Leysin

Leysin

Location: Switzerland (Canton of Vaud – Aigle region)
Type of village: Hotels
Year opened: 1956
Year closed: 2002

A little background: Before telling you the story of Club Med's arrival in Leysin, I wanted to mention the history of this Vaud village perched at an altitude of 1200 meters, which boasts both a beautiful view of the Dents du Midi mountains and an exceptional climate. You can understand, then, why Club Med found the ideal conditions in Leysin to establish four of its resorts

It was in the mid-18th century, thanks to medicine and the nascent field of climatology, that Leysin, a remote mountain village, began to prosper. Thomas Malthus, an English political economist, wrote a report indicating that the inhabitants of this small town had a significantly longer lifespan than those living further down the valley. According to him, the climate was healthier. Until 1896, Leysin remained difficult to access, and it was only then that a road and a small cog railway running up from Aigle were opened.

In 1903, Dr. Roller conceived the idea of ​​using sunlight to treat patients with bone tuberculosis (pulmonary tuberculosis, also treated, came later). He chose Leysin, thanks to its mild climate and abundant sunshine, to establish spas and expose patients to as much sun and tranquility as possible. The number of available beds increased from 120 at the Grand Hotel to over 1,150 beds spread across clinics and the 37 sanatoriums built over the years specifically for this purpose. The discovery of antibiotics for treating tuberculosis in the 1950s spelled the end for the sanatoriums. Some were demolished, others converted into hotels for tourists. It was precisely during this period that Club Med entered the scene.

1955 Jean Pierre BECRET discovers Leysin

The story begins in early 1955. A few members of the Club asked the organization to open snow villages. Jean Pierre Becret was tasked by Gérard Blitz with scouting locations. He had no idea what to look for. At that time, the club only knew about tents and was just beginning to set up cabins in Corfu. Hotels without running water in the rooms and military barracks held no interest for them. Through a member of the Club, he made the last-minute acquaintance of Mr. Tissot, whom he met in Lausanne in the company of Robert Metraux, then the club's representative at the Geneva office.
Mr. Tissot informed his two contacts that he had four hotels (three in the city and the last one isolated) that might be suitable. The buildings in question were former sanatoriums, now disused and with no commercial value, he added.
Back in Paris, during a debriefing organized with Gérard BLITZ, Jean Pierre BECRET showed the photos taken during his mission and said to the latter:

 "Look quickly because we won't be taking any of this. We're going to take something from a tuberculosis sanatorium whose name I've forgotten."

When Gérard asked if the hotel was nice, Jean Pierre's answer was

"I don't know, I haven't visited it!!"

It was on the basis of this agreement made in Lausanne that Leysin entered the Trident 1956.

For 46 years, Leysin and the Club shared a love affair. In 2002, the story ended, and the Club left Leysin. The elimination of loss-making facilities and the move upmarket led to this decision.

The 4 villages

Club Med has occupied up to four separate hotels. It all began with Les Chamois in 1956, the most remote of the hotels the club occupied in Leysin. Over time, the Club established itself at the majestic Mont Blanc, located opposite the Feydey train station, at Le Chamossaire (renamed Charleston by the Club), and at Le Belvédère

The winter 1966/67 issue of Le Trident features all four villages. This will be the last issue to include them. The following year, the Hôtel des Chamois is no longer featured.

List of Club Med hotels in Leysin, sorted by year

The Chamois 1956-1967 (first leader Gérard Blitz)
The Belvédère: 1957-2002 (first leader Tony Hatot)
Mont Blanc: Winter 1963/64 to winter 1970/71 then under the name Charleston from winter 1971/72 to winter 1990/91
The Charleston (formerly Chamossaire): winter 1959/60 to winter 1970/71

Each hotel has an annex village used for overbooking guests (GMs) and also to house the GOs (Gentils Organisateurs).
– La Tour Mayen for the Chamois.
– La Pyrole for the Belvédère (shared with the Chamois). Its manager is Odette Philippoff (Dimitri's wife). La Pyrole was quickly abandoned due to its location.
– Les Mélèzes for the Charleston. Les Mélèzes is used as the headquarters of the general administrator for all the villages. The first was Robert Lanquetin.
– Les Cabris for the Mont Blanc

Saturday, December 4, 1971:

During the afternoon, the Montreux casino was engulfed in flames. A violent fire was accidentally started by a spectator during a Frank Zappa concert. The fire completely destroyed the establishment despite the numerous fire engines and firefighters deployed to control the blaze. It was also on this day that the Charleston went up in flames. The fire broke out around 10:00 a.m. in one of the workshops, near which some finishing work, including torch welding, was taking place. As the 1971/72 winter season had not yet begun, the Charleston was empty. A stroke of luck!
The Mont Blanc would be renamed the Charleston.

Village Chiefs

Many have run the ski resorts in the four villages over the years.
In 1956, Gérard Blitz opened Les Chamois. Tony Hatot opened Le Belvédère in 1957.

The Journey

The first departure is Saturday, December 22, 1956.
Special Club Med sleeper train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Aigle station (TGV from the 1990s!), then, depending on the year, buses to the villages or the little cream and brown cog railway to Leysin Feidey station.

And today.

In place of the Charleston, there is now a hotel residence, Le Central

The Mont Blanc and Belvédère buildings have become hotel management schools belonging to the SHMS group (Swiss Hotel Management School is the largest English-speaking hotel management school in Switzerland). A small funicular railway connects the two buildings.

The larch trees still exist. Today it is a residence with apartments.

As for the Chamois, its fate is unfortunately quite different. Used for school ski trips during the 70s and 80s, it subsequently fell into complete neglect and oblivion.
Today, the hotel's interior is totally dilapidated and devastated. Some walls are covered in graffiti, indicating that squatters have occupied the premises. A video made by urban explorers (visitors of abandoned buildings) is truly chilling.

However, in 2014 there was a project to renovate the site and turn it into the Chamois, a luxury hotel complex, but we haven't heard anything about it since. Google Maps images show that not much is happening, apart from an abandoned building.