Before the hotel
The village of Huez already existed in the Middle Ages. Through the centuries, people lived from farming and cattle breeding. In the 18th century came the time of peddling, when inhabitants left in winter to trade; each village had its speciality, and for Huez it was eyeglasses.
The development of tourism and the beginning of winter sports changed everything in the first half of the 20th century. The buildings on the Huez mountain pasture were grouped in what is today called the Vieil Alpe, below the tourist office. These barns were occupied in summer when the farmers of Huez took their herds up to the pasture. Only one barn stood apart, much higher on the plateau.
From the early days of skiing to the purchase of the chalet
1923 — On the site of the present hotel, this barn was known as the Giraud barn, or Cognet chalet after the name of the place. The Touring Club de France leased the building, owned by one Félicien Bory — namesake of the current owners. The aim was to welcome the few skiers beginning to frequent the mountain, mainly from Grenoble and Lyon, who practised ski touring; the main destination was the climb to Lac Blanc, at what is now the top of the DMC at 2,700 metres.
1928 — The Touring Club de France bought the property. The caretaker was a medical student in need of fresh air, but the solitude due to low attendance made him hand back the keys.
1930 — The local TCF representative was Doctor Faure, mayor and general councillor of Bourg d’Oisans. He offered Maurice Rajon, grandfather of the current owner, the chance to run the TCF chalet. Maurice had run the canteen of the Herpie anthracite mine at 2,300 metres in 1921, and had bought the Café du Château in Vizille.
1931 — After a first winter, Maurice Rajon undertook major modernisation work with the TCF’s agreement: masonry, timber framing for two 20-bed dormitories and three small rooms, tapping the Font Pouillon spring, and waste water drainage.
1933 — Electricity was installed. That same year, Maurice built a new hotel, “Bel Alpe”, above the Vieil Alpe. For the winter of 1933-34 he entrusted the management of the “Cognet” to a cousin from Allemont, Clovis Chanoux, who named the refuge “Hôtel Le Dôme” after the Dôme des Rousses.
1935 — Maurice Rajon bought the chalet and the property from the Touring Club de France. The first two ski lifts appeared, Lac Blanc and Éclose, the latter worked on by a young engineer named Pomagalski, founder of the world-famous company.
Managers and rebuildings
1942 — Management passed from Clovis Chanoux to two couples from Huez: Emma and Féréol Sarret, and their brother-in-law Alexandre Giraud. They stayed until 1946.
1946 — Georges Rajon, Maurice’s eldest son, moved in with his young wife Renée.
1950 — Georges built the Christina; his brother-in-law Gaby Guiguet and his wife Hélène ran Le Dôme for the winter of 1950-51.
1951 — Madeleine, Maurice Rajon’s youngest daughter, took over with her husband Maurice Bory. They also operated the Signal ski lift until 1956.
1952 — Management by Mrs Driay, sister of Jean Le Boucher, until 1956.
1956 — Construction of a new 27-room hotel on the same site.
1962 — Extension of a wing on the north side.
The Dôme of today
1973 — Demolition on 1 May and, over the summer, construction of the present Dôme, opening on 22 December 1973. Designed by the architect Jean Le Boucher. The hotel restaurant, called “Le Grand Tétras”, was then on the top floor.
1994 — Madeleine and Maurice Bory handed over; the hotel was then run by two of their three children, Patrick and Jacques.
1997 — The Grand Tétras closed and was converted into apartments; the restaurant moved to the ground floor, in place of the “Le Denver” snack bar. Since then Jacques, supported by Lili, has had the pleasure of welcoming you, continuing the adventure. Perhaps their son Guillaume, born in 1996, will become a hotelier too.
Jacques Bory, August 2009
