Passing on the torch: same story, new chapter
When the two couples met, a friendship immediately took hold. Both families are native to Passy and passionate about the mountains and the ‘art de vivre’ that resonates so naturally here. To be able to pass on a lifetime’s work with serenity and peace of mind, something has to click – that human spark that makes you say, “Yes, they’re the ones!”
Meet Audrey and Guillaume Gaignard, a delightful couple with two young sons.
As luck would have it, they live 300 metres from Les Greniers du Mont-Blanc. Both in their personal and working lives, Audrey and Guillaume complement each other to a tee, much like two sides of a coin. She has 20 years’ experience in high-end hospitality and catering, including 14 years working with Chef Emmanuel Renaut at the renowned Relais & Châteaux Flocons de Sel in Megève. With her welcoming manner, sense of service and attention to detail, alongside her administrative and event management skills, Audrey has a good many strings to her bow, in addition to her engaging, sunny personality. Guillaume, a general renovation contractor, is a formidable jack-of-all-trades, trained in masonry, tiling, electricity, plumbing, carpentry, painting, and a multitude of other very practical, technical skills.
When they first visited Les Greniers du Mont-Blanc, it was love at first sight. “We were completely bowled over when we stumbled upon Les Greniers. We weren’t expecting to find a self-sufficient micro-village with so many chalets. With its calm atmosphere, stunning views and peaceful surroundings, we felt as if we were at the very edge of the world.” This little world is now theirs, a lifelong project of which their children are also excited to be a part. Determined to honour the labour of love carried out over the past 25 years by Victoria and Alain Smeyers, Audrey and Guillaume will be injecting a renewed sense of vitality and passion into the project. And while a new chapter is beginning, the underlying ethos remains the same: an authentic destination in which to breathe in the fresh mountain air under the watchful gaze of Mont Blanc, while making Haute-Savoie your home from home.