The hotel was founded in 1834 : 7 generations of hoteliers and restaurateurs
Anne Cazes-Arazat le 18 Octobre 2017
The Inn was founded in 1834 by Jean Adrien Cazes and Elisabeth Malet.
In 1860, it was a post house, as seen by the stables which have now been converted into a house for me and my family. It would seem that the inn, and the farm linked to it, never ceased operations. In 1899, it was taken over by my great grandparents, Adrien Cazes and his wife Marie Carrié and gained an excellent reputation. I should point out the key part my great grandmother played: a war widow with two children, she never gave in and faced up to her destiny tirelessly, preserving and expanding the family heritage. It was she who took in the first Belgian refugees, thereby establishing friendly relations with the citizens of that country who are still a loyal driving force behind our business.
Rebuilt in 1927 by my grandfather, the hotel welcomed French troops who had not been captured and who were on their way to Africa to join in with the restructuring army. Jews and refugees of every background found refuge here as they were being driven out. The building then went on to be first requisitioned by the “chantiers de jeunesse“ youth corps in 1942 and then by the German troops in 1944. It eventually became the HQ of the 1 st Aveyron Battalion. The post-war years were not easy as the hotel had been seriously damaged by all the requisitioning. My grandfather became ill in 1945 and was unable to take on the restoration work. It was not until 1960, the year my parents André Cazes and Renée Clauzel got married, that the hope of a fresh start emerged and was materialized by major work in 1962.This work marked the beginning of a new period.
Up until 1997, my parents, both passionate about their profession, turned this place into a simple yet renowned establishment, not only because of my mother’s carefully prepared traditional cooking, but also my father’s warm welcome. We are proud to be a part of the “Logis” group since the 80’s and to apply their charter which honors the criteria to which we adhere entirely. In 1997/1998, when I took over, there was a need to renovate. Work to modernize was completed in 2002. It was a complete renovation of the building including work in the kitchen, bedrooms, bar and installation of the lift….In January 2003, the hotel gained 2 stars.
My father passed away in December 2002. My husband Patrice Arazat trained to become a chef in 2004. My husband’s manual capabilities and the precious help of my mother allowed us to do work each winter since 2014. All the bedrooms were renovated (floor, walls, furniture tailored for each room, bedding) as well as the structure and arrangement of the bathrooms. Thanks to all this work we were able to gain 3 stars in hotel ranking in 2016 which was renewed for 2023.
I’d like to thank this 5th generation and specifically my mother who has always been present to develop the company, and was able to adapt to the expectations of the clientele with 54 years spent in the kitchen. Until the age of 82, she was the face of the establishment, always happy to welcome our guests. Mom passed away this past November 17th, 2022.
Always with the desire to satisfy the customer and to keep our motivation, we continuously try to vary our menu where we showcase yesterday and today’s recipes. Now more than ever we work with local producers and fresh produce - elevated by our cooks. We received the title of ‘ Maitre Restaurateur’ (Master chef) in 2010, renewed every 4 years since. This year, it’s the ‘Label Artisan du gôut’ (artisan of taste) that we received for 2 years, to be renewed. In 2003 I continued to add to the hotel’s story that my father had previously written. The story continues… with our youngest son, Florent who is part of the 7th generation- he gained a college qualification in Hospitality Management (Lycée hôtelier de Saint Chély d’Apcher ) and joined us in 2016. He had previously done internships in France and abroad; bringing a breath of fresh air with him and constantly questioning ways in which we can improve the quality of what we do.
The chapter is not over yet: we have projects ahead (solar panels, entire renovation of the bar and reception space) and hope that the year 2023 and the years that follow will allow us to continue to maintain the values that we respect and follow; in this house filled with our history that we love so much.
Anne Cazes Arazat, December 9th 2022.
