Our Story
Discovering
an art of living
And a distinctive approach to hospitality, with at its heart the freedom of taking one’s time.
Le Grand Palme began with Ray O’Connor MW’s appreciation for Provence, wine and the enduring art of living of the Riviera.
Ray O’Connor MW has spent more than two decades in the international wine world, travelling between vineyards, producers and wine regions around the globe. His connection with Provence grew through his work as an Ambassador for Vins de Provence, but it was the wider world surrounding the wine that stayed with him: the landscape, the culture, the generosity of its people and the particular pleasure of life in the South of France. What captivated Ray was not simply the Riviera's beauty, but the world that grew around it. The grand hotels. The Belle Époque architecture. The terraces and palms. The long lunches and late afternoons. Above all, a particular approach to hospitality: generous, cultured and relaxed. It was sophisticated without being formal, elegant without being precious. And at its heart was something increasingly rare, the freedom to take one's time. Le Grand Palme was created to capture that spirit, not to recreate the past, but to bring what made it special into the present.
The Palm
– A Symbol
The palm has long been part of the visual language of the Riviera, rising from gardens, terraces and grand hotel landscapes. For Le Grand Palme, it became a natural signature: a symbol of warmth, leisure and the unmistakable character of the Côte d’Azur.
It also carries a more personal idea: the ability to adapt, to move with the world around you while remaining rooted in who you are.
A Founder’s Reflection
There really isn’t anywhere like Provence
“Of course the light, the landscape and the weather will always be compelling, but from a grape-growing and winemaking perspective Provence has something special.
I have been lucky to visit wine regions around the world, but I can’t think of anywhere else where nature is so intrinsically part of the life and soul of the wine. Vineyards are surrounded by trees and alive with birds, butterflies and bees - the whole ecosystem in balance.
Witnessing this first-hand during my visits to the region as Ambassador for Vins de Provence told me: this must be the place.
This place, and the quality of its wines, exists because Provençal families maintained their heritage in the vineyards and passed down their knowledge. Today, we all benefit from the research carried out by the people at the Centre du Rosé.
None of this would be possible without these people.
Le Grand Palme brings these two worlds together: the character and savoir-faire of Provence, and the enduring spirit of Riviera hospitality and leisure. The result is a Provence rosé that looks forward, whilst still being rooted in its heritage. Elegant, relaxed and made for the pleasure of good wine, beautiful surroundings, good company and time well spent.”
Ray
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