Our Story

Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrénées Orientales, near the medieval village of Castelnou, lie Domaine Madrona, our 13th-century Catalonian farmhouse, and Querubi, our organic olive farm.

Querubi came first. In 2006, we planted 10,000 young olive trees with the ambition of creating the highest-quality organic olive oil. What followed was 20 years of dedication and hard work. With a small team of local organic enthusiasts, we transformed our virgin (never farmed before) soil into thriving olive orchards, installing underground irrigation systems, enriching the soil with organic fertilisers, and carefully nurturing the trees into production. From the start, we made a simple yet profound commitment: to never use synthetic fertilisers nor agricultural chemicals, believing that allowing the trees to grow naturally was the best way to produce exceptional fruit.

As we worked the land, we became attuned to its rhythms and cycles, forming a deep connection with nature. We watched the orchards flourish in harmony with the surrounding landscape, a harmony we felt part of. It was this very sense of belonging, of being rooted again in the natural world, that inspired us to create a place where others could experience it too. And so, in 2017, we began restoring Domaine Madrona, eager to share the magic of this place with others.

Madrona sits within 100 hectares of Mediterranean forest, where hot, dry summers and mild winters nurture holm oaks, cork oaks, and indigenous pines. The landscape, rich in biodiversity, has remained largely unchanged for many centuries, bearing witness to Moorish conquests, Vandal and Gothic migrations, and the Cathar movement. It is the Cathars with whom Madrona is most closely linked. During the 13th century, Domaine de Querubi served as both a refuge, offering sanctuary to Cathar pilgrims traveling from Spain to the nearby main Cathar stronghold Château de Quéribus. This legacy of shelter and renewal is one we continue today.

The restoration of Madrona took four years, a process that felt less like construction and more like collaboration. Places hold stories, their walls imbued with history, their landscapes shaped by centuries of human presence. We felt this deeply at Madrona: the house was both a steward of the past and a setting for the present. Honouring this history was at the heart of every decision we made.

With a small team of local artisans, we combined traditional techniques, thoughtful design, and modern architectural expertise. Every choice was deliberate. We repurposed materials, used wood and stone from the land and embraced the skills of local craftspeople, blending time-honoured craftsmanship with contemporary design. Our goal was to preserve Madrona’s character, shaping spaces that felt both grounded in history and welcoming to all who entered. As we built, carved, painted, and planted, Madrona slowly awakened, a place where life could once again be lived fully.

Today, Madrona and Querubi exist in rhythm with one another. One speaks of work and growth, the other of rest and reflection. The farm is about tending to what matters most, while Madrona offers a space to pause, reconnect, and simply be. Both are tied to the land and to the simple, meaningful moments that come from living close to it, walking among the olive trees, gathering around a meal, or listening to the silence of the hills. This is a story of renewal, deeply rooted in the land. And it is a story we share with everyone who comes here.