Chateau Grand Boise and Cabassude

A well conserved nature reserve ...

500 hectares (1200 acres) of woodland and forest...
The Chateau Grand Boise estate covers a large proportion of one side of a hill, and even continues beyond to the other side. A tonic breath of fresh air.

Faced with such a natural rich diversity, one really has to slow down and take it all in and become enthralled by it. In Provence, colours all seem more intense, it’s as if the light teases out the intrinsic colours of every object from the tiniest pebble to the largest rocky facet. Vegetation seems to radiate light.

The forest consists of mature trees, mainly evergreen oak, along with durmast oak and pine. The scrubland plants carpet the soil with wild aromatic herbs, such as wild rosemary. Here and there in clearings in the forest, or beside the vines, all sorts of wild grasses shimmer in brilliant golden tones.

No chemical weedkiller or fertilizer is used in the cultivation of the vines. Furthermore Chateau Grand Boise has taken the necessary steps to be certified in organic cultivation. Some of the old vines are worked using horse drawn implements.

An example of this move towards a closer relationship with nature, is that beehives have been installed on the estate. Bees are extremely sensitive to the quality of their environment and in fact have already formed swarms. Sheep are also back on the estate: a herd of sheep together with their shepherd live there, (in high summer, they could, however, be pastured up on the heights).

Once the crest of the mountain has been passed, the countryside which opens out is entirely different. From Les Brunets, the view extends as far as the Sainte Baume Massif in a succession of wild hillsides where it seems as if man’s presence has never been felt. Here and there rocks break the surface, but not just any rock: Les Brunets is rich in pink marble, and indeed a quarry was worked there. Enormous blocks of this can be seen beside plots of vines which have recently been entirely restored. Vines growing in marble... that must be unique!

 

 

Chateau Grand'Boise

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Chateau Grand Boise
1536 Chemin de Grisole - 13530 Trets-en-Provence - France
Tel. +33 (0)442 292 295 - Email:
Grand Boise • 1536 Chemin de Grisole • 13530 Trets • France • Tel. (0)442 292 295 • www.grandboise.com