This September, the Provençal village of Cotignac will celebrate two of the region’s most storied spirits as Lou Calen launches its inaugural cocktail challenge.

Taking place on Monday 21 September, the Cotignac Cocktail Challenge will invite professional bartenders and enthusiastic amateurs to create an original cocktail using either pastis or absinthe. Both spirits have deep roots in this corner of Provence, and the competition is designed to explore how their distinctive flavours can be interpreted for a new generation of drinkers.

Following an open call for entries, ten contestants will be selected to present their pre-submitted recipes before a judging panel of hospitality professionals and cocktail enthusiasts. Each drink will be assessed on its flavour, balance, originality and presentation, with three contestants progressing to the live final.

The finalists will then face a second test: creating another cocktail on the spot before the results are announced in front of the evening’s audience.

While the judges deliberate, guests will be treated to a flair bartending demonstration from Thomas, the mixologist behind O’Fadoli, Lou Calen’s dedicated pastis bar. His career has included positions at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne and Fairmont Monte Carlo, as well as 15 years working with Pernod Ricard.

Pastis has long been synonymous with life in the south of France. Traditionally served diluted with cold water, the anise-flavoured aperitif became particularly popular following the prohibition of absinthe in France in 1915. Absinthe, meanwhile, has its own more mysterious history, having once been the drink of choice among many of Europe’s artists and writers before becoming surrounded by controversy and myth.

Lou Calen hopes to celebrate their place within Provençal culture while encouraging contestants to experiment with contemporary ingredients, techniques and presentation.

Each of the three finalists will receive one of the competition’s principal prizes: a two-night stay at Lou Calen with breakfast, dinner for two at Jardin Secret, or dinner for two at Le Bistrot.

The setting is equally important to the occasion. Lou Calen sits in the heart of Cotignac, a Var village recognised among the most beautiful in France and known for the dramatic tufa cliff that rises behind its rooftops. The cliff is home to centuries-old cave dwellings, while one of Lou Calen’s own suites has been carved into the same tufa stone.

Following an extensive restoration, the hotel’s presence now extends beyond its gardens and into the village itself. Its collection of spaces includes Le Bistrot on Cotignac’s main square, O’Fadoli pastis bar and an independent bookshop, alongside Jardin Secret, its garden restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide.

The Cotignac Cocktail Challenge will take place at Lou Calen on Monday 21 September from 6.30pm until 8.30pm. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

Professional and amateur contestants can pre-register until Thursday 17 September by submitting an original recipe using pastis or absinthe, together with a photograph of the finished cocktail.

Further information and entry details are available at https://www.loucalen.com/en/agenda/cotignaccocktailchallenge/