THE NEW HÔTEL DES HORLOGERS OPENS ITS DOORS IN THE VALLÉE DE JOUX
Inspired by the Vallée de Joux, the new Hôtel des Horlogers opens its doors in the village of Le Brassus, where its predecessor, the Hôtel de France, settled in 1857. This hotel has been designed by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group and realised by the Swiss architecture office CCHE, two partners who also signed the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet situated a few steps away. The building’s avant-garde architecture follows the Vallée de Joux’s topography thanks to zigzagging slabs gradually descending towards the meadows. Certified Minergie-ECO®, the superior 4-star Boutique hotel has implemented a holistic sustainable approach
from the building development to its day-to-day operations to reduce its environmental impact. Furthermore, the hotel’s interior design has been imagined by AUM as a tribute to the surrounding landscape, while the restaurants entrusted to Michelin- starred Chef Emmanuel Renaut rely on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Intended as a meeting point for local and international watchmaking, architecture and nature lovers, this welcoming venue encourages the development of tourism in the Vallée de Joux and promotes local expertise and heritage.
The interior design imagined by AUM pays tribute to the Vallée de Joux with local materials such
A NEW ARCHITECTURAL
CONCEPT SIGNED BY BIG
Imagined by the global architecture firm BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, the Hôtel des Horlogers seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape. Thanks to an avant-garde, transparent concept, visitors are immediately immersed in the natural environment of the Vallée de Joux, one of the cradles of Swiss complicated watches. Having fallen in love with the Risoud Forest, which borders the valley, Bjarke Ingels conceived the hotel so that all the rooms would offer a breath-taking view of the region. Departing from the usual codes of hotel architecture, the building consists of slabs descending towards the valley and tilting slightly to embrace the topography while creating a continuous path in nature. BIG’s concept interprets the site as a series of mountain ridges running down the hill, while the building blocks form a series of berms lined with varied trees and plants.
Inside, the simple lines and refined language of the contemporary lobby contrasts with the more sinuous and rustic architectural elements that visitors can admire as they progress inside the building. An interior passageway follows the hotel’s atypical zigzagging structure and connects the 50 rooms, varying in type from the Valley Guest Room to the Signature Suite. The hotel also encompasses two restaurants and a bar open to all, a wellness centre as well as two seminar rooms. Imagined as a meeting point for local inhabitants, tourists in search of preserved green spaces, watch and architecture enthusiasts as well as local watchmaking brands, the Hôtel des Horlogers invites visitors to take their time and connect with nature.
This feat of architecture follows in the footsteps of the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet’s glass spiral also designed by BIG. Located a few steps away from the hotel, this ultra-contemporary pavilion was inaugurated in 2020 and awarded 9 prizes, including the Best Architecture Award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) on January 12, 2021.
An interior passageway follows the zigzagging structure of the building designed by BIG and connects the 50 rooms.
The 50 rooms’ interweaving of local spruce surfaces, large bay windows
INSPIRED BY THE LANDSCAPE
OF THE VALLÉE DE JOUX
To build and arrange the hotel’s 8,715 square-metre surface, BIG worked in collaboration with CCHE, the appointed local architect and general planner which was also involved in the construction of the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet, as well as AUM, the interior design architect. Made of local materials such as stone and wood, the interior design immerses visitors in the Vallée de Joux’s natural environment, while blending quality, comfort and conviviality.
The ceiling of the lobby boasts imposing white trees giving the impression that the forest reflects on the Lac de Joux. The rooms’ décor is for its part welcoming and refined, interweaving local spruce surfaces, large bay windows and smooth concrete for a contemporary touch.
The lobby’s ceiling is decorated with white trees – a nod to the local Risoud Forest
RESTAURANTS ENTRUSTED
TO EMMANUEL RENAUT
Giving pride of place to gastronomy, the Hôtel des Horlogers has entrusted its three eating establishments to the French three-Michelin-starred Chef, Emmanuel Renaut.
First, the Bar des Horlogers pays tribute to the Vallée de Joux’s inhabitants. Its small local à la carte menu and its signature cocktails made from plants from the Risoud Forest can be enjoyed throughout the week in a relaxing atmosphere.
Le Gogant*, which welcomes up to 80 people, presents a refined extensive menu with affordable prices, served
throughout the week, at lunch and dinner. The restaurant’s large bay windows open onto both the meadows and the kitchen for a unique dining experience in a décor inspired by the Vallée de Joux. It is open to all, 365 days a year.
