LERINA

This vineyard bears 800 years of history parallel to the Abbey of Lérins: it implanted it on Saint Honorat island facing Cannes. However, it has only been some thirty years that the vineyard has been commercially revived with the discovery of five micro-terroirs on the central part of the island. It includes about 8 ha of which 5 with red wines and 3 with white wines. The age of vines varies from 25 years for the young ones, up to 60-80 years for the oldest. As for the emblematic Lérina plant Liquor (Green or Yellow) of the monastery, it has been developed since the end of the 19th century by the monks of Lérins. It goes along today with the production of other famous spirits: a marc spirit with great aromatic richness as well as a strong verbena liquor more and more appreciated for its flavours well above the simplicity of its composition; two fruit liquors, one made from tangerines and the other one named Lerincello with Menton lemons and; finally, the Senancole, repatriated in 1969 from the Senanque Abbey located in Gordes in Vaucluse. This explains its composition of 19 plants macerated for several weeks in alcohol and its gracefully balanced flavour of typical Provence's aromas. Saint-Honorat island has various monuments classified as historic and worth a visit. First of all, the monastery tower, built in three parts for over more than three centuries as from the 14th century, is made up of many rooms including its cloisters and chapels. Thus, at the end of the 15th century, the centre of the abbey complex moved there. The island also has seven chapels, the most famous one being the one of Trinité at the eastern tip of the island. Finally the last Napoleonic heated shot built in 1794, which were used to heat the cannonballs. They are located at the East and West ends of the island.