As you can imagine by the altitude of our location, Christmas at La Verrière is beautifully snowy, cosy and magical. It’s the season for truffle hunting and skiing but there are also fascinating and absolutely adorable Christmas traditions in Provence that we recommend looking out for. The Christmas period in this region stretches from 4th December to 2nd February which helps to make a stay in Provence in the winter so special. Here are some Christmas highlights…
Visitors have the opportunity to experience the whole winemaking journey here at La Verriere. Harvest is of course an extra special time of the year in the vineyard and the winery, and guests are able to have a unique insight into viticulture and winemaking - quite literally from the grape to the glass. There are a variety of wine-related activities and workshops on offer at La Verriere throughout the year, catering for all levels of wine enthusiasts from novice to collector.
It’s vital that the utmost care is taken to preserve the precious juice of our grapes so that we can turn it into our award-winning wine, so all our grapes are picked by hand and sorted by hand on a vibrating sorting table. Visitors can come and observe the harvest and be part of the incredible atmosphere at this time of year. We can also organise bespoke educational programmes around the harvest too.
With years of experience as a Director of Programmes in the world of Think Tanks, Nicole Rolet really is the ‘host with the most’ and is an event planning expert. Along with her incredible hospitality team at La Verriere, she has created bespoke events for government ministers, top CEOs and even royalty. The people at La Verriere certainly know a thing or two about putting on corporate getaways, weddings, conferences and meetings. Here are just a few of the ways in which hospitality at La Verriere goes beyond the normal boundaries.
Imagining a medieval priory as being somewhat basic in what it is has to offer is entirely understandable. But La Verriere is far from basic. Tucked away on the edge of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a large part of the charm of this whole house hire is its idyllic seclusion. But rather than being a slightly provincial or ‘shabby chic’ place to stay, La Verriere oozes with eco-luxury accommodation and provides guests with a ‘medieval meets modern’ taste of Provence - from the beautiful setting, to the gastronomic organic and locally sourced food, to the biodynamic wines produced from the estate’s ancient vineyards.
Wine and business have been intertwined (or maybe intert-wined!) for as long as both have existed. Whether in networking, negotiating deals, impressing customers or rewarding employees, wine often plays an important role in oiling the wheels of commerce. But wine retreats don’t just provide an interesting and productive way to do business or share ideas, they provide a getaway for people to escape from their daily lives, refresh themselves and be inspired by coming together in different surroundings.
Located in a stunning, secluded, spot in a UNESCO World Heritage site, La Verriere has extensive conferencing and meeting facilities. Having our own vineyard and state of the art winery enables us to offer 'extreme' wine-related activities that go far beyond a normal wine tasting – something to give any corporate event that extra special edge.
Sustainability is sometimes associated with living simply and austerely. This is not the case at La Verrière.
Our goal from the start has been to preserve the integrity and history of the abandoned medieval estate and its prehistoric terroir, while enhancing its exceptional character with sustainable, organic and biodynamic practices - in the priory, in the vineyard and in the winery. Since we began renovating the property in the 1990s, we have worked hard to restore and protect the delicate ecosystem that existed long before the Templars farmed the land in the 9th century. We are located high up in a mountain saddle within the heart of the Mt Ventoux UNESCO Biosphere Reserve completely isolated, with no neighbours or contaminants, creating a perfect laboratory for pioneering practices that forge new thinking about caring for our surrounding nature, our planet and our health.
That makes sites with this designation very special indeed. Whether they are areas of amazing natural beauty or profound cultural significance, these sites are some of the most visited in the world and include Machu Picchu, the Pyramids of Giza, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall of China, the Roman Colosseum, the Acropolis of Athens and Stonehenge. So being able to have the exclusive use of La Verrière, a 9th-century medieval priory situated in the heart of a UNESCO world heritage site, is a unique and wonderful experience.
