En un regard
Le château en bref
At the far end of the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, the Château de Pékin stands on the edge of the slope overlooking the Marne valley. The wine merchant François Abelé, from Württemberg, had it built in 1859 as both a residence and a wine-making establishment. Its T-shaped plan places the transverse wing above the cliff, giving the reception rooms a view of the valley, while two corner towers, cut limestone and steep slate roofs give it the look of a small château.
The name appears as early as 1860; it is said to recall the entry of Napoleon III's troops into the Chinese capital, or simply its isolated position, further east than the other houses on the avenue. Along with Château Perrier, it is the only house on the Avenue de Champagne to bear the title of château. Eugène Mercier bought it in 1873 to make it the headquarters of his Champagne house.
Long neglected, the château was fully restored in 2000 and became the headquarters of the Comtesse Lafond house, hence its other name. It now hosts tours, tastings and receptions. Its exteriors stood in for Château Cassell in the Christmas film Champagne Problems (Netflix, 2025).
