The Lachenal hotel

This establishment, which opened in 1927, was a boarding house founded by Ms Adèle Rey, a widow, with the help of her mother. It was the first tourist spot in the village. Adèle drew in the daring tourists who were already visiting the Tarentaise spa towns. Prestigious guests including Henriette, Princess of Belgium stayed here from 1928 onwards, wooed by the refined cuisine and the exceptional level of luxury for that time. In 1946, she sold it to Mr Lachenal, a determined young chef. For a while, the boarding house was home to construction workers working on the road between Saint Martin and Moutiers. Mr Lachenal then modernised the hotel, bar and restaurant. People came from neighbouring towns to celebrate special occasions: wedding meals, banquets and so on. He made the business thrive, but always made sure it stayed sober and genuine. Mr Lachenal died in 1975 but left his mark behind: the building is still called “Le Lachenal”, even though it stopped operating as a hotel in 2018.

32 Rue Saint-Martin, 73440 Les Belleville, France

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