Le Royal

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 stocked in bubbly!

Christophe Raoux: Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2015

• The restaurant is led by Christophe Raoux, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2015, a lineage from Alain Ducasse, bringing a nature-forward, product-driven culinary philosophy to Champagne.

100% Champenois wine pairings for the Effervescence menu

• The sommelier curates a pairing that uses only Champagnes for each dish on the Effervescence menu, a dedicated regional emphasis that is further highlighted by a Gold Star Winner 2025 designation from Star Wine List.

Family-friendly policy with babysitting on request

• Le Royal welcomes guests from age 5+ and offers babysitting services on request to ensure a comfortable dining experience for families.

Signature Ingredients

• Abalone from Brittany (ormeaux de Bretagne): A cornerstone ocean delicacy featured at the start of Le Royal's menu, gently pampered with artichoke and Petrossian royal Osciètre caviar; its delicate texture and briny sweetness anchor the maritime identity of the restaurant. Sourcing from Brittany emphasizes pristine seafood and regional terroir, with preparation that elevates natural flavors rather than masking them.
• Petrossian royal Osciètre caviar: The luxurious caviar used to crown the opening dish alongside abalone; symbol of haute gastronomy, delivering a rich, saline umami that harmonizes with shellfish and vegetables.
• Icelandic langoustines (langoustines d'Islande): Premium crustaceans treated Thermidor-style and paired with Béarnaise made from Pedro Ximénez aged Jerez vinegar, showcasing bold aromatics and refined texture that define the seafood emphasis of the menu.
• Brittany blue lobster (homard bleu de Bretagne): A ravioli filling that expresses the sea's sweetness; combined with foie gras from Aveyron and a hint of tarragon, exemplifying the land-sea synergy characteristic of the kitchen.
• Foie gras from Aveyron: A quintessential French luxury ingredient offering rich, velvety texture; featured in lobster ravioli and other courses to balance maritime flavors with lush indulgence.
• Veal fillet from the Ségala plateau: A local, tender centerpiece whose preparation is elevated by marinated maitaké mushrooms, blending pasture-born tenderness with foresty umami notes.
• Maitake mushrooms (maïtaké): Marinated maitake mushrooms provide earthy depth and a bridge between meat and vegetable courses, underscoring the kitchen's affinity for mushrooms as textural and flavor anchors.
• Pike roe (œufs de brochet) smoked: A refined briny-smoky accent used to heighten seafood dishes, adding a flash of aroma and complexity.
• French partridge (perdrix française): Finished with a jus reduced with juniper berries, delivering gamey richness and woodland aromatics that echo the terroir-driven philosophy of the restaurant.