Le Domaine du Rayol wins two awards
With two awards, Le Domaine du Rayol establishes itself as a key player in Mediterranean biodiversity.
Recently, Le Domaine du Rayol — a 20-hectare Mediterranean garden on the Corniche des Maures — received two major awards. First, the 'Valoriser notre terroir' Award from the Département, for its acclimatization nursery that adapts Mediterranean landscapes to climate change. Next, the 'Esprit du Golfe' Trophy from the Union Patronale du Var (UPV), honoring 35 years of commitment to a protected land and marine natural area. Armed with this double recognition, Le Domaine is launching an appeal to local sponsors to fund its flagship project, which is the transformation of the Bastidon into a Galerie botanique immersive, scheduled for 2028 — a facility with no equivalent at the European level. These two awards crown its commitment to nature and the Var region. Recognized by the Département and economic actors in the golfe de Saint-Tropez, Le Domaine is leveraging this double recognition to mobilize local businesses around its Galerie botanique immersive project at the Bastidon, scheduled to open in 2028.
APPEAL TO PATRONS
Thus, on April 9, 2026, in front of nearly 300 economic actors gathered at the Golf Club de Gassin Saint-Tropez for the 8th Rencontres de l'économie du Golfe de Saint-Tropez, the Union Patronale du Var (UPV) presented the 'Esprit du Golfe' Trophy to the Domaine. This award praised the Domaine as a 'tourist jewel in a protected land and marine natural area, integrated into its territory for 35 years', and paid tribute to the commitment of its teams led by Sybille Bernard in preserving and sharing this exceptional site. Since then, an appeal to local patrons has been launched to realize a botanical gallery unique in Europe. This is a flagship project with the transformation of the Bastidon — the original house of the head gardener, built in the early 20th century — into the Galerie botanique immersive, scheduled to open in 2028. An unprecedented place of discovery, this gallery will blend innovative scenography with sensory and educational devices to bring to life for the public — school groups, researchers, families — experiences around Mediterranean biodiversity. The project, which has no equivalent at the European level, benefits from the support of leading national partners — Région Sud, Département, Fondation du patrimoine, Mission Stéphane Bern and Loto du Patrimoine (€130,000 awarded in December 2025), Fondation COLAM, Caisse des Dépôts — which attest to its solidity and ambition.
Photo DR.