Events in Lou Calen
Lou Calen invites you to enjoy our unique and fun events based within the hotel’s three hectare estate in the heart of Cotignac, whether at the Jardin Secret restaurant, Didier’s wine bar, or the microbrewery bar, La Tuf. Engage with the many aspects of true Provencal living through these fun experiences, all the while meeting local people and discovering local practices.
At the moment...
From March 26 to May 28
Vincent Citot's exhibition
Four cultural spots in the Var are celebrating the photography of Vincent Citot, whose works express the four stages of an existential journey described using four verbs: to contemplate, to investigate, to build, and finally to leave – all within the theory that everything that has been built is doomed to destruction. An ultimate journey to be discovered at the Centre d’Art La Falaise.
Location : Centre d’Art La Falaise
Time : 11am to 12:30pm & 2:30pm to 6pm
Closed on Monday and Thursday
Cost : 4€/person
Sunday, April 2nd
Cooking Class with Benoit Witz
Lou Calen now offers a cooking class with our fantastic chef! Benoit Witz now invites you into his Jardin Secret restaurant kitchen to learn how to cook these hearty root vegetables. You will leave full of culinary ideas, as well as a hands-on three-course menu for two people… and more precious cooking advice than you could hope for!
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Time : 4pm to 6:30pm
Cost : 120€/person
Reservation : Booking is obligatory
Saturday, April 8th
Botanical Walk with Vera
Are you interested in learning about wild plants? Vera, local to the region since birth, gives a botanical tour of the Lou Calen gardens. Guided by her studies in phytotherapy and herboristry, Vera shares her passion for every wild plant. Join her to explore and discover these celebrated Provençal plants and their forgotten virtues.
Location : Lou Calen
Time : 3pm to 5pm
Cost : 25€/person
Reservation : Booking is obligatory
April 20th to 23rd
Yoga & Ayurveda Retreat
This Yoga & Ayurveda retreat of 4 days and 3 nights is a fantastic opportunity to reconnect body and mind and reenergise yourself in our stunning surroundings, deep in the heart of Provence’s natural environment. With Mireye Vidal, Ayurvedic practitioner and creator of Panchakarma cures in South India, and Christina Ching, yoga teacher.
Location : Lou Calen
Duration : 4 days and 3 nights
Cost : From 992€ in full board
Reservation : Booking is obligatory
Previous events
The Truffle Harvest
For over 25 years, the Canut family has been growing black truffles on their farm in Aups. Every winter Patrick and his daughter Lisa roam their oak plantation, guided by their dogs, to harvest the precious black diamond that is the truffle. Join them for an hour, participate in truffle hunting, and treat yourself to tasting your finds!
Location : Aups
Cooking Class
Cooking in the hearty company of a great chef is now on offer at Lou Calen! Take an afternoon off and at 3pm venture out truffle hunting in Aups on a dig and demonstration, before returning to Lou Calen to meet chef Benoit Witz in the kitchens of the Jardin Secret restaurant to learn how to make the very best of your delicious black truffles.
Location : Aups, Cotignac
The Olive Harvest
For a total immersion in the Provencal tradition, Lou Calen’s gardeners invite you to participate in the olive harvest each morning at the estate. Matured olives may be used in cooking but can also be transformed into so-called “fruity black oil|. Discover the secrets behind this emblematic culture of Provence.
Location : Lou Calen
Patrick Périé's come back
Exceptional opening of the Jardin Secret restaurant where we will welcome the chef Patrick Périé. With 40 years’ experience across the world, ten of which were spent at the Méridien in New Orléans, this celebrated French chef is back in his homeland and ready to serve a spectacular meal full of delicious discoveries.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Gathering Saffron
Nestled in the midst of the restanques a unique spice grows naturally. In our region, flowering begins in October and lasts for a month while the harvest reaps rich rewards. Sabine and Jean will guide you and explore more herbs to ensure you fully understand the culture and nature of organic saffron growing.
