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 became stewards of the land in the 12th 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.
Here are some of the ways we manage to be sustainable at La Verrière without compromising quality.
Keeping it Local
Chefs serving our guests at La Verrière source the best locally grown produce to serve but we also grow our own fruit and vegetables in the vegetable garden and orchard. When restoring the priory, we discovered the remains of the original medieval orchard and potager so we rebuilt them and now fill them with largely forgotten and unusual varieties of fruit and vegetables, all cultivated using organic methods. Our ancient vineyards are managed using biodynamic and organic practices, and much of our winemaking activity feeds back into our vegetable garden by providing great natural compost.
The Wonders of Water
La Verrière was once a place of pilgrimage for people from the Vatican, who had heard that the springs on the property had miraculous qualities to help cure blindness. The springs provide the winery and priory with tasty mineral-filled water. This is absolutely essential in our winemaking and looking after our water is very important. We use water-conserving technology in our winery and have planted a bamboo forest to filter the water waste so that it can be safely recycled and returned to nature. This highly efficient water filtration system is very low energy and does not require the use of any chemicals.
Biodiversity
Because our property sits on the edge of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with outstanding levels of biodiversity in plants and animals, we take great care to protect all of these fascinating species. We work with forest authorities and the SMAEMV biologists of the UNESCO Mt Ventoux Biosphere in mutually beneficial arrangements to protect the landscape and use the natural resources of the area to help with our winemaking.
Sustaina-BEE-lity
A vital part of maintaining plant biodiversity in our area is having plenty of bees to pollinate it. We already have an apiary but we want to offer a home to even more bees. Through our Sustaina-BEE-lity wine funding initiative, ‘Beehives for Biodiversity’, we intend to further develop our apiary as well as our understanding of the vital role that bees play in strengthening the biodiversity in the vineyard. We want to help our ecosystem to thrive and to educate our communities – both local and virtual – about the crucial role of bees and the role of cross-pollination in wine production.
Modern Features in a Historical Building
La Verrière was a ruin back in 1993 when Xavier Rolet discovered it and decided to renovate it. The restoration took 12 years and a great deal of ingenuity to retain the historical medieval features but make it suitable for modern living. We were able to install modern energy-efficient systems like underfloor heating and insulation to minimise the power needed to keep the property warm.
To be anything other than sustainable and environmentally friendly in a property in a UNESCO World Heritage Site would be a crime. At La Verrière we can honour our unique location whilst still providing a sumptuous stay for our guests. Ours isn’t the sort of sustainability that means staying somewhere basic or lacking in comforts – it is eco-luxury. We feel that we can offer the best of both worlds - outstanding and uncompromising accommodation and service in a property that is consistently sympathetic to our beautiful local environment.
To find out more about what eco-luxury means at La Verrière and what you can expect from whole house hire, please call +33 4 90 10 06 32 in France or +44 (0) 7775 682090 in the UK, or email reservations@laverriere.com.
