Creating memories
Throughout the year, Lou Calen hosts major events that put Cotignac in the spotlight far beyond its verdant hills. La Falaise Art Center presents its exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, Le Bistrot by Lou Calen screens films under the stars during the summer, and the Jardin Secret restaurant opens its kitchen to guest chefs for collaborative dinners. Each occasion is a celebration where art and gastronomy come together in the unique setting of an estate steeped in history and full of life.
Upcoming workshops & events
From 6 Oct. To 17 Oct.
For Mental Health Awareness Weeks, the exhibition brings together art by patient artists at the Atelier d’Art of the Établissement de Psychiatrie du Var, artists working with them and contemporary artists, alongside works from the Atelier’s archives and the Centre d’art La Falaise collection.
Location:
Days :
Form Tuesday to Saturday
Hours :
10 am - 12:30 pm / 2:30 pm - 6 pm
Price:
4€
Free access
Friday 16 October
To mark the Vignobles en Scène festival, Jardin Secret welcomes Clos de Caille, a family-run, certified organic estate in Entrecasteaux. Benoît Witz has created a four-course menu centred on autumn produce, paired with three wines introduced at the table by Guillaume Galliano.
Location:
Schedule :
From 7 pm
Price:
105€ (wine pairings included)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Sunday 25 October
Lou Calen joins in the Cotignac Quince Festival! The village’s signature fruit features on Le Bistrot’s brunch buffet and in a new cocktail at O’Fadoli. Market, competitions, parade, concert… An autumn Sunday just as we like it, with good food and good cheer.
Location:
O'Fadoli :
11h - 14h / 17h - 22h
Bistrot de Lou Calen :
11h - 15h
Price:
Brunch from 56€
Booking:
Recommended at Le Bistrot
From 6 Nov. To 8 Nov.
Take three days and spark your inner transformation. That is the promise of this autumn retreat, which combines sound therapy, Qi Gong, and breathwork to guide you towards the release of limiting patterns. A healthy vegetarian diet will support this process.
Friday 13 November
Night has fallen over Cotignac. From Cours Gambetta, Lou Calen’s Verrière glows in the candlelight. The piano awaits the talented José Roland Koffi for a recital devoted to film music. A magical evening is about to unfold, bringing together art and gastronomy.
Location:
Schedule :
Concert at 7pm, followed by dinner
Price:
75€ (concert + 3-course menu, excluding drinks)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Thursday 24 December
Le Bistrot puts on its festive finery for a cosy Christmas Eve dinner, in the spirit of a family feast. Chef Yvan Franceschi prepares a generous, indulgent menu: from the sea, Mediterranean sea bass and lobster Wellington; from the land, roast venison with earthy woodland flavours.
Location:
Schedule :
From 7 pm
Price:
95€ (4-course menu, 1 excluding drinks)
Booking:
Recommended
Friday 25 December
Santa Claus has been, and now it’s time to indulge. At Le Bistrot, family and friends gather to share this special moment. Chef Yvan Franceschi puts scallops, sole and capon at the heart of a generous menu, ending with the refreshing flavours of citrus from Provence.
Location:
Schedule :
12 pm to 2 pm
Price:
100€ (4-course menu, 1 excluding drinks)
Booking:
Recommended
Friday 25 December
On the evening of the 25th, Christmas continues at Le Bistrot with a feast of a buffet. Christmas jumpers are out in force: a complimentary glass of sparkling rosé awaits anyone wearing one! An evening full of joy and colour, like one last gift tucked under the tree.
Location:
Schedule :
7 pm to 9:30 pm
Price:
50€ (excluding drinks)
Booking:
Recommended
Thursday 31 December
Champagne sparkles in the Glass Room to open the final evening of the year, before dinner at Le Bistrot with an exceptional menu created by Benoît Witz and Yvan Franceschi. The party then moves to the dance floor, where the DJ keeps us dancing until 3 am as we ring in 2027.
Location:
Schedule :
From 7 pm
Price:
160€ (aperitif, dinner and dancing)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Friday 1 January
On 1 January, we gather at Le Bistrot for the very first brunch of the year. Sweet and savoury buffets bring together exceptional produce and festive dishes created by chefs Benoît Witz and Yvan Franceschi. The magic of New Year’s Eve continues around the table, in good company.
Location:
Schedule :
11 am to 3 pm
Price:
70€ (including hot drinks and fruit juices)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Friday 1 January
On the first evening of the year, we raise a glass at Le Bistrot, Italian style! Antipasti to nibble on, al dente pasta, traditional dishes and the chef’s creations make up a buffet that tempts you to try it all. Good food and good company keep the festivities going. Buon anno a tutti!
