Created in 1961 while tourism was in full development in Morzine – discover the crazy story of Solange, Claude and their children!
While tourism in Morzine had been booming ever since the Pleney cable car opened in 1934, Solange and Claude embarked on the adventure of the hotel business, transforming their family home into the welcoming “Le Névé” Family Boarding House. Of course, work had to be done on the barn to create rooms, a dining room… But that was fortunate: Claude was in the business. And in Morzine, the tribes are large, united and often extended, and the new hoteliers show a lot of solidarity with each other. In August, the “Le Névé” boarding house was ready to welcome its first customers.
Since it opened, the boarding house had been working well – so well that it already had to be extended. François and Yvette, barely of legal age, were put to work. In 1967, the right side of the building was raised by two floors, adding eight rooms and a star to the establishment. Attached to the original house, this extension gave the building a slightly wobbly appearance, but the single-pitch roof was in vogue in the late 60s, especially after architect René Faublée had scattered a few around the village (the Hôtel le Dahu, the Chalet Oliva…), and the Avoriaz resort, with its organic, angular architecture, was inaugurated.
Just a few months later, in the spring of 68, Claude rebalanced the silhouette of the complex by launching a second phase of works. As with every building site, family, friends and neighbours were set to work – everything had to be done in a few weeks, to be ready to reopen for the holidays. A hotelier’s life allows little respite: during the season we welcome guests; between seasons we repair, maintain, expand… Whatever the time of year, we always have to hurry. The hotel now has 24 rooms and has just gained its second star.
After a new wave of work to complete the rear of the building in 1974, Le Névé seems to have finally reached its final form. The tribe grew with the arrival of small children, and everyone lived under the same roof. Like many local hoteliers, Le Névé remains a family home, a real place to live, even after conversion. The seasons follow each other but the family boarding house spirit remains! Fondue evenings are well attended, and customers even take part in village life with the float festival and the hotel owners’ race… a real family!
In the late 80s, Solange and Claude passed the baton to Yvette, François and Catherine…but they didn’t retire. In 1997, a major extension of 15 rooms and the construction of a swimming pool were launched. This was a major project that involved the whole family, from the youngest to the oldest. Friends and cousins came to the rescue of this new stage for Le Névé, which became the Alté Névé for the occasion. With its 39 rooms and new facilities, the hotel gained its third star.
After the extension, every off-season in the 2000s was synonymous with works. Extending the restaurant, creating a hammam, renovating the rooms and of course, all the maintenance work involved in an establishment like this one. A major renovation phase began in 2021. Under the leadership of John, one of the grandchildren, the hotel was completely redesigned. A family hotel. It could just be a marketing concept. Simple and easy. Chosen to please. This is not the case at Le Névé. These three words are neither a slogan, nor a sales pitch, nor really the result of a choice. They reflect the reality of a story, a family story: a succession of generations, an interweaving of lives and desires that have crossed paths here for several decades. Since 1961 to be precise.
