A BUBBLE OF LUXURY AT HOSTELLERIE BRIQUETERIE & SPA (France)
A few kilometres from Reims, in Vinay, the legendary Briqueterie Hotel & Spa reopened its doors on 29 March, following a three-month renovation.Category: Europe - France - Renovation / Addition
Article written by Romane Le Royer on 2024-04-23
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 Hostellerie Briqueterie & Spa, renovated but still authentic
In buying La Briqueterie, Amaury Rostagnat, founder and owner of the Beauvallon group, set himself the goal of bringing modernity back to a rustic facility, in record time.
This is the second hotel for Beauvallon Collection, which in 2019 had already acquired Hostellerie Cèdre & Spa in Beaune, Burgundy. The group, which "continues to look to expand" according to its founder, specialises in refined, human-scale facilities (between 30 and 50 rooms) in top tourist destinations, such as the Champagne and Burgundy wine regions.
La Briqueterie, which opened in 1973 and has held a five-star rating since 2012, is a stopover on various 'Champagne Tourist Route' circuits, thanks to its proximity to Épernay and its membership of the Relais & Châteaux association since 2006.
When he bought La Briqueterie, Amaury Rostagnat already knew that it was possible to make better use of the house's potential. After three months of major refurbishment, the old furniture was sold, and the omnipresent red tones were no longer to be found. It's a drastic change, carried out by its architect Marie Courdouan, who was already at work on the renovation of Le Cèdre & Spa.
The hotel is now decked out in a harmony of green, grey and white tones, with touches of gold. The 40 rooms, half of which were ready for the opening over the Easter weekend, have the same clean, modern feel, and come in seven categories, ranging from 20 to 70 m², with or without a terrace.
Yet, the soul of La Briqueterie remains intact. Amaury Rostagnat and his right-hand man and partner, Lucie Brindjonc, were keen to involve the teams already in place at the heart of the renovation decisions: choice of colours, materials, preservation of the exposed ceiling beams, etc.
Christophe Wielgosik, assistant manager before the buyout, has now become general manager or "master of the house" at Relais & Châteaux. The teams need to be "put on a permanent footing". The new owner says: "We've had a bit too much team turnover recently. The priority is to build a team that is more lasting and, above all, more local, in response to the shortage of accommodation in the wine-growing region and the need to attract back customers from the Champagne region.
Amaury Rostagnat also wants to maintain the same ratio as before the renovation: as many French customers as international ones. The latter are generally German, Belgian, or Dutch, but the hostellerie vinaitère hopes to attract a clientele from across the Atlantic: "Historically, Americans don't come to La Briqueterie very often, and we wish to develop this market, by democratising the region through the Relais et Châteaux network, for example".
La Briqueterie is also rethinking its bistro and gastronomic restaurant. After losing its star in 2018, regaining it is not a priority for the group, nor for its new chef Nawal Rezagui, who is aiming for customer satisfaction. "I want our visitors to like what they eat," she explains to Journal des Palaces. The dining room, which offers a breathtaking view over the property's four hectares of gardens, has been refurbished and now welcomes hotel guests and visitors from outside the hotel every day.
In May, La Briqueterie will offer a completely refurbished spa and hammam, with a heated indoor pool and a fully equipped fitness room. With a view to attracting families, a “Kids Club” equipped with table football, board games and arcade games will also be available.
Everything is planned to ensure that the whole family enjoys their stay at La Briqueterie, with its bucolic wine-growing charm, relaxing spa and locally sourced gastronomy.
 La Briqueterie in the heart of the vineyards |
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