The French Foreign Legion operates a vineyard at the Domaine Capitaine Danjou in Puyloubier, Provence, France, within the Institution des Invalides de la Légion Étrangère (IILE), established in 1955. This 40-hectare (approximately 99-acre) estate provides a retirement home and rehabilitation center for wounded, disabled, or elderly Legion veterans. Named after Captain Jean Danjou, a hero of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, the facility supports around 100 residents, offering them lodging, purpose, and camaraderie.
The French Foreign Legion runs their own 40 acre vineyard where veteran and invalid soldiers can live and work and the profits go to the veterans, their widows and orphans. https://t.co/oAZqkCj68t pic.twitter.com/goAuKr3xwn
— Wrath Of Gnon (@wrathofgnon) April 12, 2025
Veterans work in the vineyard, cultivating grapes like Grenache, Syrah, Vermentino, Cinsault, and Cabernet Sauvignon, producing about 230,000–250,000 bottles annually of Côtes de Provence AOC wines (red, white, and rosé). These wines, with names like Esprit de Corps and Képi Blanc, are sold at the estate, the Foreign Legion Museum in Aubagne, and online. The estate also produces olive oil from 10 hectares of olive groves and runs workshops for ceramics and bookbinding.
Profits from wine sales fund approximately 40% of the IILE’s budget, supporting the care of residents, wounded Legionnaires, and solidarity programs for veterans, their widows, and orphans. The institution receives no government subsidies, relying on these revenues and contributions from residents’ pensions. Active-duty Legionnaires occasionally assist with harvesting, reinforcing the Legion’s ethos of never abandoning its own, as reflected in their motto: “Tu n’abandonnes jamais les tiens, ni au combat, ni dans la vie” (“You never abandon your own, in combat nor in life”).
How about we do it, too? Picture this!
Veterans’ Vineyard Haven: Imagine a 40-acre vineyard in California’s wine country, where wounded and retired veterans heal through purpose-driven work. Modeled on the French Foreign Legion’s vineyard, it houses 100 veterans, producing 200,000 bottles of “Valor Vines” wine annually. Profits fund veteran care, widows, and orphans, fostering independence without government aid. Local military bases—Fort Irwin, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and Naval Base San Diego—could supply volunteers for harvests, strengthening community ties. This haven offers veterans camaraderie, rehabilitation, and a legacy of service, transforming lives while honoring their sacrifice. Invest in their future today.