La Villa du Lac in Divonne consists of a hotel and hotel-residence complex, making it a business tourism Mecca in the Pays de Gex region. It is popular as a seminar venue with both multinational companies and international institutions based in Geneva and the Vaud canton.
Part of the Marseille-based Vacances Bleues group, La Villa du Lac opened its doors in July 2006 and quickly became one of the main business tourism players in the Pays de Gex area. It is worth noting that both Geneva and the airport are just a few minutes away, with the Franco-Swiss border skirting the Lac de Divonne, on the shores of which sits the Villa du Lac. Its location virtually guarantees the hotel year-round business from the various multinational companies and international institutions that are based in the vicinity of Geneva or Lausanne.
The majority of the Villa du Lac’s seminar and incentive business comes from these “Swiss” companies, way ahead of Paris and Lyon-based firms.
Consisting of an 88-room 3* hotel and 4* hotel-residence with 95 apartments, La Villa du Lac also boasts a restaurant with 125 covers (capacity should be doubled in the near future), a 600 m2 spa centre, a steam room, jacuzzi, spa bath and treatment rooms, an indoor pool and eight rooms and salons. The largest of these measures 200 m2 and can take up to 100 people.
“We can also call on the Esplanade du Lac, just 400 m away from the hotel,” details Stéphane Cateux, its director. “It’s a conference centre that has a large meeting room with space for up to 500 people plus two other rooms, 180 and 140 m2 respectively, which offers the possibility of organising large-scale events. Delegates can be accommodated at the Villa du Lac and we can also take care of any refreshment breaks”.
Due to its location close to the Jura mountains and to the area around Lake Geneva, La Villa du Lac is also developing a range of incentive activities in conjunction with the Geneva-based events agency Team Way. During the winter, activities will include skiing in Monts Jura or Saint-Cergues, snow shoe outings, dog sledding, various challenge events or igloo building. In the summer, there will be sailing regattas on Lake Geneva, themed evenings or outdoor activities.
“Seminars booked with us usually last about two and a half days on average, involving between 20 and 50 participants,” adds Stéphane Cateux. “Swiss-based American companies alone make up 50% of our seminar business, generally organising events up to mid-July and from 15th August onwards. That said, we’re noticing increasing numbers of last-minute bookings and we’re experiencing a dip in requests for the early part of 2012. This reflects the downturn in our clients’ business throughout Europe, unproductivity in the USA and growth in Asia”.
Villa du Lac, in Divonne les Bains (Ain)
00 33 (0)4 50 20 90 00
http://www.lavilladulac.com/index_uk.php
Rates : a day’s work session costs 64 € (inc VAT), semi-residential seminar on single basis is 173 € and double is 132 € per person. For a residential seminar, prices go from 147 € per person for a double to 188 € for a single.
