history
history
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A family journey
guided by a passion for place

The story begins in 1956, on the tree-lined shores of Lake Annecy. A visionary maternal grandfather carries out his first real estate and hospitality ventures there. From the very start, one conviction takes hold: a place is not transformed, it is understood. Reading the landscape, the light, and the ways of living always comes before the act of building. This instinctive relationship with place lays the foundations of a family journey guided by respect, longevity, and the rightness of each decision. 

In the 1970s, Marie-Josée and François VALLAT extend this path. Still centered around this emblematic lake, they develop the first architect-designed villas. The architectural language becomes more defined. Volumes engage in dialogue with the water, lines anchor themselves in the terrain, and uses are conceived to endure. The DNA naturally asserts itself: builders, brokers, hoteliers. A holistic approach to place, where creating, passing on, and operating form a coherent whole. 

Very early on, the value of a place is measured by what it makes us feel. By the quality of the light, the balance of volumes, and the way we live there, gather there, and project ourselves into the future. This sensitive standard runs through generations. It underpins an approach that is attentive to ways of living, landscapes, and the passage of time.

A decisive turning point
in 1996 with the arrival of Joffray VALLAT

A new generation steps forward, carrying this culture of place to an even higher level of standards. Intuition becomes method, experience becomes vision. Expertise is structured, territories expand, without ever breaking the original thread. What we now call THPE – Very High Emotional Performance – is not claimed; it is lived. It asserts itself through evidence and guides every decision, anchoring each project in the long term.

Territories of excellence, chosen with exacting standards

Over the decades, the story has been passed on and enriched. Generations follow one another, each bringing its own perspective, energy, and ability to anticipate—without ever breaking the thread. The first territories of expression naturally take root in the Alps, where the mountains become a demanding and inspiring field of excellence: Courchevel, Méribel, Megève, Val d’Isère. 

These places call for a refined reading of the landscape, its balances, and its rhythms. Each location must be earned. Each project carries a particular responsibility. 

Under the leadership of Joffray VALLAT, a new dimension emerges. Driven by a clear vision and a carefully measured ambition, the Maison scales up while remaining faithful to its DNA. The trajectory then opens toward new territories of exception: Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Saint-Barthélemy. Iconic destinations, chosen for their singularity and their ability to host an art of living rooted in precision, elegance, and attention to detail.

A holistic vision, anchored in the long term

The expertise of La Maison VALLAT is structured around a holistic approach, encompassing the entire life cycle of properties: revealing locations, designing places, enhancing value, managing, and passing them on. This organization makes it possible to approach each place in all its dimensions—both emotional and patrimonial. 

Today, this trajectory is reflected as much in the quality of the places as in the scale of the group. 

More than 11,538 completed transactions bear witness to a trust built over time. 
A portfolio under management valued at €14.5 billion reflects a strong and sustainable heritage vision. 

Added to this are 1707 properties delivered, 352 properties fitted out, and 14,512 beds under management. 
Beyond the figures, what matters most remains intangible. Each place is approached as a singular story. Each property is rooted in its environment, respects its landscape, and preserves its identity. Innovation supports meaning, with discretion and balance. 

Even today, the guiding principle remains unchanged: to pass on rather than possess, to design places meant to endure, and to accompany lives rather than transactions.