San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Boston, New York... that was in 1995, a long trip I was making for our brand. I criss-crossed the United States for two months; in a way, a fifteen-stop tour... And, in the end, an incredible discovery of the different facets of the country. The hospitality of the Americans, for example, which surprised me, even though on this side of the Atlantic it's sometimes seen as a facade. There's also the energy that keeps them going and makes them say, in the midst of a crisis, that "it's OK, everything will come back! Similarly, I was blown away by the quality of the service... As in Japan, moreover. I remember going with my wife to a very pretty ryokan in the hills above Kyoto, a sort of bed and breakfast. A mother and daughter gave us an extremely refined welcome. Everything was more than perfect: the way the screens moved to protect everyone's privacy, the bathing ceremony, which was very hot and, paradoxically for us, only after we had washed before entering.
Japan was almost a meeting of the third kind! The way people greet each other with a low bow, the restraint that has become a rule of life, the exceptional cuisine, so fine, so light... Everything about this culture, so far removed from our own, gave me a real change of scene... with real shared values, such as the abundance of family businesses that have existed for generations, like Roederer!
In Europe, my travels often take the form of lightning trips, for dinners or wine-tasting evenings. Unfortunately, there's not enough time to really meet people. But I always come across someone with a slightly original personality, someone amusing... especially after two or three glasses of champagne! When I host in Champagne, in the end, I travel almost as much: I get my guests to talk about their country and I discover, understand and learn... For me, that's what travel's all about: asking questions, discovering the variety of things, using it to escape, breaking away from the everyday, taking a step back... It's a real chance to be able to travel; I'm really aware of that, especially as I do it in privileged conditions.
When I travel on business, I generally stay in modern hotels, especially chain hotels, whereas when I travel on my own, I tend to go for originality and authenticity. In San Francisco, I prefer the Clift, redecorated by Starck. But I like change and discovery in this area too. Despite all these travel comforts, I'm always a little anxious when the time comes to leave: I'm leaving my house, my wife, my children... it's not that easy! But, fortunately, once you've closed the door of your house and then the door of your plane, you think about something else entirely... You're on the lookout, in the good sense of the word, because you're not at home, you're on standby. And I like that attitude.
Six dates
1980 At the age of 12, I had a hard time leaving the family nest for a year at an English school... which turned out to be a real thrill!
1985 After taking my A-levels in Reims, I moved to Paris: a new life, a new freedom.
1990 My older brother dies: there will be a "before" and an "after" in my life.
1996 I started my career at our champagne house.
2001 and 2004 My children are born.
2001 The dramatic events of 11 September have had a profound effect on me.