Location:
Schedule :
7 pm to 9:30 pm
Price:
50€ (excluding drinks)
Booking:
Recommended
Past workshops & events
Monday 21 September
Who will be named Cotignac’s best mixologist? For the inaugural Cotignac Cocktail Challenge, Lou Calen is challenging professional bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts alike to reinvent pastis or absinthe. To enter, send us your recipe by 19 September.
Saturday 19 September
For their second four-hands dinner, Benoît Witz and Théo Sanchez continue to explore the many facets of plant life. Leaves, flowers, seeds, branches and fruits picked at different stages of ripeness become the ingredients of a cuisine where fermentation reveals unexpected new flavours.
Location:
Schedule :
Please arrive at 7:30 pm
Price:
120€ (5-course) – Wine pairing: 30€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
From 4 Sep. To 5 Sep.
Monty Python legend Eric Idle is coming to Cotignac for a very special weekend. Open-air film screenings, a signing of his book Idle in Provence, an aperitif and dinner at Le Bistrot will mark this unique opportunity to meet the British comedian, who has been in love with the Var for more than fifty years.
Location:
Friday :
From 8.30 pm
Saturday :
From 3 pm
Price:
Friday : 12€ / Saturday : 68€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Thursday 13 August
For this four-hands dinner, Benoît Witz and Théo Sanchez make the tree the centrepiece of an original menu. Medlar, quince, mulberry, fig and apricot trees inspire a five-course culinary journey where wood, leaves, blossoms, fruit and young shoots reveal unexpected flavours.
Location:
Schedule :
Please arrive at 7:30 pm
Price:
120€ (5-course) – Wine pairing: 30€
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 12 August
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of *The Grand Budapest Hotel*, a whimsical comedy to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Thursday 6 August
A few acoustic guitar chords set the tone for the evening as Provence wines accompany the aperitif. At sunset, Patrick Périe and Benoît Witz host a convivial dinner among the vineyard rows, celebrating the generous spirit of traditional Provençal feasting.
Location:
Schedule :
From 8 pm
Price:
150€ (Provence wines included)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 29 July
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of *A Good Year*, a sun-drenched comedy to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 8 July
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of Life Is Beautiful, a moving film to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
From 4 Jul. To 19 Sep.
Born in the 1970s, Narrative Figuration left its mark on art history through its critical view of consumer society. Bringing together major artists of the movement, this exhibition highlights the enduring relevance of its social, political and ecological concerns.
Location:
Schedule :
Tue–Sat, 10am–12.30pm & 4.30pm–7.30pm
Price:
4€
Free access
Friday 3 July
This summer, as dusk settles over Lou Calen, the big screen comes to life. After dinner at Le Bistrot, the evening continues with a screening of .with a screening of Prête-moi ta main, a comedy to watch, rewatch and share. An open-air cinema night where time happily slips away.
Location:
Schedule :
Dinner from 7:00 pm – Film at 9:30 pm
Price:
55€ (3-course menu + cinema)
Booking:
Mandatory, limited availability
Wednesday 20 May
With the arrival of spring, the Lou Calen bookstore is hosting a poetry contest centred on the theme of freedom. Until May 11, let your imagination run free, then come and discover your poems throughout the estate gardens during a poetic stroll among the flowers.
From 28 Mar. To 30 May.
A retrospective of Nathalie Eno, who has worked as a set photographer since the 1980s. Her images have been published in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and Première. Formerly assistant to Dominique Issermann, she has contributed to more than 80 films.
Location:
Days :
Tuesday to Saturday
Hours :
10am–12:30pm and 2:30pm–6pm
Price:
4€
Free access
From 5 Dec. To 20 Dec.
La Falaise Art Center celebrates the 10th anniversary of “Artistes en herbe,” an educational project with schools from Cotignac and nearby villages. This year, over fifty classes reinterpret Niki de Saint Phalle’s vibrant world through painting, sculpture, collage, and installation.
Location:
Days :
Tuesday to Saturday
Hours :
10am to 12:30pm and 2:30pm to 5pm
Price:
Free
Free access
From 12 Sep. To 14 Sep.
When the summer heat eases and September’s mild light caresses the Provençal landscape, it’s time for classical music to resonate through Cotignac. Four winners of the Fanny Mendelssohn Förderpreis will take you on a delightful journey with their four unique concerts.
From 28 Jun. To 25 Oct.
In 2025, La Falaise Art Centre celebrates its tenth anniversary. To mark this milestone, a special exhibition is dedicated to Zad Moultaka. The artist presents Oro Lucem, a visual and sound installation created especially for the occasion.
Location:
Days :
Tuesday to Saturday
Hours :
10am to 12:30pm and 3:30pm to 7pm
Price:
4€
Free access
