The Grand Hôtel du Markstein, which became the leading ski resort in the Vosges in the post-war years (1914-1948), has a fascinating history. It was thanks to the initiative of Mr. Adolphe Schlumberger, an industrialist from Guebwiller, that this ambitious project came to life.
The idea was to build a luxury hotel, the famous Grand-Hôtel, as well as a second establishment, the Hôtel Belle-Vue, with the goal of attracting an upscale clientele and competing with world-renowned palaces such as those in Chamonix and St. Moritz in Switzerland.
The construction of these hotels was a monumental task, carried out with pickaxes and shovels, over a period from 1927 to 1930. These establishments would become iconic landmarks of the region, offering luxury and comfort to visitors seeking escape in the magnificent mountain landscapes of the Vosges.
The eventful history of the Grand Hôtel du Markstein continued with its purchase by the Alsace-Lorraine Pension Fund, which operated it sporadically. Later, the hotel was occupied by the German army during World War II. After the end of hostilities, the Alsace-Lorraine Pension Fund merged with the SNCF, and the hotel was converted into a training camp for apprentices, but this venture was unsuccessful, and the hotel was abandoned again.
In 1950, a shelter called ABRI was created within the hotel premises to allow tourists to dine. However, this operation proved unprofitable, and the ABRI was closed for many years. Around 1960, the Tourism and Work Association, under the aegis of the CGT, bought the Grand Hôtel with the aim of creating a Popular Vacation Center. Despite increasing the capacity to 300 beds, the outdated facilities made it difficult to operate this center, which eventually declined.
Faced with this situation, the association created a real estate company (SCI) in collaboration with several Works Councils, some of which were nationally significant, such as Air France. An ambitious modernization plan was implemented, including the construction of an indoor swimming pool. The SCI’s goal was to transform the Grand Hôtel into a center halfway between a hotel and a holiday village, offering 375 beds, fully equipped rooms, a restaurant, a bar, as well as activity rooms, conference and relaxation rooms, plus a cross-country ski school.
After its inauguration in May 1972, the LES CRETES Holiday Village experienced a prosperous decade, marked by a young and dynamic team and regional management integrating the village into an ecological and social context. Between 1973 and 1985, the hotel welcomed between 800 and 1000 young people and retirees each year, but unfortunately, the operation was running at a loss.
Several factors contributed to this situation, including insurance failures to continue investments and the public’s declining interest in social tourism. Additionally, management errors were made, notably with the loss of audience by the CGT, the main provider of TOURISME ET TRAVAIL, which was transformed into TOURISTA, a company managed by a CEO.
Despite full occupancy in July-August 1987, the necessary investments to bring the establishment up to safety standards were not made, leading to the Regional Safety Commission’s decision to effectively close LES CRETES on June 19, 1994.
The revival project, which required significant investments from public authorities and co-owners, unfortunately did not succeed. As a result, the hotel was purchased by a real estate developer from Mulhouse, who plans to convert it into holiday residence apartments.
