Château de Boursault (Champagne Château de Boursault)

Last Updated on 16th March 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

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Magnificent and imposing, the Château de Boursault stands tall and proud above the swathes of vines that line the Marne department countryside in the Grand-Est region of France. Home to its own namesake Champagne brand, Champagne Château de Boursault, here’s how to visit Château de Boursault, as well as things to know before you go.

The fairytale Château de Boursault is also known as the medieval Château of Veuve Clicquot as it was here, in the apartments of the French country mansion that Madame Clicquot of the Veuve Clicquot family and brand lived up until her death aged 89. Today the Champagne brand offers six different Champagnes.

A history of Château de Boursault

There has been a château in some form or another on site since the Middle Ages, when it was used by the Barons de Boursault. The Château de Boursault was constructed on the site of a former fortified castle in the Neo-Renaissance style.

Taking inspiration from the Château de Chambord of the Loire Valley, Château de Boursault boasts a staggering 365 windows and doors. The Château was constructed in the middle of the 19th-century, when Madame Clicquot enlisted the architect Arveuf to construct a château for the family.

The château was actually built to serve as a rather elaborate wedding gift, which was then lived in by Madame Clicquot’s daughter and granddaughter. The château served as the dowry of Marie-Clémentine following her marriage to Louis de Rochechouart-Mortemart.

Madame Clicquot hosted parties at the Château, where she gained the title of ‘Queen of Reims’ thanks to her extravagant and elaborate affairs. The family sold the castle in 1913. During both World Wars, the Château was used as a military hospital.

The château was purchased by Achod Fringhian in 1927 and today the 4th generation of his family produces Champagne from the plot of land. Now, the Château is one of the only châteaux in Champagne and so makes for a rather unique visit while you’re in the area.

How to visit Château de Boursault

Château de Boursault is located in the wine village of Boursault, around 10 km to the West of Epernay, which is the unofficial capital of Champagne. There is free parking in the village, which is just steps away from the entrance to the Boursault estate.

There are two options when it comes to visiting Château de Boursault. The first is to pay for a €10 tasting where you can sample whichever of the Champagnes from the estate that you would like to. This is what my friends and I opted for, though it was a bit haphazard and not much information was provided.

Then, you are free to walk the estate at your own leisure and see the Château from up close. Unfortunately, the Château itself is closed to visitors, though its exterior can still be admired (be sure to bring your camera). Make sure to walk to the back of the Château, where you will be rewarded with beautiful views of the Marne countryside.

The second option costs a little more (€30 as of 2022) but, as well as a tasting, you will be taken on an in-depth tour of the estate. You will also have the opportunity to learn about the Champagne process and double fermentation of the sparkling tipple in greater detail. The visit takes about an hour and a half.

The more expensive option also includes a visit to the cellars, which can’t be visited if you just pay for the tasting. Whichever option you choose, it’s advisable to book well in advance. Truth be told, I’m not a great fan of tastings where you have to pay to taste the Champagne.

When it comes to visiting Champagne Houses in the region that are open to the public, there seems to be two schools of thought. The first is that the tasting is free but the Champagne speaks for itself, and so you likely end up buying a few bottles at the end of the tasting anyway!

The second school of thought is to charge visitors for the Champagne tasting, as is the case with Château de Boursault. In my experience, I have tended to find that the Champagne houses that get you to pay to taste their Champagnes don’t seem to have as good of a quality of Champagne/ price ratio.

None of us ended up buying bottles from Château de Boursault, though I did enjoy the opportunity of seeing a Château that looks like it’s been plucked straight from a storybook up close. If you are interested in seeing the Château, then it’s included in this Paris day trip.

All in all, I would recommend heading to Champagne Château de Boursault if you have the time. Nearby, Fontaine-sur-Ay is a delightful little Champagne village that’s a great place to base yourself while in the area. For more Champagne inspiration, check out our guide to the most amazing facts about Champagne and our suggested three days in Champagne itinerary.