The champagne house popped the cork on its all-new Solaire Journeys last week
Last weekend, Veuve Clicquot’s Solaire Journeys launched in Southeast Asia. Passing under verdant canopies and past cascading waterfalls, the Eastern & Oriental Express invited guests to “follow the sun” in celebration of 250 years of Veuve Clicquot champagne.
In the spirit of the champagne house’s famous sunshine yellow, the first journey set off east with the rising sun, departing from Singapore – the city to which Veuve Clicquot’s bottles were first shipped in 1859. Tracing the storied paths of the “grande dame of champagne”, Madame Clicquot, the adventure continues this July in the “waltzing capital of the world” – Vienna.
In 1777, precious bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne were transported from Reims to the Austrian capital along the Danube by order of the Imperial court. Inspired by the tale that earned the Maison its title of Kaiserlich und Königlich supplier, the two-night adventure departs from the historic city, where guests will have the opportunity to marvel at the architecture, explore local museums and take in the Viennese skyline at the world-famous Prater before boarding the Venice Simplon-Orient Express the following day.
Witnessing the sunrise over the picturesque snow-capped Alps from their Art Deco cabins, guests will arrive in Reims, home to Veuve Clicquot since 1772, where they will experience a unique immersive gastronomic event delivered by famed chefs Jean Imbert and Mory Sacko in the Unesco-listed “underground cathedrals” – the Crayères – following an exclusive guided tour of the champagne house’s historic vineyards. The journey will then end in (where else?) Paris, the glittering lights of the city guiding the train to its elegant destination.
The third and final Solaire Journey will take place on 21 October 2024, journeying to the spiritual citadel of Machu Picchu and the Peruvian Andes. A truly incredible opportunity to witness the dramatic and breathtakingly beautiful landscape of the Sacred Valley, all within the Pullman-style carriages of the Andean Explorer. All aboard!
