It is above all essential to distinguish material heritage — or legacy — from immaterial heritage. My brothers and I are the beneficiaries, if I may say so, of almost a century of history. There is thus a dimension of patrimonial continuity, which is strongly imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit. This heritage has thus played a key role in establishing the values that inspire the group, that’s to say, respect, perseverance and sensitivity. The latter being linked to the creative dimension which, as I see it, is 100% fundamental. It is this which endows experiences we propose in our residences with their singularity.

I am not sure that these two words, tradition and modernity, are in such stark opposition. Our perception of modernity only makes sense if it forms part of our understanding of tradition. It is, however, hard, for anyone who inherits assets not to sink into the pitfall of conservatism. Achieving the right balance demands the ability to feel the present and, above all, the future. It is the notion expressed by that famous phrase of Lampedusa in The Leopard: “Everything must change so that nothing changes”.

They are embodied rather than lived like a simple slogan. It is about all the work we have to do. It depends on the way in which each Manager works with his teams, the goal being to make these values live within us, to adopt but not impose them. It also involves training and information. The latter allowing us to give meaning to actions taken by our team members, and to understand the direction being taken by the group.

We aim to consolidate our position as an entrepreneurial family group focusing on gastronomy and hospitality, anchored in a spirit of luxury and elegance. Our strategy lies in a strong sensorial dimension in the realm of experiences, with particular importance placed on oenology. We are currently active in Champagne, Paris, and in London. Our ambition is to see the group grow by targeting new destinations and acquisitions which will belong naturally to this framework of excellence.

They vary depending on our different entities. In gastronomy, they are mainly linked to the impact of consumption of animal-based proteins, dealing with nutritional deficiencies, or the use of single-use plastics. Which, along with water and energy management, are also priorities in the hotel sector. At Domaine Les Crayères, for example, we replaced all the windows in the Château to improve thermal insulation, and we are planning to install solar panels on the roofs of the new buildings. Our capacity to evolve depends on the scale of our activities. After assessing our Carbon Footprints, our goal became clear: to reduce them as much as possible, to achieve, over the long term, total neutrality.