La Bouitte: renovating while preserving the panache of a 5-star mountain hotel-restaurant
Offering guests ever greater comfort and authenticity, while celebrating local heritage: the renovation of a 5-star Relais & Châteaux hotel and restaurant in the mountains presents challenges as demanding as the harsh high-altitude climate. How to successfully meet these challenges? A tour with Maxime Meilleur, the Michelin-starred chef who runs (with his family) the gourmet restaurant and 5-star hotel La Bouitte . Its interior, after a few months of refurbishment, now includes numerous decorative elements made from Arpin wool… but not only that!
La Bouitte: preserving the Savoyard family heritage
It all began in the heart of the 3 Valleys, in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, for La Bouitte: " My father built it in '76, and I was born in it, like Obelix, " recounts Maxime Meilleur, who now also runs the restaurant. After starting out in biathlon, the local boy sums it up: " I put away my rifle and cross-country skis. I came home to make crème anglaise, and it's been 30 years now. " The establishment first opened as a restaurant in the 1970s, then added a hotel in the 1990s.
" It's a family story. We didn't invent our story. " Maxime Meilleur
Over the decades, the family business has grown considerably: " In 30 years, the house has gone from 300 m2 to 3000 m2, from 3 to 50 employees, from 0 to 15 rooms, from 0 to 5 stars. " The hotel is now a 5-star Relais & Châteaux establishment, and the restaurant, the playground of father and son, has held a Michelin star for over 20 years and is certified as a Living Heritage Company (just like Arpin!).
Renovating without losing its identity
It was after the restaurant received its first Michelin stars that the family strategically decided to invest in further upgrading its offerings and making the establishment even more welcoming. From redesigning the rooms and replacing materials to updating the reception areas and spa, La Bouitte underwent a complete transformation in just four months during the off-season in 2016. Why renovate? " It's simple: we listen to our guests a lot and wanted to offer them greater comfort, " explains Maxime Meilleur.
" It's a family spirit and a desire to please. People give us their time, and we give them the best of ourselves. And within a family, that's a real strength. " Maxime Meilleur, La Bouitte
More comfort then, but without losing the authenticity of the establishment, intimately linked to the family that created it: " My father is from Saint Marcel. We are Savoyards and proud of it: we defend our local produce and we do what we know how to do. "
Old wood and slate: an authentic and modern atmosphere
Authenticity and comfort are the key words to bring warm touches to La Bouitte: " We were concerned with quality: beautiful furniture, beautiful bedspreads, beautiful parquet floors... We did everything to make it beautiful. " Quite simply!
The embellishment was therefore, first and foremost, a matter of materials: " The idea was to tell the story of who we are. "For this, we use materials that are both noble and raw: ' Old wood and slate, but also brushed plaster for the walls. ' Materials that are a natural choice, selected for their aesthetics, their local character and their sturdiness that can withstand anything (and especially the suitcases of our clients): ' We call it BSP, common sense. BSP is at the heart of our thinking, ' summarizes Maxime Meilleur."
Shades of chocolate, gradients of grey wood, a palette of warm whites: the colors bring contrast and softness. With that touch of red emblematic of Savoy, which can be found, for example, on the plates.
Fabric Focus: The Arpin Touch
The idea of luxury behind La Bouitte's choice of fabrics can be summed up in two points: comfort above all, while remaining local. Maxime Meilleur describes this as " embracing something different ."
Beyond stylistic requirements, the quality of the textures must be immediately apparent: " The first thing you want to do when you arrive should be jump into bed. " And let's not forget the technical requirements: " It needs to age well; that's important for the teams that maintain it. "
Arpin fabrics can be found in the bedrooms, the dining room, and even in the spa. Let's conclude with a look at these details that make all the difference and contribute to creating a unique atmosphere at La Bouitte.
" When you're used to a certain level of comfort and quality—like Arpin fabrics—everything else seems a bit bland, less attractive. That's something we need to defend! "
A closer look at Aurélie's room
Sophie, Augustine, Léonie: here, the rooms are named after the women of the family. In the Aurélie room, the taupe-grey bed linens and curtains, with their white and red accents, create a welcoming atmosphere. Antique wooden headboard, mountain-themed wall art by a local painter, impressive beams: welcome to Savoy!
A closer look at the dining room
In the dining room, the cutlery and plates, laid out on Arpin tablecloths, bear the emblems of Savoy. The curtains are the result of upcycling: they are several decades old and were made from exceptionally durable fabric. The meticulous attention to detail in their finishing makes them priceless: this is why Arpin reworked them, preserving the original fabric, with an addition to enlarge and modernize them without altering their character.
A closer look at the costumes
The staff's suits are also made of Arpin fabric. They were tailored by a craftsman from Annecy, Alain Pierre Marchand : the combination of local know-how for a timeless result.
La Bouitte: a sensory portrait
A sensory portrait to better understand the atmosphere that the renovation has brought out. If La Bouitte were an ingredient, it would be: " Homemade dishes: polenta, crozets (small pasta squares), onions, potatoes, blueberries, wild strawberries, fir, rosehips. " If it were a material, it would be local wood, fir in particular. And if it were a scent? " Here, it smells of hay and butter! " The spa offers treatments on hay beds… and they feature Arpin curtains.