Its genesis

`ROVAYROLA` = Rouvraie = an area planted with oak trees in the district of CADIERE d'AZUR in 1405, became `VAYROLE` as cited by MAGLOIRE GIRAUD and `VEYROLLES`` as cited by BOSC. The spelling may have changed, but the land remains the same. The offspring of these tenacious trees are what now form the extensive border of the north of the property.

Its foundation

Its origins date back to the first half of the 17th century. It belonged to a gentleman named MELCHION LAFRAN. It has been registered to his heirs since 1641, the date upon which it was designed as: land, a country house, vineyard, olive grove, filbert grove and mentioned as a source of confrontation between Mr NOBLE (whose name was used for the La Noblesse district) and the Grand Vallat. Upon a division in 1662, it was estimated to have a value of 120 guilder and was allocated in 1663 to André and Louys LAFRAN. It has been regrouped and re-divided several times since then and eventually fell into the hands of the current owner family sometime in the 19th century.

The vineyard artist

Their great-grandfather, Romain VENTRE, left it in 1917 to his granddaughter, CLEMENT. She was immensely attached to the land and as of 1929, her husband Louis FEREC, who was a FINE ARTS painter, active resident member of the Academy of VAR and hardly someone thought to be destined to winegrowing, loved it as well: firstly, to paint it and then truly owning it and turning it into a real masterpiece. He was no longer a ‘Poet and farmer’
He was a ‘Painter and wine grower’. He dedicated a great amount of effort to rebuilding it, expanding it and renovating it during the bit of free time he had from his primary work. And that is how LAFRAN-VEYROLLES became one of the leading BANDOL wines. The size is modest yet there is so much love... So much so that the CLEMENT-FEREC couple passed on their love for the Vineyard and its Wine to their daughter and, today, after having done other jobs, this daughter and her husband, the FEREC-JOUVE family now operate the Estate.