Our Story
Luxury wine estates in the Languedoc, South of France
AUTHENTIC & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Domaine & Demeure was founded in 2008 by Karl O’Hanlon to pursue a vision of authentic and sustainable real estate and tourism, with a particular emphasis on the restoration of ‘sleeping giant’ wine estates and other historic buildings.
In 2012 Domaine & Demeure announced a major strategic investment from Vignobles Bonfils. With a portfolio of 17 estates, superb wine making capabilities and offices around the globe, Bonfils is one of France’s largest and most innovative independent wine companies.
Domaine & Demeure was founded in 2008 by Karl O’Hanlon to pursue a vision of authentic and sustainable real estate and tourism, with a particular emphasis on the restoration of ‘sleeping giant’ wine estates and other historic buildings.
In 2012 Domaine & Demeure announced a major strategic investment from Vignobles Bonfils. With a portfolio of 17 estates, superb wine making capabilities and offices around the globe, Bonfils is one of France’s largest and most innovative independent wine companies.
AUTHENTIC & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Domaine & Demeure was founded in 2008 by Karl O’Hanlon to pursue a vision of authentic and sustainable real estate and tourism, with a particular emphasis on the restoration of ‘sleeping giant’ wine estates and other historic buildings.
In 2012 Domaine & Demeure announced a major strategic investment from Vignobles Bonfils. With a portfolio of 17 estates, superb wine making capabilities and offices around the globe, Bonfils is one of France’s largest and most innovative independent wine companies.
Domaine & Demeure was founded in 2008 by Karl O’Hanlon to pursue a vision of authentic and sustainable real estate and tourism, with a particular emphasis on the restoration of ‘sleeping giant’ wine estates and other historic buildings.
In 2012 Domaine & Demeure announced a major strategic investment from Vignobles Bonfils. With a portfolio of 17 estates, superb wine making capabilities and offices around the globe, Bonfils is one of France’s largest and most innovative independent wine companies.
Our concept
When we bought Château Les Carrasses and Château St Pierre de Serjac the estates had been all but abandoned for many years. Our idea was to turn them into à la carte vacation destinations: holidays and breaks that did not demand a compromise from guests, who could to have the holiday that suited them rather than have it imposed in a package.
Like the best French wines, the aim was to create an assemblage of the best elements of traditional accommodation options: The facilities and style of a quality hotel, the privacy and practicality of renting a villa, the charm and authenticity of a working wine estate and the laid back ambience and service of a private club. While we don’t necessarily have every aspect of each element, we’ve tried to ensure that we have all the best bits and that the estates comes together as a cohesive whole.
When we bought Château Les Carrasses and Château St Pierre de Serjac the estates had been all but abandoned for many years. Our idea was to turn them into à la carte vacation destinations: holidays and breaks that did not demand a compromise from guests, who could to have the holiday that suited them rather than have it imposed in a package.
Like the best French wines, the aim was to create an assemblage of the best elements of traditional accommodation options: The facilities and style of a quality hotel, the privacy and practicality of renting a villa, the charm and authenticity of a working wine estate and the laid back ambience and service of a private club. While we don’t necessarily have every aspect of each element, we’ve tried to ensure that we have all the best bits and that the estates comes together as a cohesive whole.
Our concept
When we bought Château Les Carrasses and Château St Pierre de Serjac the estates had been all but abandoned for many years. Our idea was to turn them into à la carte vacation destinations: holidays and breaks that did not demand a compromise from guests, who could to have the holiday that suited them rather than have it imposed in a package.
Like the best French wines, the aim was to create an assemblage of the best elements of traditional accommodation options: The facilities and style of a quality hotel, the privacy and practicality of renting a villa, the charm and authenticity of a working wine estate and the laid back ambience and service of a private club. While we don’t necessarily have every aspect of each element, we’ve tried to ensure that we have all the best bits and that the estates comes together as a cohesive whole.
When we bought Château Les Carrasses and Château St Pierre de Serjac the estates had been all but abandoned for many years. Our idea was to turn them into à la carte vacation destinations: holidays and breaks that did not demand a compromise from guests, who could to have the holiday that suited them rather than have it imposed in a package.
Like the best French wines, the aim was to create an assemblage of the best elements of traditional accommodation options: The facilities and style of a quality hotel, the privacy and practicality of renting a villa, the charm and authenticity of a working wine estate and the laid back ambience and service of a private club. While we don’t necessarily have every aspect of each element, we’ve tried to ensure that we have all the best bits and that the estates comes together as a cohesive whole.
SOCIAL IMPACT
It is really important to us for the estates to be an integral part of and positive contributor to the local community.
