Piloting his helicopter over the Combe de Savoie one day in 1994, Raymond Prévot’s eye was caught by a château that was obviously abandoned. Having located it in the area of Coise Saint-Jean, he set about finding more information about the property, learning that it was the Château de la Tour du Puits which belonged to the Alexandry d’Orengiani family.

He decided to buy it and transform it into a hotel, which he opened at the beginning of the summer in 1995. Part of the Châteaux et Hôtels Collection, the property was built in the 18^th C and is located about 30 km away from Chambéry in a stunning setting that includes the Belledonne mountains to the south, the Chartreuse to the west and the Bauges to the north! And as if the natural environment was not enough, it also boasts seven hectares of grounds which offer real peace and quiet just ten minutes away from some of the largest ski resorts in the Savoie…

This is a relatively small château, covering a ground area of just 150 m² and with three and a half floors, explains Raymond Prévot. It offers seven rooms, a 30-cover restaurant under the direction of chef Armand Dunand-Sauthier, former pupil of Marc Veyrat, Jacques Lameloise and Jean-François Piège, a banqueting hall for 150 people which can be used for seminars, an outdoor swimming pool, a sauna in the mazot and an open-air jacuzzi. The latter operates year round, with clients able to enjoy the warmth of a fur wrap in the winter months!

La Tour du Puits specialises in holding board meetings, upmarket seminars and product launches and can also offer its clients a range of interesting activities to complement their events. A cycling enthusiast, Raymond Prévot has set up a series of bike trips in the company of young competitors from Chambéry’s cycle team AG2R.

The cycle courses can be tailored to match either beginners or more experienced cyclists, confirms Raymond Prévot. There’s a choice of eight itineraries of between 30 and 142 km. Bike hire works out at 25 € and there is a 75 € fee per participant, added to which is the cost of a support vehicle (150 €) and mechanic (100 € per four hours). The cycle trips can also be escorted by former champion Christophe who won one of the Tour de France stages in 2000 – including support vehicle, this costs around 600 €. We also offer our clients the possibility of a lecture by Éric Bouvat, who is a sports injury specialist, as well as snow-shoe outings in the Bauges or the choice of various activities offered by event organiser Yves Degravel.

And for those wishing to really treat their guests, there is the chance to take a helicopter flight. Hélijet, one of Raymond Prévot’s other business concerns, owns two helicopters, one with three seats and the other with five. A ten minute flight over the Combe de Savoie costs 40 € per client. And the hour and a half flight over Mont Blanc costs 260 €.

Château de la Tour du Puits, which hosts a number of financial meetings, is definitely worth checking out. Its basic seminar rate, inclusive of accommodation, lunch, dinner, room hire, refreshment breaks and breakfast works out at 225 € for double occupancy and 300 € for single occupancy. It is worth noting that accommodation can also be found at the eight-room Château des Allues, just 5 km away. Room hire alone is 150 € for half a day and 200 € for the day. But the best package is exclusive use of the property which costs 1000 € for a day (8.30 am to 6.30 pm) not including accommodation or 2300 € inclusive of the rooms.