Location : Le Safran du Cabanon
Wine & Dine Evening
Get stuck in to the 9th edition of the “Fascinating Week-End” at the Jardin Secret! Our chef Benoit Witz has created an inspired and generous menu made from local and seasonal products, accompanied by the best selection of Provençal wines.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Soap Box Speed Race
the first ever soapbox race in Cotignac will take place. The race will barrel down the Notre-Dame de Grâces road across three timed runs, and the finish line will offer a refreshment bar, a food stall, a mini concert and a prize giving ceremony. Let your imagination run free and create the craziest machines to reach the finish line!
Location : Notre-Dame de Grâces
Classic in Provence
For three days the Lou Calen restaurants, bars and gardens will be transformed into open-air stages to welcome the four winners of the Fanny Mendelssohn Prize: Dorothea Schupelius on violin, Jelizaveta Vasiljeva on piano, Tamas Palfalvi on trumpet and Dominik Wagner on double bass.
Location : Lou Calen
Lavender Spindle Workshop
Come and learn about the Provençal tradition of lavender spindle-crafting. Get stuck in to this charming craft that encloses the pretty lavender flowers inside their stems to preserve their wonderful scent. Discover the different varieties of lavender, how to gather them, how to sort them, and how to weave it all together with a beautiful ribbon.
Location : Lou Calen
Plant Painting Workshop
Did you know that you can make ink from vegetables and their tinctorial plants? Anna Piquardt is here to show you how. Come and learn how to transform well-known plants into watercolour paints, and then decorate your very own postcard with them. A wonderfully creative and personalised gift for a loved one!
Location : Lou Calen
Salsa Party
Come and see the Jardin Secret’s rooftop transform into a dance floor. Spend a fabulous evening learning some fancy steps to Cuban rhythms with Guy, professional dance teacher, and get stuck in to the complementary tapas and drinks (soft drinks, punch, beer, and two glasses of wine)!
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Gua Sha Workshop
Gua Sha massage works with energy and focuses on lymphatic circulation, aiming to drain and clear out toxins while stimulating blood circulation. Charlène Bonifassi teaches you how to massage the skin for youth and how to use the various tools for the best health benefits.
Location : Lou Calen
Auvergne Cheese Evening
This evening is designed for all who celebrate good French cheese. Our chef Benoit Witz hosts Dominique Prugne – two-time world champion in the Tours international cheese festival – for an evening dedicated to fine Auvergne cheeses and the secrets behind the art of their cheesemaking.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
All Woman Day
Mayari, By Lara K and Kchoux brands look forward to welcoming you for an afternoon dedicated to women. On the programme you’ll find a clothing stall, a jewellery stall, a stall filled with holistic wellness products, a Gua Sha care package for the face as well as a makeover.
Location : Lou Calen
Wine & Dine Evening
BURGUNDY WINE – A wine merchant for 30 years, Didier Romieux has selected the best of the best from Burgundy country. In collaboration with our chef Benoit Witz, he has put together this fantastic evening of delicious food and fine wines sure to delight every pallet.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Japanese fusion cuisine
Susana Iwase was born in Tokyo, the sushi capital, and brings her experience of traditional Japanese cooking blended with her years of working in Californian restaurants. She will collaborate with Chef Benoit Witz to bring Le Jardin Secret an evening of Japanese fusion.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
World food : menu Louisiana
Benoit Witz welcomes guest chef Patrick Périé for a themed evening with a four course menu. With 40 years’ experience across the world, ten of which were spent at the Méridien in New Orléans, this celebrated French chef is back in his homeland and ready to serve a spectacular meal full of delicious discoveries.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Dinner with Huguette Caren
Benoit Witz welcomes Huguette Caren, the previous owner of Lou Calen and valued guardian of special Provençal recipes, into his kitchen at the Jardin Secret. Huguette’s spectacular cooking contributed to the hotel’s famous reputation in the 70s, 80s and 90s. To keep this iconic legacy alive, Huguette has passed on all her secrets to our chef, and now for you to enjoy.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant
Sunday Brunch
Our chef Benoit Witz and his team welcome you to a sumptuous brunch inspired by the rich tastes of autumn. Be tempted by our delicious dishes crafted from local produce, offering both sweet and savoury. Our idyllic setting is the ideal place to relax with friends or family on an easy autumnal Sunday.
Location : Jardin Secret restaurant