The perfect place for Instagrammable spot lovers
In Torreilles, there are many places to take "Instagrammable" photos, but the Cave Coopérative is undeniably "the place to be"!
After 24 years of dormancy, it opens up to the world of culture in 2019
thanks in particular to the 20/20 festival
An eclectic, offbeat festival that kept the cellar buzzing for 32 days in the heart of summer, and also gave the site a "total makeover" for the occasion.
In 2022 a new artistic event called "Les Billes S'Agitent ". Organized in collaboration with the "Urban Art Up" association, this festival showcasedurban art in all its forms!
25 artists from all horizons worked in residence for several weeks, giving this former industrial wasteland a new lease of life. The theme of water, the sea and the environment was the focus, with the aim of raising public awareness of eco-responsibility through art.
These works of street art remain partly visible. As the interior of the site is closed to the public for security reasons, only the outside enclosure is visible. You can still discover the titanic works of artists such as :
- Say 132,
- Korai,
- Kogaone,
- Alisa Host,
- Reso,
- Difuz
- ... to name but a few.
Its history
It began in 1947, when it was built for the "Vignerons de Torreilles".
Bringing together no fewer than 240 cooperative members, producing over 32,000 hectolitres from 390 hectares, the winery began life with a single wing of 1,900m2 and 35,000 hl of vat space. In 1970, 4 vats of 5,000 hl each were added. Winegrowing was in full swing in Torreilles at this time, with the village's total production reaching over 100,000 hl.
In the 90s, as in the rest of southern France, Torreillane's business declined (due to falling consumption of table wines, exacerbated international competition, European grubbing-up premiums, etc.), leading to the liquidation and closure of the winery in 1995, which now has just 12 cooperative members and a production of 3,500 hl.
The property was then sold to a number of private individuals who came up with successive projects, which were never completed due to the site's severe planning constraints.
In early 2019, when the cellar was up for sale, the municipality, having exercised its right of pre-emption on this reserved site, acquired the property. Work to clean and secure the building and its surroundings began immediately. Its future has yet to be written...
Practical info
SITE VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE ALL YEAR ROUND
- Accessible on foot from the village, 500m towards Ste Marie la mer,
- By car, parking is recommended in the "La Madraguère" artisanal zone, just opposite,
- Free of charge.
