Sitting in the drawing room of a French chateau, cradling a fine cognac, surrounded by pre-French Revolution antiques, one can imagine what it would have been like when this elegant drink first became popular among gentlemen and noble women in the 18th century. It’s not often that you have the unique opportunity to stay in a French castle, however, at Château de Chanteloup – the ancestral home of Martell, one of the oldest and most prestigious houses in France – you can transport yourself back to more refined times and imagine yourself in the shoes of French nobility.
The Château de Chantaloup, in the Borderies terroir near Cognac, offers a rare chance to experience the refined ambience. Friendly deer roam the acres of forest surrounding the castle and, as they approach, guests are enchanted by the magical atmosphere that feels like you have just stepped into a fairy tale.
In 1715, an Englishman, named Jean Martell founded Maison Martell in Cognac aged 21. He was a spirit merchant who travelled across from the Channel Islands, where he specialised in trading eaux-de-vie. Continuing his legacy after his passing in 1753, his widow Rachel ran the business single-handedly, upholding the motto ‘Only the best, without artifice’.
Exploring the chateau
Originally a small farm, the house was transformed into a residential château in 1838. When this was built, France was in the grip of a revolution which sought to overthrow the monarchy and oust Louis III from the throne. Yet, as a guest of Martell’s one can transport themselves back to these days and imagine what life would have been like then. The chateau was renovated in the 1930s by Maurice Firino-Martell who wanted it to be a family home. He designed it with English and Normandy influences to make his wife Elisabeth feel at home. Until now it has been a private home, but as exclusive guests of Martell, I was one of the few who were welcomed in to discover the secrets of this intriguing family.
Upon arrival, guests were warmly welcomed by the property’s general manager, Margot, and then shown to our rooms and I was delighted to learn I was staying in room 14, the master bedroom, which was Maurice’s. It was adorned with pictures and engravings showing the special link between Martell House and the UK. The suite is magnificent; the master bedroom has two twin beds, dressed in crisp white linen with the Martell crest embossed on it.
There is also a fireplace with an antique cuckoo clock. As a writer, I appreciated the chance to sit at Maurice’s desk in his study, looking over the immaculately groomed grounds, imagining how Maurice once signed important documents. There was also a huge marble bathroom with a freestanding bath on claws. After taking a bath, I wrapped my robe around me and then opened the window to enjoy the magnificent views over the estate. I wanted to drink in every moment of this exquisite experience. I was one of a privileged lucky few as the family rarely let guests stay. Getting ready for the evening, I felt like a princess and excitement mounted as I anticipated the special fine dining experience curated by chef Alexandre Mazzia, who has three Michelin stars.
Fresh from his role as head chef at the Paris Olympics, I had some burning questions for him, and I knew this would be a memorable evening. Mystery and intrigue surrounded the dinner – we were told to descend the grand staircase and as the first one down, I was waltzed in with beautiful music by the talented musician Flavien Compagnon – guided by the light of tiny cognac bottles. Flavien’s music was wonderful and just emphasised the exclusiveness of this opportunity. This was a very prestigious occasion as he has worked with Celine Dion and played at events hosted by Dior. As if that wasn’t magical enough, we were handed a cocktail curated by Remy Savage, one of the UK’s most successful mixologists as we stepped outside to enjoy the sunset surrounded by deer.
An unforgettable three-star Michelin meal
We were all excited for the highlight of the evening – an exquisite dining experience with chef Alexandre Mazzia, a three-star Michelin chef known for his unique culinary offerings inspired by his childhood memories of the Congo. When you think of three-star Michelin chefs, names like Gordon Ramsay, Michel Roux, and Heston Blumenthal come to mind. However, another member of this exclusive club is French chef Alexandre Mazzia. He curated the menu at the Paris 2024 Olympics and has opened a restaurant at Chateau de Chanteloup, in addition to his popular fine dining restaurant in Marseille.
Stepping back into the chateau, we were welcomed into Alexandre’s intimate kitchen restaurant, by his team. The relaxed atmosphere, accompanied by soft reggae music, immediately put us at ease as we met the man himself. Champagne was poured as our party of six was seated around a farmhouse table, excited for our once in a lifetime encounter.
The menu, designed by Alexandre, is tailored to showcase the richness of cognac’s flavours, complemented by special blends crafted by Cellar Master Christophe Valtaud from Martell’s extensive reserve of eaux-de-vie. Guests can also choose from rare vintages from the Martell reserves to further enhance their tasting experience. The experience begins with a signature cognac cocktail at the Château’s bar and concludes in the library, where guests can enjoy a final cognac and explore Maison Martell’s exclusive editions.
The Signature Martell by Alexandre Mazzia experience was scheduled to launch in July 2024, however, Alexandre was needed for a special assignment at the Paris Olympics as the official chef. As a result, the Château de Chanteloup officially opened to the public for the first time in September. As some of the first customers, we enjoyed an exceptional and intimate dining experience – a sensory and emotional journey – celebrating cognac and gastronomy. The menu was co-created by Cellar Master Christophe Valtaud to celebrate cognac and gastronomy.
We had front row seats in the open kitchen, which allowed us to watch the chef and his dedicated team perform culinary magic. The food and pairings were amazing, with Alexandre teaming up with our cellar master host Christophe. Together, they created an unforgettable and unique dining experience. The chef’s artful culinary expertise takes you on a sensory journey complemented by the finest Martell cognac and eaux de vie selected by Christophe.
