The Cheval Blanc Paris palace hosts La Table Ruinart: 7 champagnes, 7 Arnaud Donckele courses, €890

From 15 to 25 October 2026, the champagne house Ruinart sets up its pop-up table for the second year running in Le Salon at Cheval Blanc Paris, on the banks of the Seine. Chef Arnaud Donckele serves a seven-course menu paired with seven cuvées, at €890 per person, for just 16 to 18 guests around a single table. Two tasting masterclasses and a cruise to Art Basel Paris round off the programme.

☰Contents

1. From the Taissy vineyard to the Quai du Louvre
2. Seven courses, seven cuvées, €890 a head
3. Arnaud Donckele of Plénitude takes the helm
4. Two masterclasses, at €95 and €190
5. A Seine cruise all the way to Art Basel
6. What has changed since the 2025 edition
7. Staying at the palace: from €2,100 a night

From the Taissy vineyard to the Quai du Louvre

Founded in 1729 and billed as the oldest champagne house, Ruinart has chosen “From vineyard to table” as this year’s theme. The staging recalls its historic vineyard at Taissy, near Reims, and the gardens of 4 rue des Crayères, its Reims address. Chardonnay, the house’s signature grape, runs through the entire programme.

Seven courses, seven cuvées, €890 a head

The meal is served around a single large shared table: 16 guests at lunch, 18 at dinner. Two lunches are scheduled on 20 and 23 October at 12pm, and six dinners on 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24 October at 7.30pm, all at €890 per person.

The seven cuvées range from Ruinart Blanc Singulier Édition 20 to Dom Ruinart Rosé 1996, by way of Ruinart Rosé in magnum, Dégorgement Tardif 2007, Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013 and 2009 (the latter in magnum) and a cuvée named L’Exclusive. The dishes themselves have not been revealed.

Arnaud Donckele of Plénitude takes the helm

Arnaud Donckele runs the three-Michelin-star restaurants at Cheval Blanc Paris (Plénitude) and Cheval Blanc St-Tropez (La Vague d’Or). He has worked with Ruinart since 2023 and was already behind the first edition. According to the hotel, his menu showcases his mastery of sauces and his knowledge of terroir.

Two masterclasses, at €95 and €190

Led by a Ruinart ambassador, the “Signature Chardonnay” masterclass costs €95: three Blanc de Blancs (Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, Blanc Singulier Édition 20, Dom Ruinart 2013) and three bites from the chef, on Sundays 18 and 25 October at 11am, 3pm and 5.30pm.

The “Cave des Millésimes”, at €190, compares three wines from the 2007 vintage: Dégorgement Tardif, Millésimé and Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. It takes place on Saturdays 17 and 24 October at 11am, and on Sunday 25 October according to the hotel’s French-language page. Each session seats 24.

A Seine cruise all the way to Art Basel

Open only to guests staying at the hotel, the Ruinart Cruise lasts one hour aboard a private boat, from Port des Saints-Pères to Port des Champs-Élysées, with a house ambassador and a glass of Blanc de Blancs. It ends with a guided tour of Art Basel Paris at the Grand Palais, where Ruinart is showing a work by the Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata. No price is listed.

What has changed since the 2025 edition

The concept is not new: the first edition was held in late October 2025, in a setting inspired by the crayères, the chalk cellars of Reims. The 2026 edition switches to a vineyard theme, adds lunches, the vintage masterclass and the cruise, and the meal rises from €850 to €890. On 15 October, seats were still available to book, notably for the dinner on 22 October and the lunch on 23 October.

Staying at the palace: from €2,100 a night

Housed in La Samaritaine and awarded Palace status in 2026, Cheval Blanc Paris has 72 rooms and suites, four restaurants (Plénitude, Le Tout-Paris, Langosteria, Hakuba) and the Dior Spa Cheval Blanc with its infinity pool. The 45 m² Deluxe Room was listed at €2,100 for the night of 12 to 13 November 2026, breakfast included. For comparison, see our list of palaces in Paris and France, and to taste the vineyard on site, our best hotels in Champagne.

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