Lastly, behind Le Gogant, an intimate space hosts La Table des Horlogers. This gourmet restaurant can gather up to 12 guests around a single table designed to provide a convivial experience. A tasting menu is served every day for a unique exploration of the senses
Signed by Michelin-starred Chef Emmanuel Renaut, Le Gogant restaurant presents a refined local cuisine in a convivial décor inspired by the Vallée de Joux.
* In the local dialect, the term ‘Gogant’ refers to an often isolated white fir tree, whose large base serves as shelter to animals.
The Bar des Horlogers welcomes visitors and local inhabitants in a relaxing atmosphere where they can enjoy regional dishes and beverages.
A PLACE IN SYNC
WITH ITS ENVIRONMENT
The Hôtel des Horlogers’ zigzagging architecture descending towards the surrounding meadows seamlessly integrates into the Vallée de Joux’s pastoral landscape. The hotel’s sustainable commitments can be seen in the careful selection of eco-friendly materials, in
the strict soil protection and in its low-energy consumption. This holistic eco-friendly approach has enabled the Hôtel des Horlogers to obtain the Minergie- ECO® certification based on its energy efficiency and building ecology.
The Hôtel des Horlogers invites visitors to take their time and connect with the surrounding environment.
The hotel’s hot water and heating system are supplied by the remote local wood-based heating network Le Brassus Bois SA which offers a fully local and sustainable solution, while 126 photovoltaic panels provide part of the energy needed for the establishment. Furthermore, water sourced in Le Brassus is bottled on site to drastically reduce grey energy linked to transportation, while organic waste is transformed into biomass via a Meiko Green Waste Solutions system before being converted into electricity and heat.
In addition, the hotel aims to be plastic free thanks to the implementation of numerous alternatives to the use of this component. Single-use items, for instance, are packaged in biodegradable containers. All cosmetics provided in the rooms are fully traceable and supplied in eco-friendly dispensers, thus reducing waste by 67 % and minimising the hotel’s environmental impact. The hotel team has also opted for hessian bags, wooden combs, fully biodegradable slippers and even pencils containing thyme seeds instead of the usual pens.
Lastly, the hotel’s two car parks, which feature 24 underground and 50 outdoor spaces, are equipped with 10 charging stations for e-cars and 10 for e-bikes.
A PROXIMITY
APPROACH
The Hôtel des Horlogers’ sustainable approach encompasses local partnerships so as to reduce its carbon footprint, support local communities and participate in the region’s economy. The guests enjoying a relaxing moment at the Spa will benefit from 100 % Swiss products, developed by the Swiss brand Alpeor, made with plants and flowers native to the Vallée de Joux and to the neighbouring Valais region.
Local produce, which represents 70 % of the hotel’s menus, will notably be honoured with a selection of regional wines and spirits, as well as locally brewed Swiss beers.
In addition, the hotel has its own fruit and vegetable garden which covers part of the restaurants’ fruit, vegetable and herb supply. It also relies on fresh produce and other ingredients supplied by local producers.
For raw materials that are inevitably imported, such as tea and coffee, the hotel supports organic productions in the countries of origin. The coffee is then roasted in the Vallée de Joux and provided in biodegradable capsules.
AT THE HEART OF
THE VALLÉE DE JOUX’S AGE-OLD HOROLOGICAL SAVOIR-FAIRE
To promote the unique heritage and know-how that developed in the Vallée de Joux, the Hôtel des Horlogers offers several watchmaking packages combining a night at the hotel with one or several visits of prestigious horological landmarks such as the Espace Horloger, private workshops, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture or the AstroVal observatory. Among these packages, the Hôtel des Horlogers provides a limited number of tickets for one of the guided tours of the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet which is connected to the hotel by a didactic watchmaking path. The guided visit will introduce visitors to Audemars Piguet’s rich cultural heritage through a display of some 300 timepieces spanning over 150 years of history. Architecture lovers will also be able to admire the inside of the extraordinary glass pavilion designed by BIG.
As part of the hotel’s watchmaking packages, visitors can explore Audemars Piguet’s savoir-faire and cultural heritage at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, during a guided tour of the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet.
