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.
Our first night of the trip wasn’t spent aboard the train. I, along with the other passengers, headed back to Vienna’s Hotel Imperial—a grand five-star hotel, opened in 1873—after the gala. We got a final glimpse of the gorgeous old buildings of the city during a horse-and-carriage tour in the morning, before heading to catch the train. To say the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express causes a kerfuffle at stations is an understatement. Locals and tourists had already gathered around the steam engine to take pictures as we arrived at Wien Hauptbahnhof to board and find our cabins. I can understand why. It looks surreal: like a ghost train that’s pulled in from the Roaring Twenties. And it was even more special inside. If you’re in any way a sucker for a glam period drama, the interiors are like heaven. Glossy, wood-paneled corridors join carriages of cabins to three elegant restaurant carriages, decorated with heavy velvet curtains and retro table lights, and a bar carriage with a glistening original bar.
I stayed in a Grand Suite featuring two cozy armchairs that folded down to become beds, a dresser, and its own marble-paneled bathroom with a shower and sink. (The décor across the train is largely original, and all the carriages have been restored to the original layouts, but the Suites and Grand Suites interiors are new.) Said Suites are looked after by carriage managers who update you on the train’s progress, provide room service, and, in my case, popped a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for me as soon as I boarded.
Day one on board was a bit of a party. The champagne flowed all day, from that first bottle in the cabin through to an afternoon of games in the bar carriage. By 7 p.m., guests had dashed off to change for the second gala dinner of the trip. By 8 p.m., it felt like I was in Murder on the Orient Express as we sat down in black tie for yet more fine dining and yet more fantastic champagne, including a smokey, sweet 1985 vintage. And by 11 p.m.? We’d all tumbled back into the bar car for an after-party. There was a pianist playing jazz club favorites, spritz cocktails and guests happily mingling with each other.
By day two, we were firmly in France and heading towards Champagne to get the good stuff right from the source. Breakfast was served in our cabins: a vast continental spread that did a great job of soaking up the sins of the day before. Unfortunately, a train fault meant we missed our vineyard tour but the trip to the caves more than made up for it. These cool underground cellars in Reims are where Veuve Clicquot has been stored for hundreds of years. While they’re open to the public (who can visit to do wine tastings and learn about the champagne-making process), visitors on the Solaire expedition are allowed to experience it in an extra-exclusive way: by actually dining underground. In fact, it’s in a private cave that we had our final champagne-paired gala lunch: this time, a series of two starters, two mains, and two desserts prepared by two chefs, Mory Sacko and Jean Imbert, who interpreted ingredients such as tomatoes, salmon and peach in different ways.
Soon, we were back on board for the final stretch of our journey, where we spent the last few hours soaking in the gorgeous views of the French countryside around us. In many ways, the scenery flashing past us was the highlight of the trip: eating breakfast overlooking the vineyards in Champagne, doing my make-up as we traveled past snow-capped mountains… Belmond Solaire is a truly unique way to see some of the most beautiful countries in the world. Machu Picchu calls…
For more information about future Veuve Clicquot Solaire Journeys on board Belmond Trains, visit their website.