In his former life, Alexandre was a professional basketball player before he became a chef. He was heavily influenced by his upbringing in the Republic of Congo where he brings a mixture of French sophistication and world cuisine to the table. His African heritage is reflected in the fabulous cutlery, bright and bold colours and spicy flavours of his eclectic dishes. He is open and friendly and has one of the calmest demeanours I have ever experienced in a chef. He smoothly executed the meal and injected humour and insight into his interactions with us as well as personally serving us the food.
We began with champagne and then progressed to wine and cognac pairings specially selected by the cellar master, the ninth cellarmaster in the history of the brand who hosted the dinner and explained how the food was complemented by the drinks. The pair worked together as artists to bring out the emotions of the food and the drink. It was an incredibly moving experience.
Alexandre drew inspiration from his childhood memories of the Congo to create a fine dining experience showcasing the tastes of Africa. He prepared 20 artfully crafted dishes, each celebrated in vibrant colours, spices, and smoked flavours. The first course, Première Teintes, featured a variety of flavourful components paired with Perrier Jouet Champagne. The following four courses were complemented with Martell Cognac.
Each dish was thoughtfully prepared and infused with unique ingredients. One standout dish was the Animal Marine course, featuring glazed duck breast and a grilled watermelon flambéed with cognac. For dessert, we enjoyed Douccurs Charentaises, which included coffee ice cream with cardamom and strawberry marmalade. We paired our dishes with Martell Impression for snacks, Martell Odyssée with seafood, XXO Grande Champagne with duck, and Martell Epilogue for desserts.
After dinner, we gathered around the piano to watch Flavien play and then retired to the grand salon area for a nightcap. Surrounded by grand tapestries dating back to the French Revolution, it was an honour to enjoy cognac with the team and I am so grateful for such an exclusive and intimate experience. We then slept over in the castle, a privilege extended to very few.
Exploring Cognac
Cognac is a region in France known for producing a brandy-like drink. When blending the eaux de vie, the rule is to mix young Cognac and drink old Cognac straight. The region has six growing areas, including Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, known for their chalky soils. Cognac labelled ‘Fine Champagne’ contains at least 50% grapes from Grande Champagne. XO brandy is a blend aged for at least 10 years and is considered the gold standard in Cognac. Martell has 450 hectares of land known as Domaines Jean Martell, which champions sustainability at its heart.
What’s more, dining here is just one aspect of the astounding experiences on offer from Martell.
Maison Martell offers private visits, tastings, and guided tours, providing an opportunity to immerse oneself in the world of this aged grape spirit. When it comes to experiences, guests begin their journey with a sensational four-course lunch at Notes restaurant at La Nauve, Hotel and Jardin – a Relais and Chateau property. We were welcomed by Martell’s charismatic global ambassador Alexandre Combescott de Marsaguet, who was to be our host for the day. However, the public experience includes an overnight stay at La Jardin and a cellar tour.
In this elegant space, we enjoyed champagne and cognac – an experience that began with amuse bouche and champagne and progressed to a secret gastronomic lunch. We started with ravioli stuffed with different mushrooms which we poured our drink onto. It progressed to lobster tail with coral dressing, grilled almonds and lobster sabayon sauce with verbena, followed by chicken supreme with melting potatoes paired with the artisan distillate. Dessert comprised of blanc manger with caramelised pine nuts, vanilla ice cream and crème anglaise.
After lunch, we were invited to its historic Gâtebourse site, in the centre of town, where three separate yet complementary experiences awaited. We were invited to look around the archives and learn about the history of the family and see bottles of the drink and letters dating back centuries.
The Martell Visitor Centre offers guided tours to explore the history and craftsmanship of the oldest cognac house. Visitors can experience blending, explore the terroir, and enjoy a tasting at L’Atelier Martell. The Fondation d’Entrerprise Martell presents a diverse programme of artistic events promoting local, national, and international collaborations, aiming to showcase the diversity of contemporary creation.
Most impressive was being invited into Christophe Vaultaud’s very own master blending room where he conjures up some of the creative concoctions. This was an interactive experience not to be missed and then we had the chance to make our blend, which was a fascinating process. We rounded the experience off with a trip to the cellar where the oldest and rarest blends are made, and the chance to taste L’Or de Jean Martell.
We started and ended our journey in Bordeaux, the gateway to the region, staying at the five-star Accor Mondrian hotel. The hotel’s Morimoto restaurant offered amazing sushi prepared by chef Danny, who has worked in some of the best sushi restaurants worldwide. The spacious rooms featured Codage amenities and a well-stocked mini-bar.
In a nutshell
Attending the Martell event was an enchanting and unforgettable experience that will forever be etched in my memory. It felt like being part of a captivating fairy tale. The gastronomic experience in the historic home of the Martell family is now open to the public.
Factbox
The Signature Martell par Alexandre Mazzia experience.
Tier 1 – Signature Martell experience par Alexandre Mazzia, €500 pp.
Tier 2 – Signature Martell experience par Alexandre Mazzia and Cellar tour (Chai XXO), €800 pp.
Tier 3 – Signature Martell experience par Alexandre Mazzia, Cellar tour (Chai XXO) and one night’s stay at Hotel La Nauve, €1,080 pp.
To book, visit martell.com
Photography ( excluding La Nauve ) courtesy of Martell.
