Not especially renowned as a business tourism destination, the Ardèche nevertheless boasts a number of facilities that are worth looking at. They include the Domaine du Rouret, which is run by Pierre et Vacances, and the Cep du Prieuré, in Saint-Péray. A former wine estate that was built in 1940, the venue was bought by the town and converted into a conference centre in 2001. It is set right in the middle of the town, just 10 minutes from the Valence Sud exit of the A7 motorway, and has been open since 2002.

With its name meaning vine stock , the Cep is looking to establish roots in the seminar sector. It consists of the former chai or wine store which has been converted into a 570 m² conference hall for up to 450 people. This is definitely our beacon product, confirms Magali Morfin, the site’s director. The chai was converted in a modern style and boasts excellent acoustics. We also have a 200 m² reception room with large bay windows, used mainly for receptions, and which can host 50 people for a sit-down meal or 90 for a cocktail party. On the same level there is a fully-equipped area for caterers to use. Last, but not least, the old cellars have been turned into breakout rooms. In total we have three, each offering space for between 15 and 50 people. In addition we can offer 50 car parking spaces on site, with another 180 just 100 meters away!

Closed from 14 July to 15 August, the Cep du Prieuré has already made its mark on the business tourism market, hosting about 70 large events (between 150-200 people each) every year. That’s without counting the smaller meetings. Our business is mostly study days because unfortunately we don’t offer any on-site accommodation , explains Magali Morfin. In Saint-Péray, we have two 2* hotels with only 13 and 15 rooms respectively. However, there are some companies who come for several days and they choose to stay in hotels close to the motorway at Valence Sud .

As Lyon is only a little over an hour away, there are several companies from the capital of the Rhône-Alpes that put out feelers as far as Saint-Péray for their meetings.

At the moment our clients are exclusively French, including banks, insurance companies, mutual insurance companies, CNR, ANPE, the Poste and other companies from the nuclear, logistics and transport sectors, notes Magali Morfin. When they come to the Cep du Prieuré, they’re guaranteed a meeting in a modern setting with all the latest equipment. Up to now, we’ve not needed to market ourselves aggressively because we’ve attracted increasing numbers of events. We can offer a study day, including meeting room, breakfast, lunch and one refreshment break, for 43.60 € per head. The Chai, with its reception hall, can be hired for 823 € per day (450 people). And organisers can either bring in their own caterer, or use the services of Maison Gamon, which bears the quality label Goûtez l’Ardèche. Its menu, including wine, costs 28.70 € per person .