The ‘Compagnons du Sens’ association’s work supports both the local economy and the restoration of the Marian shrine of Notre-Dame de Nize.
The Upper Orb Valley is located in the far west of the beautiful Cévennes mountains in France. That’s where Alessandro Molinari and Kalliopi Maria Papanikolaou are continuing their harvest at the end of August. “I’m pretty happy with the harvest,” Alessandro Molinari tells Aleteia.
This winegrowing couple settled in Lamalou-les-Bains (Hérault) in 2019 to cultivate vines, but with a little extra soul. The land was made available by the association Les Compagnons du Sens (Companions of Meaning), and the income generated by their farm will help revive the shrine of Notre-Dame de Nize.
This former priory located in Lunas on the banks of the Nize River includes a chapel, bell tower, hermitage, esplanade, and a spring known as the “Fontaine des Yeux” (Fountain of the Eyes). Little known, this spring is renowned in the region for treating eye ailments. Pilgrims and curious visitors come here to soak a handkerchief in the spring, which they then wipe over their eyelids before leaving it behind, as if leaving their ailment behind with it.
The Fountain of the Eyes of Notre-Dame de Nize
Compagnons du Sens
It’s difficult to date the origin of this tradition with any precision. Christian worship probably replaced a pagan cult that already existed in Celtic times. Listed in the supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments in 2001, this site is built on a pre-Roman sanctuary, which was first mentioned in 1136 in a papal bull.
A project with a double objective
This stop on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela is a place of popular devotion. But today, in order to promote its influence, it requires a certain amount of work. While the first phase was already completed in 2021, it’s now the church’s turn to be renovated: work is scheduled to begin in October, at a cost of €600,000 (about $704,000).
This project therefore has a dual objective, both economic and spiritual. As Brother Marie-Pâques, president of the Compagnons du Sens, explains to Aleteia, “The creation of this wine estate attached to the priory should first and foremost enable the economic development of the upper cantons of the Orb Valley, which is a terroir of very high quality but little known.” With its hillsides planted at an altitude of between 200 and 650 meters, the vineyards benefit from a temperate Mediterranean climate and a wide variety of soils, allowing them to produce mainly white wines, known as “refreshing” wines.
“These are the most fashionable wines. They tend to be characterized by a sustained acidity, unlike heavy, sweet wines,” explains Cédric Guy, winemaker and member of the Compagnons du Sens, to Aleteia.
By making vineyards available, the association hopes to contribute to the vitality of the local economy, but also to encourage young winemakers to set up shop. “The average age of winemakers in the region is around 50. The region suffers from a lack of generational renewal and has failed to attract new blood,” explains Cédric Guy.
The shrine of Notre-Dame de Nize seen from above
Compagnons du Sens
15,000 bottles
Alessandro, in his thirties, makes no secret of his love for wine. This Italian from Verona arrived in France in 2019 to take part in his first grape harvest. “It was just supposed to be a one-off experience. I never left!” laughs the winemaker.
After several experiences in the Rhône Valley and then in Champagne, he settled in the Languedoc region. “I needed sunshine,” he says. Above all, “I sensed the potential of this region, which is much less well known than other wine-growing regions in France, but it’s worth it,” he assures us.
This year, 13 and a half acres will be harvested, mainly Chardonnay grapes. “We started on August 13. The juice is of fairly good quality, despite difficult weather conditions with heavy rain and heat waves,” says Alessandro. He expects to produce around 15,000 bottles, 10% of the proceeds of which will be donated to Notre-Dame de Nize (each bottle costing between about $14 and $20).
In 2018, thanks to a partnership with three other estates, the Compagnons du Sens association launched the “Cuvées Prieuré de Nize” range, comprising three wines named “Paix” (red wine), “Joie” (white wine) and “Espérance” (rosé wine)—“Peace,” “Joy,” and “Hope,” respectively.
Alessandro’s estate is thus contributing to the launch of the Notre-Dame de Nize brand for the first time this year. “I was attracted by the idea of community proposed by the Compagnons du Sens. Being part of a global project that boosts the region in terms of wine, heritage, spirituality, etc. immediately appealed to me,” says the winemaker.
Compagnons du Sens
Brother Marie-Pâques showing a bottle of the “De Terre et d’Âme” cuvée from Notre-Dame de Nize, an exceptional Chardonnay produced in partnership with the Domaine de Bon Augure in Joncels (Hérault).
A bright future
Brother Marie-Pâques is confident about the future of the Notre-Dame de Nize wine estate. “I think we have everything we need to promote this shrine, but also more broadly a region with ancestral rural know-how and a rich heritage,” he says. He hopes that one day Notre-Dame de Nize will become a “little Lourdes.”
Although water analyses carried out by the Pierre Fabre laboratory in Avène have not been able to prove the healing properties of this purportedly miraculous water, the religious points out that the Virgin Mary heals above all “the eyes of the heart and the eyes of faith.”
“When the blind man is healed by Christ, he regains his sight, of course, but also his faith,” explains Brother Marie-Pâques. “In the same way, the Blessed Virgin helps us choose the true path that heals ignorance and leads us to God.”
Dining and Cooking