INTERVIEW DE JULIE MAIRE, DIRECTRICE DU SPA DU DOMAINE DE LA FONT DES PERES

To begin with, would you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background, Julie?

Yes, of course. As far as my background is concerned, I wasn't at all predestined to be in the hotel, SPA or wellness business. It was the beauty business that first attracted me to the world of well-being. I started out as a beautician in an institute, and then had the opportunity to meet trainers from the Elégance Académie school at an aesthetics trade show. I then decided to train as a spa practitioner, and thanks to this training, I discovered the spa, hotel and luxury industries by doing an internship in Monaco. I then worked in a very beautiful SPA in Monaco for a full year, before moving on to various luxury establishments. I went on to become an assistant SPA manager, and in my last job I was lucky enough to have the confidence of management to be able to progress to SPA Manager. For my latest experience, which is the position I currently hold, thanks to Laurent Maudet who supported my profile, I was able to secure the position of manager of the new SPA at Domaine de la Font des Pères.

Can you tell us how TERRAKE came to be the cosmetics brand for the Domaine de la Font des Pères SPA?

At the outset of the SPA project, the owners of Domaine de la Font des Pères really had the idea of opening a small SPA, but they had no idea of taking on a partner brand for the opening of their SPA. It was at the Hotel & Restaurant Meeting trade show in Cannes that they met Laurent and Delphine Maudet, who immediately awakened the interest and importance, on the part of the Domaine's owners, of proposing and establishing a partnership with a wellness brand. The TERRAKE brand, its positioning and its values really appealed to them, and so it was a case of love at first sight.

Can you tell us a little more about Domaine de la Font des Pères?

Domaine de la Font des Pères is first and foremost a wine estate. It's a very large estate with many vines and a team of winemakers. It's worth noting that wine production was originally the estate's primary purpose. In its development came the restaurant, first offering a bistro and then a second restaurant, this time gastronomic. The accommodation part of the business was conceived in the year of the covid, which slowed down the development process a little, but it's a part that has been expanding rapidly for the past two years. The estate has also opened a bakery and produces its own bread. The estate has a genuine desire to offer a wide range of services, including local ones, in order to provide its customers with a complete, upscale and exotic experience. Being a winegrowing estate, the accommodation on offer is not hotel-style, but rather a “farm inn”, more akin to a gite, but with a positioning equivalent to that of a 4-star hotel.

The latest development on the estate has been the creation of the SPA, the wellness area. We are currently in the pre-opening phase of the SPA. Work began two years ago. The SPA is open to clients of the estate as well as outside customers. We welcomed our first customers in July 2024 in our outdoor pergolas. Full opening is scheduled for March 2025.

What facilities will be available in the wellness area?

The particularity of the wellness area is that we have a large outdoor area, the idea really being to take advantage of nature, the estate and the vineyards, and to offer an out-of-the-ordinary experience in a rather idyllic setting. So we have two Nordic baths and a barrel-shaped sauna. Indoors, we have a hammam and a sensory shower, as well as a tisanerie area offering tasty accompaniments, prepared of course by the estate's restaurant. We also have 3 outdoor agricultural greenhouses where we grow our citrus fruits, which we also use in our treatment cabins for a totally out-of-this-world experience. A large heated natural swimming pool, open from April to October, is also available to spa guests. For massages, we also use our outdoor pergolas with canopies, which we inaugurated this summer to great acclaim from our customers.

How does TERRAKE as a cosmetics brand meet the expectations and values of the estate and its owners?

I would say that TERRAKE will meet our expectations thanks, first and foremost, to its naturalness and ethics. It should be noted that most of the brand's products are composed of over 96% ingredients of natural origin, and the formulas are formulated in a way that is very respectful of the skin, so the brand corresponds to the ethics we want to promote. The second important point I'd like to mention is sensoriality: the treatments are very complete, involving the senses of smell, taste, hearing and touch... TERRAKE's sensorial aspect is totally in line with the holistic, exotic and complete customer experience we offer at the Domaine.

Do you already have any customer feedback on the TERRAKE experience?

Yes, absolutely! Our customers are totally satisfied with the overall service. Our customers are surprised every time by the brush stroke at the start of the treatment, which is very pleasant and allows them to start the treatment in a different way. Most customers tell us it's something they've never found elsewhere, and they're very satisfied. We also get excellent feedback on product textures and efficacy. Being next door to one of the brand's former SPAs, I also find customers who are very happy to be able to find TERRAKE again, and who come to buy the brand's products too.

As a SPA director, would you recommend TERRAKE?

Yes, I would recommend the TERRAKE brand for several reasons. Firstly, for the treatment protocols, which I find interesting and different from anything I've seen before, if only because of the brush or the approach proposed by the brand, which is very complete, with ambient fragrance and tea, for example. For me, this proposal and sensory approach is a very important point, bringing a deeper dimension to the experience. It's not just massage for massage's sake, there's a real signature and care, particularly with the brand's four natural universes, which are very well proposed. We also have satisfied customers who like the technology and are looking for results. Our customers are also looking for respectful products, not necessarily organic, but with acceptable and respectful compositions, and once again this is something TERRAKE offers.

Last but not least, I'd recommend TERRAKE because of the support they provide. The relationship with all team members, in all departments. The whole team is responsive, ready to listen and provide answers to our questions. We're given advice and support, and there's a great deal of follow-up and guidance. We feel helped and supported by the brand.  

A final word?

As far as the opening of the SPA is concerned, I have no doubt that we'll be a great success with the comprehensive services we offer in an idyllic setting. What I really like about TERRAKE is that it's a SPA brand. You won't find it in perfumeries or parapharmacies, for example, which immediately gives the brand a prestigious and highly appreciated character.