Comité Mistral

Promoting the Provençal ideal

Ever since 2012, Comité Mistral, aka the Mistral Committee, has carried high the flag of Provençal lifestyle excellence and the creative companies that make it possible.

By Valérie Rouger

Today, the Committee Mistral has a membership of some 30 prestigious companies. It fosters trade between them and organises events to spotlight Provençal know-how and product excellence. Tradition and modernity, heritage and creativity, history and innovation: the members are united in their defence of exacting standards and attention to detail, the importance they place on the creative process, the poetic resonance of their output, and a strong aesthetic sense. They modernise without forgetting the first masters of their craft, constantly refreshing their output, be it collections, objects, recipes or perfumes. Technical innovation embraces aesthetic awareness in all fields. All this they have in common. Mistral Committee members can be found everywhere from Puyméras on the border of the Vaucluse to Biot in the Alpes Maritimes, via the Alpilles, the Luberon, the Aix area and Bandol. Most members have been awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivante label as ‘living heritage companies’, and all are eager to win recognition for Provençal excellence. The Committee runs public relations events for them, mainly outside France, always on the theme of craft skills and lifestyle in Provence. Its most recent operations were in Northern Europe: Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo and Helsinki. In April 2023, at the celebrated Lausanne catering school, Committee members gathered around 3-star chef Glenn Viel with the Swiss press in attendance. That operation ended with an exhibition aimed at importers, distributors, delicatessen stores, and retail chains whose customers appreciate the good things in life.

Founder members

One of the founder members was Jean-André Charial. He is still a keen member. “In 2012,” he says, “the Committee took over from the Club Mistral, which had been supporting exporters in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes since 1989. I was made chairman in 2015 because members thought that the renown of my restaurant, L’Oustau de Baumanière, would give an especially positive image of our ‘Provence’ philosophy. I foster friendly relations with all our members; they all share the same sincerity and love of our region.” Laure Pierrisnard, CEO of the confectioner Confiserie du Roy René, is also a strong supporter. “It’s all about strength in numbers,” she says, “the way we complement each other, and the diversity of our output. Le Roy René was a  founder member. Our priorities are to preserve high-grade skills and develop sustainable partnerships with local producers.” Marie Bousquet-Fabre, a great-granddaughter of founder committee member Marius Fabre, runs the Marius Fabre soapworks with her sister Julie. She recalls past Committee events: “We do about one operation abroad each year, presenting our firms and products for a day or two to journalists and businesses, centred around a buffet meal prepared by a top chef. The April 2024 edition will be in Vienna, with Glenn Viel doing the food. It’s important to spread the fame of Provençal quality goods abroad, finding importers for authentic, high-quality, high-end products and inciting people to come and discover our region and all it has to offer.”