JW Marriott Parq Vancouver is Turning the 17th Floor Rooftop into a French Picnic—And You’re Invited

It’s the start of summer, which means it’s officially patio season. And for the first time, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and Veuve Clicquot are opening their rooftop pop-up to the public, not just hotel guests.

Back for its third year, LePicnic in the JW Garden is turning the 17th floor into a French-inspired escape, with champagne pours, picnic-themed bites, live music and bright yellow floral tablescapes with a view. 

“The JW Marriott Parq Vancouver offers the perfect backdrop for ‘Le Picnic’,” says Veronique Gonneville, marketing and communications director at Moët Hennessy, “captur[ing] both the spirit of summer and the elegance of the Maison.”

Even before the champagne starts flowing, the rooftop feels like stepping into the French countryside. The picnic tables are decked out in yellow roses, chrysanthemums and soft greenery, accented with lemons and green apples for a summery vibe. Striped umbrellas, a yellow Veuve Clicquot-branded bar cart and a retro TV champagne cooler add a sophisticated touch. Custom Provençal-style tablecloths in tangerine, marigold and navy tied the whole en plein air aesthetic together.

Though LePicnic in the JW Garden teases  “casual sips and nibbles,” it’s certainly an understatement—get ready for a spread of charcuterie, garden salads, caviar bites and creamy desserts inspired by a Parisian picnic. The menu features local ingredients from the rooftop garden, including thyme, mint and honey from the on-site beehives. 

“It just reminded me of setting a blanket out in the strip before the Eiffel Tower,” says Chef Colin Burslem, executive chef for the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and the Douglas, Autograph Collection.  

The Crispy Chicken Sandwiches ($35, in branded Veuve Clicquot boxes!) are a surprise hit, featuring rooftop honey and breading with turmeric, served with truffle comté fries on the side.

Chocolate-dipped ice cream sandwiches ($19), layered with espresso flavour, are another standout. 

“It’s like a child’s version of an espresso martini,” says Danielle Rizzuti, director of marketing for the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection.

Standouts are the warm baked local brie ($33)—creamy, decadent, yet sweet with fig preserve—and the champagne poached prawns ($30) with three zesty sauces. The prawns, inspired by a classic prawn cocktail, are poached in champagne and paired with sauces that bring out Veuve Clicquot’s flavour notes.

Burslem explained that the champagne’s bubbles cleanse your palate with every sip, making each bite feel fresh. The whole menu is built with Veuve Clicquot in mind, with each dish meant to balance the champagne’s crispness and citrus flavours.

The strawberry JW Sparkle cocktail ($21) is sweet and refreshing—great for casual sipping. For drinkers who prefer something bright and tropical or more classic, there’s a peach-passionfruit bellini ($21) and a rosemary French 75 ($21), both full of flavour (and one full of gin). For non-drinkers or anyone who prefers to stick to one glass, there are non-alcoholic options too, so everyone can toast under the sun.

For dessert, try the white chocolate mascarpone JW Éclairs ($18)—we found them to be lightly sweet, tangy and not too heavy for a creamy pastry. Also impossible-to-ignore were the golden-flecked cherries on top. Talk about quiet luxury!

Whether you’re celebrating something special or just chasing a pretty patio moment, this pop-up is certainly elevated—in more ways than one.

LePicnic Patio:
12 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily, now through August 30
17th floor of JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, rooftop Aqua Lounge and JW Garden
Live music on Fridays and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

How to book:
For non-hotel guests, bookings are available online.
Hotel guests can access the 17th floor Aqua Lounge directly, across from the Spa by JW.