I like to think I’ve kicked off a few train journeys in style in my time, but the way Belmond Trains begin their new offering, a journey from Vienna through Reims to Paris, hosted by Veuve Clicquot and aboard iconic sleeper train the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
The Belmond Solaire expedition—one of a series of collaborations with Veuve Clicquot—begins with something truly extraordinary: a private gala dinner in the 18th-century Palace of Liechtenstein, once home to one of the oldest noble families in Europe. It’s an outrageous set-up: welcome drinks are hosted amidst the perfectly manicured gardens and soundtracked by a string quartet; there’s the chance to tour the building to see Andrea Pozzo’s monumental fresco of Hercules in the Grand Hall; and then there’s the dinner itself.
Hosted in a flower-laden, sun-dappled conservatory, when Vogue joined the trip in July, we were treated to eight courses of ingenious cooking from award-winning Austrian chef Andreas Döllerer, known for his innovative takes on traditional Alpine dishes. The likes of bone marrow disguised as scallops were paired with Veuve Clicquot vintages from 2012, 2008, and 2002, each more complex than the last. By the time the evening drew to a close—with a spot of opera, naturally—I felt giddy. And that was just the start of the trip.
As a concept, Belmond Solaire was first launched in 2022 to mark 250 years of Maison Clicquot. Even more exclusive than the luxury train group’s usual trips, these excursions allow guests to experience travel on a 1920s sleeper at limited capacity and with unlimited bubbles. My journey was one of three excursions planned for 2024—there’s a final one through Peru, from 21 October to 26 October—and it mapped out the footprint of champagne across Europe from our starting point in Vienna, where it was once sipped in royal courts, to the caves where it’s been stored for hundreds of years. And it does all of that while providing impeccable fine dining, the amenities of a luxury hotel, and unbeatable views of Europe’s countryside.
