How did Baumanière 1850 come into being at Le Strato? 
Laurent and Janine Boix-Vives were loyal guests at Baumanière. Over the years, we became friends. When Monsieur Boix-Vives sold Rossignol and they decided to build Le Strato in Courchevel, they immediately invited me to take care of it. I accepted, of course, as activity at Baumanière was much less busy in winter. And it also enabled me to ensure that my teams worked all year long. 

Your relationship with the mountains? 
Throughout my career, I have mainly worked in summer, from May to September. So the only holidays I could spend with my children were those in winter, in February. Each year, we therefore set off as a family to go skiing in Courchevel, which is still the case. I have always loved skiing, even today, at the ripe old age of 77! I know the resort by heart, I have lots of friends here and a huge stack of memories.  

What explains the charm of Courchevel? 
Above all, its skiing domain, Les 3 Vallées, amazing for skiers. I won't hide the fact that I also have a certain nostalgia for the Courchevel I knew until the 1970's. In those days, there was a truly family atmosphere with a more local population, very different from the resort we know today.  

How do you spend your time today? 
I am now consultant for the restaurant Baumanière 1850. When I'm in Courchevel, I pay regular visits to Le Strato to discuss with the Chef, taste his new dishes… Otherwise, I spend most of my time skiing. It occasionally happens that I have lunch on the slopes, particularly at the high-altitude restaurant La Soucoupe. I also like to stroll over towards Cospillot, through the forest of fir trees.