Gérard Bertrand likes to share the exceptional diversity and characteristics of each of his 11 vineyards. At the Chateau l’Hospitalet, near Narbonne, every detail has been taken care of so that visitors can discover the wines of occitania in total harmony with nature.

What is your conception of wine tourism?

First of all it’s about discovering the location: the soils, the grape vines, the people, the lifestyle, and the climate. Chateau l’Hospitalet has everything you need to ensure this discovery takes place in the best possible conditions: a magnificent setting in the heart of a protected mountain range that is a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean Sea and Narbonne, surrounded by an exceptional heritage of civilizations which forged human history (the Romans, Cathar Christians, the city of Carcassonne, the Canal du Midi) … Here we share our passion for wine. Each person can have what we hope will be an unforgettable sensory and emotional experience: in the vineyard, wine cellar, restaurant and wine buffet, in the company of artists and to the sound of music!

Chateau l’Hospitalet uses organic cultivation methods. How does that change the wine tourism experience?

Organic cultivation is based on connection with nature and the search for harmony and balance. I hope that the people who come to visit, dine in the restaurant, take part in a wine-tasting session, or stay over, will find that this vineyard is a good place to recharge their batteries, rediscover the link with the environment and find peace and harmony. We maintain this harmony by combining a protected natural setting, gourmet meals with local products, vegetables from the garden, and wine-tasting workshops to explain the characteristics of this wine district. All these elements combine to fuel our inspiration when we make our wines.

Excellence, authenticity, friendliness and innovation, even in wine tasting. Experience the lifestyle of Chateau l’Hospitalet among the grape vines of Occitania, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean Sea.

Still wines, sparkling wines, sweet wines, organic wines … Wine culture is anchored in the historical and cultural heritage of the Chateau l’Hospitalet. Its wine-tasting cellar offers a unique panorama of the richness and diversity of the different wine types and districts in the south of France, where the vineyards overlook the Mediterranean.

The Southern Wine Buffet uses a unique device which provides self-service tasting, by the glass, from a selection of 24 wines, with perfect tasting conditions thanks to the Enomatic system.

Take a walk around the 400-m2 wine cellar, visit the storage area where up to 2,500 barrels are kept, taste the best wines and introduce yourself to the finer details of winemaking and tasting in this haven of peace and tranquillity. 

A selection of 24 wines at the self-service Southern France Wine Buffet

Nestled at the heart of 1,000 hectares of pines, bushland and grape vines, this is the ideal location to understand the art of creating a wine. Choose from wine-tasting workshops, a master class, grape-harvest days and wine-blending workshops … Enjoy a unique way of appreciating the wines of the Languedoc region: fruity and spicy reds; fine and delicate rosés and whites; golden-coloured sweet wines. At L’Art de Vivre restaurant, the chef Laurent Chabert creates an inspired range of dishes using local seasonal produce. Vegetables from the garden, freshly picked herbs, and fresh fish from the local port of Gruissan are combined on your plate, accompanied by perfectly matched wines.

The Southern Wine Buffet uses a unique device which provides self-service for a selection of 24 wines, with perfect tasting conditions thanks to the Enomatic system. You just have to choose the wine you like! The meal is organized like a tasting to allow the discovery of the wines’ different aromatic profiles.

Between the ocean and vineyards, in a superb landscape, the Chateau l’Hospitalet breathes wellbeing and the Mediterranean lifestyle. An essential destination during a wine tourism visit to the Languedoc!

Just 15 km away from Narbonne, in the heart of the Narbonne regional park, the road first winds through a landscape of pine trees and vineyards before revealing a large plateau overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, where the vineyards are king. You are in the heart of the protected La Clape Mountains (the name means ‘pile of stones’ in the local Languedoc language), which shelter the Chateau l’Hospitalet. A short 10-minute walk along the hill and you are rewarded with an exceptional view over the vineyards, the sea, the beaches and … in the distance, the Pyrenees Mountains. 

An exceptional view over the grape wines, the sea, the beaches, and … in the distance, the Pyrenees Mountains.

It’s hard to imagine that 20 centuries ago the city of Narbonne was a port, and this peninsula was ... an island! The grape vines had already decided that this spot would be their home. Since then, the Aude River has changed its bed. Situated next to the Mediterranean Sea, La Clape mountain range is a wine district made up of limestone blocks, and is ideal for growing Bourboulenc and Vermentino (white wines), and Syrah and Mourvèdre (red wines).

Chateau l’Hospitalet: The essential wine tourism destination in Occitania

The Chateau l’Hospitalet is a traditional sixteenth-century building, and opens onto an inner courtyard. The surrounding vineyard is a real haven of peace in 1,000 hectares of pines, bushland and grape vines. In 2002, winemaker Gérard Bertrand took over this jewel of the southern wine region in order to maintain and promote the Mediterranean lifestyle by expanding the appreciation and experience of the great Languedoc wines.

To preserve the environment, the vineyard became entirely organically cultivated: without the use of chemicals, the grape vines are grown in a way which protects natural biodiversity. During a relaxing stay in one of the hotel’s comfortable rooms, you will enjoy a magnificent view of the regional park. Each room has a special name which refers to wines from the south of France and reflects their individual character. At the restaurant, L’Art de Vivre, an inventive cuisine highlights the products of the Languedoc region, accompanied by Gérard Bertrand’s renowned grand cru wines. Here there is nothing but wellbeing and authenticity.