A relentless visionary
Or how to push the boundaries of what is possible
It was here that he decided to live and open his restaurant, to bring life back to the estate, the land of his childhood.
An extraordinary adventure began during that freezing winter, with a leaking roof, frozen sinks, and a single fireplace to warm the main building.
Yet Patrick persevered, opening "La Petite Auberge" alone, offering his first astonished guests local specialties: *garbure*, *tourin*, foie gras, duck breasts grilled in the fireplace, and classic pastries. In the early days, during winters where temperatures dropped to -20°C and customers were few, he took the opportunity to complete an accelerated Professional Agricultural
Diploma (one year instead of two) and become a farmer, while still opening the restaurant in the evenings and on weekends.
The ambition was simple: Patrick wanted to produce everything he served at his table, convinced that he could only guarantee excellence by controlling production. He distributed leaflets at a red light in Cahors to make himself known and worked with true conviction to produce everything himself. He planted his vegetable garden, revived the breeding of Gascon black pigs, produced his first foie gras, planted hundreds of truffle trees on this stony plateau of the Quercy Blanc, and opened the first guest room to accommodate his visitors.
Against all odds, and under the skeptical gaze of the locals, he farmed and harvested while renovating the estate buildings. Fortunately, some encouraged him, including Alain Dominique Perrin, CEO of Cartier International and owner of Château Lagrezette in Cahors, who was enthusiastic about the estate and introduced it to his friends.
Soon, through word of mouth, *La Petite Auberge* became a meeting place for local gourmets. The food was excellent, the produce was of the highest quality and prepared with care, and the owner was a compelling and dedicated figure.
Sharing the vision
Or how to live the pioneering spirit together
In 1991, Patrick met Pascale, a young woman from a neighboring château where he organized receptions. He shared his conviction and ambition with her, and against all expectations, she decided to join him in his ambitious project, also convinced that excellence comes from total control of production and that this estate could live and
produce autonomously. Together, they developed this pioneering "land to plate" spirit that ensures health and preserved taste. The land at Saint-Géry, free from all pollution, is farmed organically—no plowing, no monoculture, but rather companion planting and biodiversity everywhere, even in the wild vegetable garden.
This "sustainable development" approach, well ahead of its time, created an exemplary ecosystem operating almost entirely autonomously. Wood gathered from the 20 hectares of forest heats all the buildings; hedges have been planted to restore the *bocage*, preserve biodiversity, and prevent soil
erosion. The "Source aux Loups" ensures the estate's water supply. It also irrigates the orchard, the vegetable garden, the vines, the olive trees, and the stony truffle orchards of the estate, as well as the garden lawns.
Simultaneously, Patrick and Pascale worked on restoring the manor house and renovating the centuries-old buildings: barns, the dovecote, and the *bolets* typical of the Quercy region. Pascale, a graduate of the École du Louvre with a love for art history and fine objects, enhanced the home with antique furniture and family heirlooms.
In 1996, a decisive meeting with three-starred chef Alain Senderens fueled Patrick’s constant drive for improvement. This marked the beginning of top-tier training that, over ten years, allowed him to refine his mastery of French haute gastronomie alongside greats such as Alain Ducasse, Joël
Robuchon, Michel Portos, and Georges Pralus, among others. At the same time, five new guest rooms were created to welcome travelers as if into a private home, and an EU-standard production facility was established in a former outbuilding. This is where recipes involving truffles and foie
gras are prepared, and where the Gascon black pig hams and long-aged cured meats are developed without any chemical additives—going far beyond organic standards, which tolerate saltpeter and nitrite salts. A new challenge that everyone expected to fail...
A singular ecosystem
Or how to bring the rest of the world along... as a family
Amidst this vitality, at the heart of an estate coming back to life and in close connection with nature, the family grew. Three children—Thibault, Louis-Dominique, and Camille—were born and raised in perfect harmony within an estate that had become almost entirely self-sufficient.
Then came years of awards and recognition: the ham was crowned "Best Ham in the World" ahead of the finest Iberians during a blind tasting in Barcelona; the foies gras won three gold medals at the Concours Général Agricole; the estate joined the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection with a "four helmets" ranking (the highest distinction); the gastronomic restaurant was awarded the title of "Table Remarquable"; and the magazine *Des racines et des ailes* aired a 40-minute report on Domaine de Saint-Géry, paying tribute to years of dedicated work and this singular ecosystem.
Today, the children have grown and have naturally found their place in this family story, each contributing to this shared endeavor. Patrick and Pascale have passed on the deep values that gave rise to this bold project. Thibault, the eldest, having worked in every position on the Estate like his brother and sister, now produces all the photography and films that showcase the house's craftsmanship. Louis-Dominique has recently established the Saint-Géry vineyard—15,000 vines planted on the limestone plateaus between wheat fields and truffle orchards—while continuing his oenological studies. And Camille, the youngest, is working on an equestrian project focused on horse-human interdependence in a dedicated area of the Estate, where she practices rider-horse connection while studying for her exams.
After nearly 40 years of planting and renovation, far from the small *Petite Auberge* with its leaking roof of the early days, the Estate has transformed into a refined and self-sufficient retreat with a soul and a story.
It is the story of the Duler family, who continue to welcome bons vivants with the same conviction and commitment, sharing moments of profound emotion around a fine table or during singular stays. While some stays are centered on the products of Maison Duler—truffles, bread, or the nutrition of the pig—others offer a sensory exploration of the living world, during which gastronomy enthusiasts experience Domaine de Saint-Géry in symbiosis. For Pascale and Patrick, the desire to share their vision remains as strong as on the very first day...
