restaurant has a delightfully pared-back and contemporary interior with bay windows looking out onto a charming Japanese garden. The setting is in perfect harmony with the cuisine of Japanese chef Kazuyuki Tanaka. He crafts elegant and creative dishes that are rife with different flavours and influences, using aromatic herbs, vegetables, plants, condiments etc. Each one is a surprise, not only in terms of the exceptional quality of the ingredients (such as the langoustine or lobster) but also by their techn

After many years at Le Parc des Crayères, ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ Philippe Mille has set up shop in this stylish abode dating back to 1874. In a contemporary interior done out in natural shades and strewn with references to the vineyards of Champagne, the chef from Sarthe finetunes a culinary vision that is rooted in the Champagne terroir. He cooks over vine branches and draws inspiration from the seven grape varieties (including Arbane), to which he adds first-class seafood ingredients (monkfish, turbot, lobster etc). He signs dishes of breathtaking precision demonstrating standout talen

This charming town is famous for its Cathedral Saint Étienne, Notre-Dame-en-Vaux collegiate church and countless historic sites that bear witness to its illustrious past. At the Hôtel d’Angleterre, chef Jérôme Feck aims to perpetuate Champagne’s gourmet traditions and the heritage of the town’s iconic restaurant. Also a pastry chef, he has worked his way from Langres to Reims via Épernay, so the Champagne region holds no secrets for him… His flair for intense and balanced sauces is particularly notable, where the main ingredients are enhanced by judicious touches of flavour - acidity or smokin