History

Domaine La Martinette is for the most part situated in Lorgues, an ancient town which already existed in the twelfth century. The domain is also situated in the neighbouring town of Le Thoronet, famous for its monastery, l'Abbaye de Thoronet.

The site on which the domain is situated is most probably an ancient Roman agricultural environment where viniculture was already practised. This according to Roman wells and stone walls from that period.

The domain in its current dimensions and lay-out was founded by the acquisition of some parcels of land by Berlinguer Chieusse in 1620. Later the name "Combaud" was added to the family name of Chieusse. In the following many years the family became part of the notables of the ancient town of Lorgues and provided many magistrates, lawyers, judges and members of parliament. The domain remained in their possession for more than three hundred years until around the year of 1925. A bastide (large farmhouse) was built in the seventeenth century. In 1870 the farmhouse was adjusted to the at that time prevailing architectural demands and a "château" was built on top of the existing caves. The old seventeenth century caves are still in operation until this day.

After a long period of neglect the domain was acquired by the family Liégeon, who started with the restauration of the buildings and the expansion of the old caves. Also the existing vineyards were re-planted and extended and the winery was modernised under the guidance of Stéphan Dessolis, the "maitre de chaî".
In 2007 the domain was acquired by Dolf Huijgers, Dutch ex-banker and entrepreneur.

The domain exists of 288 ha of forest, olive trees, wineyards and meadows. From the very start it has been a mixed farming enterprise, consisting of winemaking, agriculture, vegetables and fruit and from the nineteenth century onwards the then popular silkworm culture. Until the mid-twentieth century over two hundred people worked and lived on the domain, according to the many restanques, walls dryly constructed out of numerous limestones. These restanques changed the hilly terrain, which has a difference of height of more than 100 meters, into terraces on which olive trees were planted, being heated during the night by the restanques warmed up by the sun during the day: solar heating "avant la lettre"!
The vast amount of stones on the terrain is extremely important to retain water, since during the summer months there can be very little rain indeed.

1956 was a year of great disaster: during the winter temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees centigrade. This cold wave caused the almost complete extinction of all olive and fruit trees in the Provençe, and, as a consequence, also the end of the farming at La Martinette. Since then the exploitation of the wineyards and the olive trees has been re-established resulting in the 35 ha of today. The ancient old stumps of the olive trees that were frozen to death have budded again and are now fruit-bearing! A large part of the vast olive yard, overgrown by forest, is currently being "liberated" and taken into production again. Our olive oil is 100% pure, cold-pressed by an ancient and traditional mill in Flayosc, dating from the thirteenth century. Natural and delicious honey is produced by twenty-three bee populations, kept by an apiculturist on the domain. Originating from the prosperous farming period until the 1950's, many large ruins of farmhouses are situated on the terrain.

During the adjustment of the building in 1870 as mentioned above, the little daughter of the family is said to have fallen out of the tower under construction. The girl was supposedly burried in the walls of the château and it was decided to construct a chapel adjoining the existing building in memory of the deceased daughter. A wax figure of the girl was put in a glass coffin and situated underneath the altar. Bizarre detail: the coffin was stolen in 1970! At this moment the château and the chapel are being restored.

People say that since the death of the little girl the château was named "La Martinette", but this is incorrect; on old maps originating from 1740 the château is already referred to as "La Martinette". Another incredible story is that in the nineteenth century the daughter of the owner of the château was murdered by one of the workers for being a nuisance; however, this is very unlikely and not in accordance with the above story about the coffin, which is what really happened.