The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Charmed life
Champagne nights from the continent to the capital
TO MARK 150 YEARS of its prized Moët Impérial champagne, Moët & Chandon took over the Orient Express to spirit guests through the Champagne countryside to its newly restored Château de Saran, fuelled by fizz, sweet treats and Napoleon’s hat. That wasn’t as random as it might seem: the house’s founder was a friend of Napoleon, and his dashing descendant Prince Jean-christophe Napoléon joined the festivities.
With the guests happily delivered, the grounds of the property filled up with Uma Thurman, Natalie Portman, Roger Federer and Kate Moss (in disco-era vintage), but real connoisseurs made their way around for a sneaky look at the bedrooms and chinoiserie bathrooms ( great views from the loo) of the normally offlimits château.
Back in London, it was a case of another night, another glass of champagne: the Design Museum was the setting for the annual Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Awards. The spirit of the indomitable Madame Clicquot lived on in the impressive array of female leaders in the throng, which included Natalie Dormer and the food gurus Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley.