History of LSV

 

Late 1700. Raymond Johan NIEL de BEAUFORT had a farm, olive grove and vineyard in Ollières, near Aix-en-Provence in France.

 

His son François Niel was passionate about producing the new wines and spirits that were very fashionable at that time.

He wrote a book about making fine sparkling wines, known as mousseux and eau-de-vie. It tells us in detail how to manufacture stills and the right way to use them to produce these sophisticated alcohols.

His role as Royal Notary gave him the opportunity to take his creations to the court of Louis XIV, who particularly enjoyed my ancestor’s liqueurs.

From the king’s advisor, Charles d’Hozier, Keeper of France’s Armorial, he received the Niel family’s coat of arms, registered under number 1122, whose symbol is oak (strength and loyalty) and eight gold rings.

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Unfortunately, the vagaries of history have left no trace of his descendants, who seem to have forgotten their past for nearly three centuries…

At the start of the last century, my great-grandfather Félix Niel (1880–1961), an engineer and inventor who received the Legion d’honneur, became one of the co-founders of RATEAU, the future ALSTOM’s subsidiary.

My great-grandfather was determined to share our family’s history with his descendants and give them the drive and ambition to do something special with their lives.

Having found the book by his ancestor François, which was written, let’s not forget, over 300 years ago, he left it to his son Raymond Niel (1903–1986).

In 1964, my father discovered La Vie near the village of Saint-Jean-des-Ollières, in this region well known for its old volcanos. Who could fail to be drawn to the unspoilt nature, whose tranquillity is disturbed only by the murmur of the streams and brooks running through it.

My grandfather Raymond died in 1986. Our home was neglected for nearly thirty years, as is often the case with complicated inheritances.

Drawing on my childhood memories, I, Alexandre NIEL , a direct descendant, decided in 2014 to take back our estate and restore it to its former glory. It was during the renovation work that I happened to stumble across the book written by my ancestor, François Niel.

We instantly fell in love with the abandoned building.

These same people remember from their childhood the creaking of its wooden floorboards, the large spiral staircase leading to the classrooms, the wood stoves from another time, the playgrounds where the girls were separated from the boys at break time and the spring water pump…

 

Remembering the desire of his great grand-father, to make his life an exemplary Journey . He Will leave his personal imprints in "La Vie" . He

renamed this dwelling of the name of "Les Sources de la Vie" to stay in a perfect harmony with the water that has been flowing quietly for millennia under its walls.

This with the ambition to give the domain a new futur at the height of their love and name, but above all, with the ambition of proposing exceptional products.

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My ambition is to create a new future worthy of its image and name with exceptional products.