Pernod Ricard University opens its first campus at the Domaine de La Voisine, the Group's historical château

6,500m² of eco-friendly
space in the heart of the Vallée de Chevreuse:
Pernod Ricard University opens its first campus at the Domaine de La Voisine,
the Group's historical château

Pernod Ricard is first and foremost the 18,500 men and women who make the Group a success on a daily basis in more than 87 countries. In order to provide its employees with a training tool that measures up to the Group's ambitions, Pernod Ricard University ' the entity responsible for the talent development initiative ' is proud to announce the opening of its first campus in the Domaine de La Voisine, located in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines (78), near Paris.

After two years of work carried out collectively by Cyril Durand-Behar Architectes, GSE (property developer), and Egis (deputy contractor), the Domaine de La Voisine will host from 4 September 2017 a large proportion of the 15,000 hours of training offered each year by Pernod Ricard University. Located across 170 hectares acquired in 1954 by Pernod Ricard's founder Paul Ricard, the Domaine de La Voisine has been completely redesigned to combine tradition and contemporary spirit within an abundance of nature. Designed around 'moments' ' work, relaxation and convivialité ' the campus includes a reception area equipped with sports facilities, a learning centre with a 350-seat auditorium and 500m² of various meeting rooms, 60 bedrooms and the historical château, which has been totally renovated, where drinks, dinners and receptions will now be hosted. In compliance with the charter of the Regional Nature Reserve of the Haute Vallée de Chevreuse, the Domaine de La Voisine is committed to both HQE Aménagements (High Environmental Quality Developments) and 'Very Good' BREEAM certification, led by GSE.
 

Alexandre Ricard, Chairman & CEO of Pernod Ricard, stated, 'I am delighted to see the transformation of the Domaine de La Voisine into a campus equipped with all the latest training technologies: collaborating, discussing and meeting will be its watchwords. This way, we will be able to nurture our talents within a single setting dedicated not only to excellence but also to convivialité ' because we primarily learn from others. It is also for this reason that we wanted to make this exceptional venue accessible to non-Group guests'.
 

The Pernod Ricard University campus will also be available to external customers thanks to a partnership with Chateauform'. The expertise of Chateauform' will help make the Domaine de La Voisine a location from which the values that the Group holds dear ' convivialité, ethics and the entrepreneurial spirit ' will be promoted.
 

Daniel Abittan, Chairman of Chateauform', said, 'The opening of a new Maison des Séminaires as part of Châteauform's portfolio is always a wonderful adventure full of promise both for our participants and clients. With the Domaine de La Voisine, we are all the more delighted as it involves a partnership with the iconic group Pernod Ricard. This is a Group with whom we share common values: Pernod Ricard's signature is 'Créateurs de Convivialité' while Châteauform's raison d'être is to enhance 'added value' with 'added warmth'. I would like to thank Pernod Ricard for enabling us to supplement our offer with this historic venue which has now become a fantastic, innovative and forward-looking project.'
 

This project was developed through collaboration with preferred partners who respected the original features of the Domaine de La Voisine. For Cyril Durand-Behar, this collaboration represented a relationship based on trust and conviviality, 'There was from the beginning a meeting of minds with Pernod Ricard University as well as positive energy to build this iconic place for the Group. The whole site was thought as a space with areas corresponding to the different parts of a day of training, all built in concrete, wood, stone and metal. That repetition that was meant to emphasized the originality and coherence of the project, which allowed us to express all of areas of expertise, from architecture to interior design.'
 

We were selected by Pernod Ricard following a tender process for this project 4 years previously, which involved a more restricted scope; this project was eventually put on hold. A few years later, when Pernod Ricard reactivated the project on a larger scale, we were told they wanted to continue working with us. From the beginning, there was a meeting of minds as we built this iconic place for the Group!'
 

Thierry Chambellan, deputy CEO of GSE's engineering business, « every detail was conceived with great care, to make sure every square meter is unique. It is an atypical 'creation', warm with a very intimate atmosphere, a bit like 'Haute Couture' while using simple and humble materials'.
 

About Chateauform'
A French company created in 1996, Châteauform is the European leader in seminar and corporate event hosting, currently operating 58 venues across Europe. These locations are primarily châteaux and stately homes that have been completely restored and refurbished. There are now ten Châteauform' brands, able to satisfy the full range of meeting-related needs under the Châteauform' signature, which is a guarantee of friendliness, generosity, flexibility, freedom, nature, comfort, simplicity, technology, all offered in a stress-free all-inclusive package. Click here to discover the Châteauform' concept!

Contact Châteauform'
Virginie Renouvin / Head of Communications: +33 (0)6 12 73 71 21
 

About Cyril Durand-Behar Architectes
An architect who graduated from the ESA Architecture School, Paris, France, and the Pratt Institute in New York, USA in the 1990s, Cyril Durand-Behar earned his stripes in the heart of Manhattan, where he worked on the renovation of a 22-storey building in the Upper West Side among other projects. On his return to Paris in 1995, he won the highly sought-after tender to transform the Lancôme Institute, in rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, where he introduced the use of structured glass within an indoor space. Very quickly, he turned his attention to the study of the identity of a brand and how coherent it is with the space it inhabits. In 2007, he founded Cyril Durand-Behar Architectes, a collective of architects and skills around the world. The parent and original firm is located in Paris, with branches in Tunis, Tunisia and New York. The firm develops architecture and interior design concepts, and also has a furniture line.

Contact Cyril Durand-Behar Architectes
Stéphanie GRAS GIRAUD / Head of Communications and Development: + 33 (0) 6 63 14 07 95
 

About GSE
A major player in the field of commercial property, GSE is the leading 'turnkey' specialist in its market: it oversees design, construction and/or refurbishment with a commitment to costs, deadlines and the quality of its projects.
The Group headed by Roland PAUL employs 350 people and achieved revenue of '488 million in 2016, completing 70 projects.
GSE operates in both Europe and China and boasts a network of 12 regional branches in France, making it the leading French global contractor network.

GSE contacts
Clara Douet / Press Relations: +33 (0)1 41 05 02 02

About Egis
Egis is the top French and a leading European firm in the field of construction engineering, designing with a long-term outlook.
With a unique and comprehensive offer, the Group combines engineering expertise and project development skills consultancy with capital investment, turnkey facilities, operation and mobility services. Le Conseil by Egis offers effective and sustainable services to develop your projects and then coordinate them and manage their various life cycles. Irrespective of the project or geographic scale, we support local and property stakeholders and decision makers, in both the public and private sector, in France and internationally, in achieving their ambitions. With 13,800 employees, including 200 in consultancy, the Group generated managed revenue of '1.020 billion in 2016. www.egis.fr

Egis contact
Isabelle Bourguet / Communications Director: +33 (0)1 39 41 44 17