Family stories

Whether they are cheese makers, shopkeepers or restaurateurs, they all have one thing in common: they are living witnesses to the heritage of Peisey-Vallandry. Discover these privileged actors of the destination, who have been writing the history of your destination for several generations.
  • Famille Pocard	 - © Elliot Gieu
The Poccard family 

Born in 2006 from the union of the GAECs of Croix-Bozon (Scalia family) and Vallon des Rossets (Poccard family), the GAEC Alpin de Peisey-Vallandry is the witness of a unique family adventure, which has lasted over time. The structure is now composed of 5 partners from both families: Pierre Poccard, Clément Poccard, Anaïs Poccard, Catherine Scalia and Jérôme Scalia. Pierre and Catherine are brother and sister. Clément and Anaïs are the first two children of Pierre and Anne-Sophie Poccard and Jérôme is the son of Catherine and Serge Scalia. Catherine married Serge Scalia, hence the fact that the two GAECs have come together. They are therefore one and the same family and are currently the 4th generation of cheese makers/alpacists.

Alpine Beaufort cheese:

A local specificity, Beaufort d'Alpage is produced at a minimum altitude of 1500m, with milk from a single herd and made immediately after milking, i.e. twice a day.
The Poccard family's first ascents to the mountain pastures date back to 1918 and the GAEC is one of the 17 manufacturers of mountain beaufort. The family's mountain pasture is located between 2000 and 2600m altitude and the family stays in the mountain pasture 110 days a year.
 
Family portrait :

 Pierre Poccard is a former ski instructor. He has always been passionate about the world of agriculture, so it was with great pleasure that he joined the GAEC Alpin with his father, his mother, his sister and his brother-in-law. Pierre is the mediator of the GAEC Alpin and the one with the most experience. His role today is to pass on his knowledge. He masters cheese making to perfection, as well as genetics, which he studies very closely. His greatest pride is to pass on his passion to his children. The farm will therefore remain in good hands.
Clément Poccard has only had one idea in mind since he was very young: to be part of the GAEC Alpin. His wish has now been granted. He is interested in all aspects of his job but what he likes most is making Beaufort cheese with his father in the summer in the mountain pastures. In winter, he is a cheese groomer and he is also a great fan of downhill skiing. His other devouring passion is bells, preferably Chamonix bells, which he does not fail to put on his cows in summer.  

Anaïs Poccard is the latest to join the GAEC (2021). She is certainly the most passionate of all! Not a day goes by without her going to the farm. After studying agriculture, it was obvious for her to join her family in the GAEC. What makes her special: like her brother, she is passionate about bells and loves to take part in various agricultural competitions.  
Catherine Scalia has taken over the "Crèmerie Chez Marthe" in Peisey. The crèmerie bears the name of her mother, who was behind its creation. It is the local cheese shop where you can find all the cheeses (raclette, Savoy tomme, Beaufort, yoghurts, goat's cheese, etc.) made by the GAEC Alpin, but not only! Since 2019, a GIE grouping 2 other GAECs has indeed been created in order to mutualise the production of cheese and to allow the marketing of local cheese in a short circuit.  
 
After studying agriculture, and more specifically machinery, Jérôme Scalia mainly focuses on the technical side of the farm. Whenever there is a problem with a machine, he is there to solve it. In addition, he takes care of the hay in the summer and, recently, Pierre has passed on his knowledge of cheese making to him. He is therefore the third person capable of making cheese within the GAEC Alpin and the GIE la Fromagerie de Peisey.
  • Noz Sport - Sport 2000	 - © Elliot Gieu
Noz Sports - Sport 2000

Philippe and Stéphanie Noz are the two current managers of the Noz Sports - Sport 2000 shop in Peisey-Vallandry. Our two hosts proudly invite you to discover their unique family history.

The adventure began in 1965 when Yvon and Suzanne Noz, the parents of Philippe and Stéphanie, embarked on a crazy project. Yvon, originally from Landry, and Suzanne, originally from Peisey, decided to open a bar with a ski shop on the ground floor in Peisey-Vallandry. The Ski Bar was born! This friendly bar welcomed holidaymakers, ski instructors and anyone else who wanted to meet in a convivial place to have a drink after a day's skiing and hire ski equipment!

Motivated by the success of their first business, Yvon and Suzanne continued to build on their success and in 1974 began a new and equally innovative project: the construction of a hut offering customers the chance to hire and sell mountain equipment. This hut was an emblem of the destination, especially as it was adjacent to the oldest restaurant in Peisey-Vallandry: Chez Félix, a real institution at the time.

