King Charles III on visit 27/03/2025

A Shared Ecological Commitment

During his visit to France on 22 September 2023, King Charles III and Queen Camilla honoured us with their presence at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Martillac.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a Grand Cru Classé from the Graves appellation and part of the AOC Pessac-Léognan, was carefully chosen by the Crown for its commitment to organic and biodynamic farming — a cause close to His Majesty’s heart. This visit was an opportunity to observe the production techniques implemented on the estate since the 1990s by Florence and Daniel Cathiard, owners of Château Smith Haut Lafitte.

King Charles III, a Pioneer of Ecology

It is worth remembering that King Charles III has always given nature a special place in his life. As early as the 1960s, he publicly advocated for environmental protection. A true pioneer in ecological matters — long before it became fashionable — Prince Charles turned to the gardens of Highgrove House, his country manor. His goal? To make these gardens an ecological, educational, and economic model. It is fair to say that he has succeeded.

A vegetable garden, a wild garden home to hundreds of different plant species — including the largest collection of beeches in the United Kingdom — and an ecological farm spanning 364 hectares of land whose produce is sold by the estate… The garden is even open to school groups to raise environmental awareness among younger generations. Today, Highgrove House stands as a major economic hub for Gloucestershire, being the county’s leading employer.

A Meeting Between Visionaries Committed to Ecology

Much like King Charles III with Highgrove House, Florence and Daniel Cathiard were ahead of their time when they committed Château Smith Haut Lafitte to preserving biodiversity in the early 1990s.

Converted to biodynamics, the estate uses cutting-edge organic farming methods in both the vineyards and cellars, earning official certification in 2019. No chemical inputs are used to protect the vines from pests such as mildew. In addition to being 100% natural, the organic composts — made mostly from plants and favoured by the estate’s winemakers — boost and preserve the vineyard’s biodiversity. In the same spirit, beehives, vegetable gardens, orchards, and even a forest enrich the estate’s natural environment.

This love of organic farming and working as a couple has been passed down through the Cathiard family: Mathilde, the eldest daughter, founded the cosmetics brand Caudalie (which uses grape extracts as active ingredients in its creams) with her husband, and Alice created, alongside her husband Jérôme Tourbier, the 5-star hotel Les Sources de Caudalie, home to the Vinotherapy Spa and the restaurants La Grand’Vigne (two Michelin stars), La Table du Lavoir, and ROUGE, all of which are supplied with organic produce from the estate’s gardens.

Les Sources de Caudalie, a True Ecosystem of Art de Vivre in the Heart of the Vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Alice and Jérôme Tourbier have been committed to sustainable tourism for over 20 years with the creation of Les Sources de Caudalie, a 5-star hotel opened in 1999. Their ambition? To create a place dedicated to others and to the continuous pursuit of a unique art of living, entirely focused on nature. Since then, Les Sources de Caudalie has grown into a hamlet of 61 rooms and suites, three restaurants, and the Vinotherapy® Spa, which offers a therapeutic blend of hot spring water and vine and grape extracts. In harmony with the surrounding nature, the hotel’s philosophy is to harness the natural richness of the vine, the grape, and the land to offer a unique experience to its guests. Here, luxury is discreet, but service is personalised and respectful of all living things.

Les Sources de Caudalie, the First Palace Awarded the “European Ecolabel”

“We are determined to consume consciously and to adopt sustainable development as a guiding principle for all our decisions and actions.”

Les Sources de Caudalie is the first Palace to receive the prestigious “European Ecolabel” distinction.
Its commitments: reducing its carbon footprint, protecting biodiversity, and involving its suppliers and partners in its environmental mission.

This eco-friendly approach is expressed through resource conservation, including reduced water and energy use. All waste is carefully sorted and recycled, with precise monthly monitoring and reduction targets.

In the hotel’s restaurants, produce from the estate’s own garden is showcased, and what is not grown on-site using permaculture techniques is sourced locally in New Aquitaine. The Michelin-starred restaurant features only one meat dish, with portions carefully controlled — all with the aim of reducing environmental impact.

In the rooms, numerous initiatives have been put in place. Bathroom products have been completely redesigned and are now offered in large, recycled and recyclable containers. These cosmetics, produced in France, are at least 95% natural in origin. Disposable amenities have been replaced by reusable items. Single-use plastic water bottles have been replaced with filtered water, served in glass bottles that are sterilised and reused. Linen is only replaced upon request, and slippers are now biodegradable.

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