The Grand Hôtel du Markstein, which became the first 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 fruition.
The idea was to build a luxury hotel, the famous Grand-Hôtel, as well as a second establishment, the Hôtel Belle-Vue, with the aim of attracting a posh 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 extending from 1927 to 1930. These establishments were to become emblematic landmarks of the region, offering luxury and comfort to visitors seeking an escape to the magnificent mountainous landscapes of the Vosges.
The eventful history of the Grand Hôtel du Markstein continues with its acquisition by the Caisse de Retraite d'Alsace-Lorraine, which operated it sporadically. Subsequently, the hotel was taken over by the German army during the Second World War. After the end of hostilities, the Caisse de Retraite d'Alsace-Lorraine merged with the SNCF, and the hotel was transformed into a colony for apprentices, but this venture was not successful, and the hotel was abandoned again.
In 1950, a shelter called ABRI was created in the hotel premises to allow tourists to eat. However, this operation did not prove profitable, and the ABRI was closed for many years. Around 1960, the Tourism and Work Association, under the aegis of the CGT, bought the Grand Hotel with the aim of creating a Popular Holiday Center. Despite the increase in capacity to 300 beds, the dilapidated facilities made it difficult to operate this Center, which eventually collapsed.
Faced with this situation, the association created an SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) with the collaboration of several Works Councils, some of which were of large national scope, such as Air France. An ambitious modernization plan was put in place, including the construction of an indoor swimming pool. The objective of the SCI was to transform the Grand Hôtel into a center halfway between a hotel and a holiday village, offering 375 beds, comfortable rooms, a restaurant, a bar, as well as entertainment, conference and relaxation rooms, in addition to a cross-country ski school.
After its inauguration in May 1972, the LES CRETES Holiday Village enjoyed a prosperous decade, marked by a young and dynamic team and a 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 loss-making.
Several factors contributed to this situation, including the failure of insurance companies to continue investments and the public's disaffection with social tourism. In addition, management errors were made, particularly with the loss of audience of the CGT, the main supplier of TOURISME ET TRAVAIL, which was transformed into TOURISTA, a company managed by a CEO.
Despite a full occupancy rate in July-August 1987, the necessary investments to bring the establishment up to safety standards were not made, which led to the decision by the Regional Safety Commission to effectively close LES CRETES on June 19, 1994.
The revival project, requiring significant investment from public authorities and co-owners, unfortunately did not come to fruition. As a result, the hotel was bought by a real estate developer from Mulhouse, who plans to transform it into leisure residence-type apartments.