We prioritize the employment of local people. While this will sometimes create some challenges – language skills may not be perfect for example - we think this is a price worth paying. Not only do we tap into a wealth of local knowledge about the estates, their history and their surrounding environment, but good full time jobs enrich the local economy, enabling young locals to live and raise families in their home villages.
We are also very careful to ensure that the estates feel open and welcoming to both locals as well as residential guests. We are convinced that having a great mix of locals, out-of-area French and international guests is the key to creating a great experience for everyone who visits us.
This philosophy creates a lot of local goodwill and ‘anchors’ the estates into the community, something we believe will be felt by our guests as they interact with local people both on the estates and in the surrounding area during their stay.
It is really important to us for the estates to be an integral part of and positive contributor to the local community.
We prioritize the employment of local people. While this will sometimes create some challenges – language skills may not be perfect for example - we think this is a price worth paying. Not only do we tap into a wealth of local knowledge about the estates, their history and their surrounding environment, but good full time jobs enrich the local economy, enabling young locals to live and raise families in their home villages.
We are also very careful to ensure that the estates feel open and welcoming to both locals as well as residential guests. We are convinced that having a great mix of locals, out-of-area French and international guests is the key to creating a great experience for everyone who visits us.
This philosophy creates a lot of local goodwill and ‘anchors’ the estates into the community, something we believe will be felt by our guests as they interact with local people both on the estates and in the surrounding area during their stay.
SOCIAL IMPACT
It is really important to us for the estates to be an integral part of and positive contributor to the local community.
We prioritize the employment of local people. While this will sometimes create some challenges – language skills may not be perfect for example - we think this is a price worth paying. Not only do we tap into a wealth of local knowledge about the estates, their history and their surrounding environment, but good full time jobs enrich the local economy, enabling young locals to live and raise families in their home villages.
We are also very careful to ensure that the estates feel open and welcoming to both locals as well as residential guests. We are convinced that having a great mix of locals, out-of-area French and international guests is the key to creating a great experience for everyone who visits us.
This philosophy creates a lot of local goodwill and ‘anchors’ the estates into the community, something we believe will be felt by our guests as they interact with local people both on the estates and in the surrounding area during their stay.
It is really important to us for the estates to be an integral part of and positive contributor to the local community.
We prioritize the employment of local people. While this will sometimes create some challenges – language skills may not be perfect for example - we think this is a price worth paying. Not only do we tap into a wealth of local knowledge about the estates, their history and their surrounding environment, but good full time jobs enrich the local economy, enabling young locals to live and raise families in their home villages.
We are also very careful to ensure that the estates feel open and welcoming to both locals as well as residential guests. We are convinced that having a great mix of locals, out-of-area French and international guests is the key to creating a great experience for everyone who visits us.
This philosophy creates a lot of local goodwill and ‘anchors’ the estates into the community, something we believe will be felt by our guests as they interact with local people both on the estates and in the surrounding area during their stay.
THE ENVIRONMENT
We are lucky enough to live and work in beautiful natural surroundings, and so it is important to us that we do everything we can to minimize the environmental impact of our estates, ensuring that this pristine environment is preserved for those that will come after us. This obligation guides our approach to both the development and the day to day running of the estates.
We are lucky enough to live and work in beautiful natural surroundings, and so it is important to us that we do everything we can to minimize the environmental impact of our estates, ensuring that this pristine environment is preserved for those that will come after us. This obligation guides our approach to both the development and the day to day running of the estates.
THE ENVIRONMENT
We are lucky enough to live and work in beautiful natural surroundings, and so it is important to us that we do everything we can to minimize the environmental impact of our estates, ensuring that this pristine environment is preserved for those that will come after us. This obligation guides our approach to both the development and the day to day running of the estates.
We are lucky enough to live and work in beautiful natural surroundings, and so it is important to us that we do everything we can to minimize the environmental impact of our estates, ensuring that this pristine environment is preserved for those that will come after us. This obligation guides our approach to both the development and the day to day running of the estates.
Partnership
In 2012 Domaine & Demeure announced a major strategic alliance with Vignobles Bonfils.
Making wine and creating emotions for six generations, Bonfils make wines from a portfolio of seventeen estates each with exceptional terroirs and superb wine making capabilities, making the company one of France’s largest, most innovative and most respected independent wine companies.
"Without man, the terroir is only hope"
Laurent Bonfils.
In 2012 Domaine & Demeure announced a major strategic alliance with Vignobles Bonfils.
Making wine and creating emotions for six generations, Bonfils make wines from a portfolio of seventeen estates each with exceptional terroirs and superb wine making capabilities, making the company one of France’s largest, most innovative and most respected independent wine companies.
"Without man, the terroir is only hope"
Laurent Bonfils.
