Charles Heidsieck Oenotheque at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane

The celebrated French Champagne house, Charles Heidsieck, has selected the newly restored Grosvenor House hotel on Park Lane to house its very first Champagne oenotheque in the UK. The literal translation of oenotheque is “wine library” where Charles Heidsieck will offer 10 different Champagnes allowing connoisseurs to savour the remarkable differences between vintages. Grosvenor House will have worldwide exclusivity on a number of the rarer vintages making it a destination hot spot for Champagne lovers.

The Charles Heidsieck oenotheque is the brainchild of Director of Restaurants, Steve Laine, who last year was one of just 16 candidates internationally to successfully graduate from The Champagne Academy in Reims. Laine said, “Londoners are constantly demanding something new and exclusive on the food and beverage scene. The restoration of Grosvenor House gave us the ideal opportunity to introduce different ideas and the Charles Heidsieck oenotheque is truly unique to the capital.”

Grosvenor House Commemorates Tour de France in London with Launch of  ‘Thé de France’ Afternoon Tea

The 94th Tour de France came to England for the first time in 1974 and this year sees an historic, first-time start from London. The route passes just a few hundred metres away from the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, one of London’s largest five star hotels. In celebration the hotel will mark this occasion with a specially designed afternoon ‘Thé de France’.

Comprising delicate sandwiches à la Pyrenées, reflecting the gruelling mountain stages of the 23 day race, ‘Thé de France’ will also include mouth watering patisserie such as miniature tarte au citron, rich and indulgent chocolate éclairs and traditional French pastries such as Paris Brest – a wheel shaped pastry filled with cream and sprinked with almonds that was originally created in 1891 to commemorate the Paris to Brest bicycle race, the precursor to the Tour de France.

‘Thé de France’ will be available in the newly restored Park Room which overlooks Hyde Park and offers welcome respite from the bustling West End. Available between 1st and 15th July 2007, the Grosvenor House ‘Thé de France’ is designed to offer guests a taste of French gastronomic sustenance while getting them in the mood for the gruelling 3,550km, 23 day race.

Grosvenor House is currently undergoing a multi million pound restoration programme. Due for completion in 2008, Grosvenor House will become the first JW Marriott hotel in the UK, the five-star luxury arm of the Marriott brand.

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