Venues, published , updated . 5 min read
The most beautiful winery châteaux for a wedding in the Var
Vaulted wine cellars, avenues of plane trees and vines as far as the eye can see: the Var's wine estates are natural settings for a wedding. An overview of the estates that host receptions, and the points to check.
Vineyards are part of the Var's identity. Getting married on a wine estate means enjoying a setting that is already beautifully staged: rows of vines for the photos, cellars and vaulted halls for the dinner, and wines served just a few metres from where they are made. Here are the estates in our selection that host weddings, area by area, and the questions to ask them.
Why choose a wine estate
The Var is the heart of the Côtes de Provence appellation, best known for its rosés. It is also home to the Bandol appellation, famous for its Mourvèdre reds, and to the Coteaux Varois en Provence, around Brignoles. For a wedding, a wine estate has several advantages:
- a natural backdrop that changes with the seasons: fresh green in spring, heavy with grapes at the end of summer, golden in autumn;
- buildings full of character: wine cellars, barrel stores, bastides and main courtyards, which often provide a generous indoor space if the weather turns;
- the estate's own wines, for your guests to taste, which makes choosing the drinks easier;
- wide open spaces, rarely surrounded by neighbours.
In the Dracénie, the heart of the vineyards
The Dracénie is home to many of the wine estates that welcome weddings.
Château de Berne, in Lorgues
Château de Berne is an organic-certified wine estate and a member of Relais & Châteaux. Its all-inclusive offer is built around a five-star hotel with 34 rooms, plus villas. It hosts from 120 to 200 guests, with a "Scène sur l'eau", a stage perched above a lake, for ceremonies. It is one of the most upmarket addresses in our selection, with packages from €19,500.
Château Sainte Roseline, in Les Arcs-sur-Argens
A Cru Classé des Côtes de Provence, Château Sainte Roseline stands out for its 12th-century cloister, a listed historic monument, its grand avenue of plane trees and its Salle des Barriques (barrel room). It welcomes from 30 to 400 guests, and its Salle des Vendanges holds up to 250. Rooms can be hired from €1,000, and there is a wedding package from €7,000.
Château de Font du Broc, in Les Arcs-sur-Argens
A wine estate that is also a stud farm, Château de Font du Broc impresses with its French formal gardens, its cloister and its monumental equestrian hall. It is one of the largest venues in the department: up to 650 seated guests. There is no accommodation on site, which your guests will need to plan for.
Château Pimõ, in Draguignan
At the other end of the scale, Château Pimõ is all about intimacy: up to 50 guests, staying in suites and nomad tents among the vines and olive trees, with the estate privatised for three days.
In Provence Verte, between vines and forests
Château Mentone, in Saint-Antonin-du-Var
Farmed biodynamically, Château Mentone hosts dinners in its Magnanerie and sleeps up to 54 people. It welcomes from 60 to 250 guests, with venue-only hire from €4,000 or per-person packages.
Château de Robernier, in Montfort-sur-Argens
With its 16th-century towers rising among the vines, Château de Robernier is every inch the fairy-tale castle. Its main courtyard and reception rooms are made for large receptions: from 100 to 300 guests indoors, and many more outdoors.
On the coast, vines facing the sea
In La Londe-les-Maures, Château Maravenne combines an organic vineyard with views of the Îles d'Or. Its open-air theatre hosts symbolic ceremonies facing Porquerolles, and its vaulted stone rooms seat up to 160 guests.
In West Var, olive groves and vines
In Le Beausset, in Bandol wine country, Domaine Souviou pairs vines with an olive grove of 7,000 trees, some of them a thousand years old. Its esplanade and its Pavillon du Moulin welcome from 20 to 300 guests.
Points to check with a wine estate
The grape harvest
Depending on the year and the area, the harvest takes place between late August and late September, sometimes in early October. During this period the estate is extremely busy: some limit events, while others make the most of it, with vines heavy with grapes for the photos. Ask the question as soon as you first get in touch.
The caterer and the wines
Many estates work with a list of approved caterers. Also ask whether you have to serve the estate's wines, at what price, and whether there is a corkage fee for other drinks, such as champagne.
Wet-weather spaces
A wedding in the vineyards happens outdoors, but the weather can change. Check that the wine cellar or the reception hall can seat all your guests.
An activity for your guests
Offer a cellar tour or a wine tasting on the Saturday afternoon or the Sunday morning: guests who have travelled a long way love it, and it is a lovely way to extend the weekend.
To compare budgets, see our article on the price of a wedding venue in the Var.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a wedding at a winery château in the Var cost?
- In our selection, venue hire starts at around €1,000, wedding packages at around €7,000, and upmarket offers with a hotel go beyond €19,000. Catering and accommodation come on top, depending on the package.
- Can we get married on a wine estate during the grape harvest?
- Yes, but some estates limit events between late August and late September. Ask the question as soon as you first get in touch.
- Do we have to serve the estate's wines?
- It depends on the estate. Many require or recommend it; also ask about the corkage fee for other drinks.
- Which wine estate in the Var can host a large wedding?
- Château de Font du Broc (up to 650 seated guests), Château Sainte Roseline (up to 400) and Château de Robernier (up to 300 indoors) are the largest in our selection.
