As a former fighter pilot approaching retirement, I started looking for somewhere I could spend my old age and welcome my family and friends while enjoying good quality of life. That's how I came to acquire the Château de Panisse in 2007. The property was planted with 5,200 AOC Provence olive trees. I decided to combine business with pleasure by starting to produce olive oil to help finance the building’s restoration and upkeep. In 2012 my son and I officially followed our olive-growing dreams and created our own brand. Our two main motivations are quality and the quest for excellence.
Dating back to the 15th century, the farmhouse’s appearance was radically altered in the early 19th century, with the eastern part of the north wing being cut off and the floors in the western part of the main building being redistributed. In the early 20th century, a modern building was added to the north facade of the main building. However, a large part of the original building survived and was included on the supplementary list of French Historic Monuments in 2014. This included: the walled garden including the pedestrian gateway, the boundary walls, the watchtowers, the dovecote-tower and its corbelled stair turret, the cistern and the adjoining cut stone lean-to, the facades and roofs of the dwelling to the north of the courtyard, the stair tower, the entrance building and the 17th century pavilion to the north of the main building.
The Château de Panisse is located at the end of the Alpilles mountains, in the heart of Provence. It is a farmhouse which was built on top of a primitive dwelling in 1470, probably originally fortified. Panisse is the name of a family who came from Tuscany at the end of the 15th century. Saint-Exupéry, Mermoz, Giono and Pagnol frequented the village in the 1930s. The latter used the name Panisse for a character in the trilogy that makes up his autobiography.
Space and tranquillity! The old house overlooks the surrounding 17-hectare olive and pistachio orchard. The garden has a swimming pool and a real boules ground. All this is just 40 minutes from the beaches. And of course, you can taste our AOP Provence olive oils, which have already won the Épicure d'Or de l'Épicerie Fine de Paris four times, and which were selected by Cuisine et Vins de France in 2019.
In Tarascon, the "Fête du Cordage" puts gipsy and flamenco traditions in the spotlight in June every year. Its Flower Market, which has been going for 40 years, offers a breath of countryside and exoticism every May for lovers of rare specimens, aromatic plants and all kinds of cacti. "L'Oustau de Baumanière", at the foot of the village of Les Baux, a three-Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant since 1945, is just a stone's throw from the famous Carrières de Lumière and their remarkable shows. In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the fantastic one-Michelin-star "Auberge" with chef Fanny Rey at the helm, located on the ancient ramparts of the pretty town, is well worth a visit! Catherine Burtonboy, the chef at Mas de Lilou in Tarascon - a friend whose culinary talents we have often enjoyed - can either deliver or come and cook at Panisse.
On the ground floor, the farmhouse has two lounges, a dining room and a kitchen with an adjoining terrace. The eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms are set out on two levels in three different buildings. The courtyard is perfect for al fresco dining or lunch in the shade of the 100-year-old plane trees. The swimming pool and boules ground are a little way from the main building. Rental from Saturday to Saturday.
ref 963225
The château offers tastings of its olive oils, which have won gold medals at the national competition for French olive oils (2020). Distributed in France and internationally, the oils can be found in many top-quality food boutiques, including the famous Maison Fauchon in Paris. They are also appreciated by Michelin-starred chefs, including John Williams, the chef at the Ritz in London.
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