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5 Reasons to Visit Lalique’s Opulent New Château in Bordeaux

The legendary crystal house transforms Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey into a charming hotel for art and wine lovers

By Jacqueline Terrebonne
Aerial view of an illuminated historic chateau with tiled roofs surrounded by vineyards and lush greenery at dusk.
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a hotel and restaurant in the Sauternes region of Bordeaux. Photo: Agi Simoes and Reto Guntli

Lalique recently opened Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a hotel and restaurant in the Sauternes region of Bordeaux that is befitting of the crystal house’s history and prestige. Not one to rest on its brand’s laurels, the property raises the stakes by putting up some impressive numbers.

2,500 bottles on the wine list at the restaurant. Head sommelier Adrien Cascio created the wine list along with Romain Iltis of Villa René Lalique. Executive chef Jerome Schilling finds inspiration for his dishes in the fine wines from the château’s collection.

3,000 Lalique pieces in the hotel and restaurant. Lalique’s exquisitely crafted crystal pieces make up much of the hotel and restaurant’s design, including lighting, decorative table pieces, chairs, and more. One notable piece is a replica of a pair of salt and pepper shakers from a collaboration between René Lalique and Peugeot from 1924.

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13 rooms designed by Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli. The interior designers decorated the trio of suites and ten rooms with custom-made furnishings. Green and Mingarelli are also responsible for Lalique’s Maison collection of Art Deco–inspired furniture and home accessories.

1 Damien Hirst crystal artwork in the chapel. Hirst worked with Lalique to create his crystal cross artwork titled Eternal Belief to “depict life and faith.” The chapel also features a custom red-and-black marble altar designed by Mingarelli and stained-glass windows with Lalique’s Merle et Raisins (Blackbird and Grapes) motif.

1893: Year of oldest vintage in the cellar. Below the château are underground cellars that contain 350,000 bottles of red and white wine. Visitors can come for tastings or to view the collection, as well as purchase bottles from the château’s boutique.

Elegant restaurant interior with large windows overlooking a vineyard, featuring modern decor and neatly set tables.
The restaurant’s ceiling is decorated with 120 gold crystal Sémillon leaves, and the windows look out onto the vineyard. Agi Simoes and Reto Guntli

Elegant wine bottle with gourmet appetizers on top, set against a blurred natural background.
Crystal tableware and desserts at the restaurant. Anne-Emmanuelle Thion

Modern wine cellar with glass doors, backlit shelving, and elegant lighting, featuring an extensive collection of wine bottles.
Wine cellars. Agi Simoes and Reto Guntli

Two ornate wine bottles lying sideways, featuring embossed grapevine designs and labels indicating 2015 vintage.
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey’s Premier Grand Cru Classé wine features engraved ‘Femme et Raisins’ first created by René Lalique in 1928. Hervé Lefebvre

Vineyard landscape with a rustic building surrounded by lush trees and greenery under a clear blue sky.
The château also celebrates 400 years. It was bought in 2014 by Lalique’s CEO, Silvio Denz. Agi Simoes and Reto Guntli

Elegant living room with green and burgundy furniture, chandeliers, large windows, and a fireplace at the center.
Bar Lounge at Lalique’s Château Lafaurie Peyraguey. Agi Simoes and Reto Guntli

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Stone wall with arched window and cross above, under a red vaulted ceiling with a decorative hanging light fixture.
Damien Hirst’s Eternal Belief crystal artwork on display in the chapel. Courtesy of Château Lafaurie Peyraguey

Elegant hotel room with red accents, a bed, matching chairs, a window with curtains, and decorative wall lights.
One of the guest rooms designed by Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli. Agi Simoes and Reto Guntli

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2018 Fall Issue in the section called The Artful Life. Subscribe to the magazine.