Plaimont makes major wine tourism bid

South-West France wine co-op Plaimont Producteurs is aiming to become a wine tourism hotspot after buying Saint-Mont Monastery in Gascony.

The 11th-century Saint-Mont Monastery is to be converted to accommodate wine tourists (Photo: Plaimont Producteurs)

Now listed as a monument historique – a French national heritage site – Saint-Mont Monastery dates back to the 11th century, when it was occupied by Benedictine monks who tended the vineyards and produced wine for the sacrament. The monastery was converted into a château in 1788.

Plaimont has already restored the monastery’s original vineyards, from which is has been producing its Monastère de Saint Mont cuvée since 1995. The wine is a red blend of local grape varieties Tannat, Pinenc and Cabernet-Sauvignon.

The co-op is preparing to completely renovate the 10-bedroom property with the aim of transforming it into a major wine tourism destination.

The French government has begun to invest in order to encourage more wine tourism to the country in the past year.

The country’s foreign affairs minister, Laurent Fabius, said in June last year that “tourism is a national treasure”, announcing his intention of attracting 100 million tourists per year by 2020.

Tourism accounts for more than two million jobs and 7% of GDP in France, the country’s foreign office estimates.

Plaimont is a co-operative of 800 families of wine growers which employs almost 200 people. The co-op accounts for 98% of the Saint Mont appellation (red, white and rosé), half of the Madiran appellation, two-thirds of Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh production and almost 50% of Côtes de Gascogne. 40

Plaimont produces around 40 million bottles of wine per year from 5,300 hectares of vineyards. Around 45% of sales are in France with the remaining exported to 30 countries around the world.