Thanks to the newspaper Le Midi Libre for this nice article

SAINT-JEAN-DU-GARD
LAURENCE AND OLIVIER, OWNERS OF THE FORMER SILK THREAD FACTORY

“We followed in the footsteps of Yves and Pascal, the previous owners. It’s a great business that’s working really well.” These are just a few of the words from Laurence and Olivier Minier have to say about their setting up to Les Bellugues.

Their first season is now drawing to a close. This is the time of year when the tourist industry gets tired. The couple, like good professionals, don’t let it show.

Their sincere enthusiasm for running the hotel can be seen in the smiles on their faces when they talk about their arrival in the Cévennes. “It was love at first sight” recalls Olivier. It’s hard not to fall in love with the architectural beauty of this former silk thread factory, listed as a cultural heritage site since 1990.

The Petit futé tourist guide fell under its spell and recommended this hotel.

“Our mission is tourism”

A beautiful setting in which the owners’ skills can flourish. Olivier has a vocational baccalaureate in the hotel industry. At Les Bellugues, he is returning to his first love after his last job as a sales manager for a sports equipment manufacturer. Laurence, who had previously worked as an interior decorator, was director of education at the 3IS film school in Paris. The young couple, both in their fifties and parents of two daughters, decided to work together and take control of the end of their careers.

Together, they explain: “We looked at all the options before deciding. It’s a new challenge for us. We like the human contact that satisfies our customers. And the figures are familiar to us.“

Watching them move around the lobby of the sixteen-bedroom site, it’s easy to see where they belong and how happy they are to be there.

“Our mission is tourism. We want to respond to customer demand”, they claim. And they are bound to be attracted by this hotel, which is a good address to share.