Château du Condé-en-Brie

Anniversary Champagne Festival

6 - 8 July 2007

Arblaster & Clarke began escorting wine tours to Champagne in May 1987 and have returned 10 - 15 times every year since, so we’ve built up many great friendships here.

To mark the 20th Anniversary we are staging a Champagne Festival inviting between 12 & 16 Champagne Houses and Vignerons to host a stand with a selection of their Champagnes. At least 40 Champagnes will be available to taste with a selection being available to purchase.

The festival will be in the very beautiful setting of the turreted Château du Condé-en-Brie, that can trace its history back to Gallo-Roman times. At the end of the 12th Century the first lord of Condé, Jean de Montmirail constructed a “keep”, part of which has survived. In the 15th century Condé passed to the House of Coucy, then through marriage to the House of Luxembourg. Marie de Luxembourg married François de Bourbon and their son, Louis de Bourbon, first Prince of Condé, was uncle to the future king of France. The current owners are his descendants.

Champagne Cellar Tours

Anniversary Festival Options

The 4 different options are as follows:

Option 1: £399 Holiday Inn 3* in standard twin/double, £60 sole occupancy supplement.
Option 2: £429 Hotel Mercure 3* in standard twin/double, £65 sole occupancy supplement
Option 3: £449 Hotel de la Paix 3* in standard twin/double, £70 sole occupancy supplement, £30 pp in twin/double to upgrade to newly built rooms.

Price Includes (Option 1 - 3):
* Return travel by modern coach max 36 participants and P&O Ferry or Shuttle
* Two nights 3* hotel, with buffet breakfast and a glass of Champagne for breakfast
* Comparative champagne tasting at your hotel on the first evening
* The festival as described-return transfers & with canapes served during lunch time
* Buffet lunch at a champagne house

Option 4 is ‘meet at destination’ with transport to and from events. You will be dropped off in Reims after the Sunday lunch.

Price Includes (Option 4):
* Self-drive £399 Hotel Mercure 3* in standard twin/double , £60 sole occupancy supplement
* Two nights 3* hotel, with buffet breakfast and a glass of Champagne for breakfast
* Comparative champagne tasting at your hotel on the first evening
* The festival as described-return transfers & with canapes served during lunch time
* Buffet lunch at a champagne house

• Optional Dinner-party at Ruinart (£120 per person, please confirm at time of booking)

Travel details

Travel is by modern, air-conditioned 12m coach and ferry from Dover.
Petersfield - At the Arblaster & Clarke offices , 5 College Street, Petersfield GU31 4AE. There is no parking available nor is there a public phone box and the office will not be open.

London (near Victoria) - There are long-stay NCP car parks about ten minutes walk from here. Although we depart from Victoria Coach Station, London, we drop off at Bressenden Place as it is only possible to get taxis from there.

Folkestone -Directly from the Relyon long stay car park just off the M20 near the shuttle terminal.

Dover - Directly from the Travel Centre at Dover East Docks. There are several long stay car parks.
We will provide details of car parking and hotels for these pick-up points upon receipt of your Booking Form
We pick up from the following: alternative pick-ups can be arranged if they are directly en-route and requested at time of booking.

For Option 4, the self-drive version you book your own ferry/shuttle/train or flight. You need to plan to be at the hotel in time for the Comparative tasting that starts at 19:00 and will be able to leave from Reims around 15:30

There is also a flight with Air Turquoise from Luton into Reims. www.airturquoise.com