What is La Folie Douce?
"Cuisine, mountains, music ... These three elements gave me the idea of an outdoor clubbing that existed in summer - at Lío, in Ibiza - but not in winter" : it is in these terms that Luc Reversade described the DNA of Sweet Madness in an interview with Figaro Magazine , in January 2019. This former ski instructor opened in 1981 in Val d'Isère a refuge without running water. In the late 1990s, he decided to make the place more festive by adding a bar and outdoor music. It is the beginning of Sweet Madness.
»Also read - Paradiski: new packages, unmissable slopes… our guide
Combining a bar, restaurant and dance floor, the company's eight establishments now attract 200,000 people a year. In terms of catering, the emphasis is on eating locally. Three concepts are offered: La Fruitière (local dishes), La Petite Cuisine ("chic canteen") and Le Butcher (snacking). As for clubbing, DJ sets of electronic music are provided each afternoon until the tracks are closed. Air ballets and concerts are also organized regularly. All on an outdoor terrace where you are surprised to dance on the tables in shoes and ski suit.
La Folie Douce in eight establishments
La Folie Douce is located in seven ski resorts in the Northern Alps. The first establishment opened in Val d'Isère in 1980, the last in Arc 1800 in December 2019. Since the opening of its second site in 2009 in Val Thorens, the company has been franchised and is growing at a steady pace : Méribel (2012), Alpe d'Huez (2013), Megève / Saint-Gervais (2014) and Avoriaz (2018).
»To read - Paradiski: new packages, legendary or unmissable slopes ... our guide
In addition to these seven addresses, the brand has a hotel in Chamonix, opened in 2018 in the former Club Med (250 rooms). Another establishment is announced at the end of 2020 in Serre-Chevalier (Hautes-Alpes). With 1,500 beds, it will position itself as a hotel, youth hostel and tourist residence. A third building is under construction in Verbier, Switzerland. It will be the first establishment outside France.
Reasons for almost 40 years of success
The last establishment was inaugurated in December 2019 at Arc 1800. La Folie Douce
From a small family business, Folie Douce has therefore turned into a successful business. The brand claims to employ more than 700 people each season. Families or friends, young or old, French or foreign ... The place appeals to all customers. And not only skiers: except in Saint-Gervais, all the sites are indeed accessible to pedestrians by the ski lifts. “In times of crisis, there has always been a desire to let go, to party. Our clientele is popular and diverse, ” said Luc Reversade in an interview with Figaro Magazine . Little by little, La Folie Douce has extended its field of action, far from the mountains. Regularly, DJs from La Folie Douce take over unlikely places for an evening, such as a Nancy shopping center on Wednesday, February 12. What make us love winter.
»To read - Snowflake, star or chamois ... Are you good at winter sports?