A HISTORICAL DESTINATION OF LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENCOUNTERS
The Hôtel des Horlogers builds on the history of the Hôtel de France, which was established in Le Brassus in 1857 and welcomed international visitors to the Vallée de Joux for over a century. The hotel became an important stop on the Chemin des Horlogers – the watchmaking route that connected the Vallée de Joux workshops to Geneva, where timepieces were sold by retailers. It was rebuilt in 1984 before welcoming numerous visitors till its closure in the year 2000.
In 2003, Audemars Piguet purchased and refurbished this local historical landmark, which opened its doors to a new generation of visitors in 2005 under the name of
the Hôtel des Horlogers. Then, willing to embark on a project more in line with the brand’s values and evolving ecological norms, Audemars Piguet closed the hotel in 2016 to better rethink its conception. The first stone of the new project was laid on June 4, 2018 and a few months later, it was awarded the Leisure Led Development Future Project Award at the World Architecture Festival.
After four years of work, the Hôtel des Horlogers is now ready to follow in its predecessors’ footsteps and welcome its new visitors to the Vallée de Joux Located on the same site as its predecessors, the new Hôtel des Horlogers perpetuates the long history that began in 1857 with the Hôtel de France – an important stop on the Chemin des Horlogers linking the workshops of the Vallée de Joux to Geneva.
HÔTEL DES HORLOGERS
IN A NUTSHELL
KEY FIGURES
Total usable interior surface area: Total gross floor surface area: Roof surface area:
Volume:
Number of rooms:
Number of hotel employees: Number of years of construction:
KEY DATES
First Hotel: Reconstruction:
Closure:
Purchase by Audemars Piguet: Inauguration of the Hôtel des Horlogers:
Closure of the hotel and start
of the new Hôtel des Horlogers project: Laying of the foundation stone:
“Leisure Led Development Future Project Award” at the World Architecture Festival: Soft Opening:
Grand Opening and Inauguration:
ADDRESS
Route de France 8 1348 Vallée de Joux Switzerland
RESERVATIONS
By phone: +41 21 845 08 45 By e-mail: welcome@hdh.swiss
Online: www.hoteldeshorlogers.com
5,870 m2 (rear 1,577 m2, front 4,292 m2)
8,715 m2
2,373 m2
28,111 m3
50 (31 Valley Guest Rooms, 7 Superior Guest Rooms,
7 Junior Suites, 3 Forest Suites, 2 Signature Suites)
54
4
Hôtel de France in 1857 1984
2000
2003
2005
2016
4 June 2018
30 November 2018
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About Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families (Audemars and Piguet). Based in Le Brassus since 1875, the company has nurtured generations of talented craftspeople who have continuously developed new skills and techniques, broadening their savoir-faire to set rule-breaking trends. In the Vallée de Joux, at the heart of the Swiss Jura, Audemars Piguet has created numerous masterpieces, testament to the Manufacture’s ancestral savoir-faire and forward-thinking spirit. Sharing its passion and savoir-faire with watch enthusiasts worldwide through the language of emotions, Audemars Piguet has established enriching exchanges among fields of creative practices and fostered an inspired community. Born in Le Brassus, raised around the world. — www.audemarspiguet.com
About the Hôtel des Horlogers
The Hôtel des Horlogers is located in the Vallée de Joux, on the Route de France 8, in Le Brassus, where it predecessors had been located since 1857. Designed by global architecture firm BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, who also imagined the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet, the building’s avant-garde architecture follows the topography of the Vallée de Joux thanks to zigzagging slabs progressively descending towards the meadow. Conceived so as to reduce its environmental impact, the Hôtel des Horlogers has implemented a holistic sustainable approach from the building development to its day-to-day operations. Perpetuating the heritage of the Hôtel de France, the Hôtel des Horlogers is intended as a meeting point for local and international watchmaking, architecture and nature lovers. The interior design imagined by architecture office AUM immerses visitors in the natural environment of the Vallée de Joux and invites them to take their time and enjoy life. The superior 4-star Boutique hotel encompasses 50 rooms, including 12 suites, two restaurants and a bar all entrusted to Emmanuel Renaut, a wellness centre and two conference rooms. Although the project was initiated and led by Audemars Piguet, the hotel is operated independently of the brand and welcomes all visitors alike. — www.hoteldeshorlogers.com
THE NEW HÔTEL DES HORLOGERS OPENS ITS DOORS IN THE VALLÉE DE JOUX