Ten years later, in 1984, Philippe Noz joined the family business and passionately took over the ski equipment sales and rental activity initiated by his parents. Five years later, Philippe and Stéphanie continued to develop their business by buying the shop located in the Peisey-Vallandry shopping centre. From 1989 to 2003, the Noz children, worthy heirs of their parents, managed two ski and mountain equipment shops in Peisey-Vallandry.  Finally, the last Noz Sports - Sport 2000 shop was built in the destination in 2009.  To sum up, the Noz family has shared a passion for the mountains for sixty years.
  • Intersport	 - © Elliot Gieu
Intersport

To understand the history of the Intersport and Sherpa shops, you have to go back 70 years to the pioneering spirit of the Collin family in Peisey-Nancroix. At the time, the family ran a small grocery shop in the village of Peisey under the name of Maison Savoyarde.  In 1948, Octave, Gérard's father, and his brother Roger Collin, former mayor of Peisey, worked to develop tourism in the valley by building an innovative facility that would mark the history of the destination: the first single-seater chairlift, "Le Lonzagne", equipped with a T-shaped pole with a winder, linking Peisey to Plan Peisey. After Octave's death, the year the equipment was inaugurated, the family continued the food trade and gradually introduced the sports shop business. Louis Glatigny, Annie, Gérard's wife, and later Jean-Yves Richermoz, actively participated in the development of the family business. A small fondue restaurant and music bar called l'Ecurie was added to the Peisey shop. New separate outlets were then opened in Nancroix, Plan Peisey and Vallandry, and over the years they took on the names Sherpa and Intersport.

Gérard, although now retired, has kept his passion for Peisey-Vallandry intact. He was very involved in the development of the area. Indeed, in addition to his activity as a shopkeeper, he was president of the Tourist Office and the Sivom, mayor of Peisey, founding member of the folklore group Les Cordettes and ski instructor.  
Delphine took over from her father with Jean-Yves of Intersport. The Sherpa business was taken over by Fred Mauduis, current president of the Peisey-Vallandry Tourist Office.

Delphine's projects are numerous: renovation of the Vallandry shop for Christmas 2022 and the launch of a new shop in the future Plan Peisey shopping centre "Les Cristaux Blancs". For her, the key words of the brand, which she manages with pride, are passion and family transmission. 
  • Col du palet	 - © Elliot Gieu
Col du Palet

The Col du Palet is a true family history that dates back to 1904! This former cartwright's workshop was transformed into a bar-restaurant almost 120 years ago by the great-grandfather of the current manager! The cartwrighting activity consists of the manufacture of carts. This is why one of the doors of the establishment is at an angle: this shape was necessary to be able to take the carts out of the workshop. In 1921, rooms were added to make a hotel, initially named "Hôtel de la Gare" because of its proximity to the Landry railway station. It was not until the end of the 1930s that the hotel took on its current name "Col du Palet". The hotel has now been transformed and only offers furnished flats for rent. To differentiate the accommodation part from the restaurant part, the former is now called "Le Chardon Bleu". Built by Joseph Romanet (great-grandfather) in 1904, the establishment is now run by his great-granddaughter Bénédicte Romanet, who herself took over from her father Charles Romanet and her grandfather Théophile Romanet. It is therefore a beautiful family story that continues... Like the traditional recipes, the restaurant has been passed down through the generations without ever getting old. The Col du Palet offers a generous and traditional family cuisine.
  • Blanche murée	 - © Elliot Gieu
Blanche Murée

Blanche Murée is above all a family dream! A former mountain pasture, the family building was transformed into a high-altitude restaurant in 1993 on the initiative of two brothers (Claude and Thierry Buthod) and their cousin (Albert Garçon). After 28 years of loyal service, the Buthod-Garçon family decided to hand over the apron... or rather to hand it over to their nephew Melvyn Marchand-Maillet! Trained in the best restaurants in the Alps and already manager of a restaurant in Annecy, Melvyn has a solid experience in the restaurant business and is undoubtedly up to the task of taking over this institution in Peisey-Vallandry. Although Melvyn has preserved the warm and friendly atmosphere of the place, he has also added his own personal touch, starting with the creation of a snack bar that is accessible on skis! He also proposes a new traditional menu where regulars will be delighted to find the famous tartiflette, Blanche Murée's must-try dish. And to keep the festive spirit of the restaurant alive, Melvyn calls on DJs from time to time to liven up his large terrace discreetly nestled in the heart of the forest named... Blanche Murée!
  •  - © Office de tourisme de Peisey Vallandry
Chez Félix 

The first restaurant in Peisey-Vallandry! Built in 1965, the Chez Félix restaurant, located on Plan Peisey, was originally just a small wooden hut that sold crêpes. And not just any crêpes! Only sugar crepes (0.80 franc) or Grand Marnier crepes (1.20 franc). Given the success of the winter, the following summer, in 1966, Félix Blanc decided to open another creperie Chez Félix in Rosuel, the first restaurant located at the gateway to the Vanoise National Park. There are now two Chez Félix restaurants in Peisey-Vallandry. After 33 years behind his crepe maker, Félix handed over the apron to his son Yannick Blanc in 1998. He is now the owner and manager of Chez Félix in Plan Peisey and, since 2015, has left the management of Chez Félix in Rosuel to his son Marvin Blanc. His daughter Mathilde Blanc has been working alongside her father for the past 10 years and hopes to one day take over the restaurant in Plan Peisey. As both Mathilde and Marvin have children, the future of the restaurant is definitely assured...