Our History
The Les Catrems building was constructed at theOrcières Merlette ski resort in the 1960s.
At the time, it was called the Hôtel Les Estaris, one of the resort’s very first hotels, and in 1968 it hosted the Pierre Cardin fashion show, followed by the Tour de France on July 8, 1971, when Luis Ocaña pulled ahead of Eddy Merckx by nearly nine minutes at Orcières-Merlette.
The current owners, Paul and Hélène Mathieu, have been running the establishment for more than 30 years.
They have devoted their lives to their hotels, from the construction of the Montagnou in 1986 to the renovation and transformation of the former Les Estaris hotel, now known as Les Catrems.
At over 85 years old, Paul is still running his hotel; his guests affectionately call him “Grandpa Manager.”
The Catrems: A Family Story
You could put it that way… Paul et Hélène ont trois enfants, Mélanie, Maxime et Marcel Mathieu, d’où le nom « 4M », gentiment et discrètement transformé en « Les Catrems ».
Behind every stone and every decorative item lies a favorite item chosen by one of the children or parents.
Here, family stories intertwine with those of our guests: a father and his sons—ski instructors who are passionate about the mountains; a daughter who loves flowers and happily helps decorate the hotel; a mother who takes it all in stride with a smile…