As a production facility and brand showcase, the Château de Pékin is both a place of residence and an industrial facility. Its luxurious architecture is enhanced by the use of noble materials: walls in cut limestone, steep-sided roofs and slate wings.
The Château de Pékin was built in 1859 for François Abelé (1811-1876), a wine merchant from Württemberg.
The building's architecture is classically inspired. A T-shaped layout, with a transverse wing rising directly above the cliff, gives the reception rooms a view over the Marne Valley. Visitors approaching the château are captivated by the entrance to the estate, which is attractively framed; the short side of the main building is enhanced by two corner towers, bringing to mind a small castle, connected by an arched overhang featuring a glass-covered terrace reaching to first-floor level.
The name Château de Pékin appeared on a harmonisation plan dated 1860. It could be an allusion to the entrance of Napoleon III's troops into the Chinese capital, but equally may be a reference to the house’s isolated location, since it lies further to the east than other mansions on the avenue. Indeed, it is the only residence on Avenue de Champagne, apart from Château Perrier, to be designated a château.
Acquired in 1873 by Eugène Mercier, who made it the headquarters of his Champagne House, it was subsequently abandoned for many years. Fully restored in 2000, the Château de Pékin is now the headquarters of its current owner, the Comtesse Lafond Champagne House.
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Château de Pékin, 79 avenue de Champagne – 51200 Épernay.
Tel.: +33 3 26 32 26 40
https://comtesse-lafond.deladoucette.fr/
