Château Carqueiranne a historic heritage site
The Château Carqueiranne, an exceptional heritage site in Provence, bears witness to the traditions and history of the region since the time of the Phocaeans, who brought viticulture to Provence 2600 years ago. Carqueiranne is located near Olbia and is an old Provençal lordship. Its roots go back to the 13th century, when William of Carcairana from Corbetta near Milan took over the lordship.
A historic heritage site in Provence
The history of the estate begins in 1217 with Guillaume de Carcairana’s acquisition of the estate and its ecclesiastical investiture in 1252 by Pope Innocent IV.
Château Carqueiranne was then closely linked to the seigniorial families of Provence. In particular, the Thomas de Fos and Ripert families, who left their mark on the 15th and 17th centuries. Situated in the heart of Provence, the château has witnessed many historic events. For example, the bishop of Toulon, Louis de La Tour du Pin de Montauban, died here on September 12, 1737. Today, Château Carqueiranne remains a true testament to the region’s historical heritage.
Richet’s influence at Château Carqueiranne
Covering 250 hectares, the estate was acquired in 1873 by the Richet family. They renovated the Château’s facade and developed new infrastructures. These included the Colle Noire dam, water reservoirs, greenhouses and farm buildings. It also acquired the island of Grand Ribaud.
Charles Richet conducted research into animal heat, serums and, in 1902, with Paul Portier, discovered the phenomenon of anaphylaxis, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913. He is the author of over 700 works. He was a member of the Académie de Médecine (1898) and the Académie des Sciences (1914).
But Charles Richet had other interests. An apostle of pacifism, he was also passionate about the beginnings of aviation, building the first steam-powered aeroplane in his hangar at Château Carqueiranne in 1896, which flew a hundred meters at Pointe Peno. He inspired and encouraged his wards Louis and Jacques Bréguet in their future ventures. A jack-of-all-trades, Charles Richet also devoted himself to the study of occult or supranormal phenomena, and founded the field of metapsychics, conducting numerous experiments at the Château with the famous Neapolitan medium Eusapia Paladino.
Restoration of the Historic Estate
In the 20th century, the château fell into serious decline, culminating in the partial collapse of its west tower in 2018.
Declared a safety hazard in 2022, it was rescued by the Lamour family, who rallied to preserve this exceptional piece of historical heritage. Restoration of the various buildings began in 2023 and includes the château, the chapel, the paillote, the dovecote, the silkworm nursery, the Eiffel greenhouse, the farm sheds, and the rainwater tanks.
New winegrowing roots at Château Carqueiranne
At the same time, a winegrowing development project has been launched in partnership with Cellier de la Crau. Today, the Château Carqueiranne wine estate spans 25 hectares of vineyards, located across the communes of Carqueiranne, La Crau, and Hyères. The estate produces wines under the Côtes de Provence PDO and PGI Var appellations.
