CARCASSONNE TOURISM: DISCOVER HISTORY AND RELAXATION AT HOTEL L’OCTROI

First, a couple!

Cécile : Stéphane and I met in high school, when we were about fifteen. We’re very complementary, both in our characters and in our goals. I like meeting people, traveling, discovering other ways of life to enrich my own. During our studies and school vacations, we worked at the Hôtel des Lices in Saint-Tropez, which Stéphane’s aunt and uncle have been running for fifty years now. It was there that we learned the basics of the business: welcoming customers, paying attention to every detail of their comfort, listening to them and anticipating their needs. We quickly realized that this was the path for us.

Stéphane : At the outset, I was fascinated by the vineyard, its operations and its products. My grandparents and parents passed on to me a love of this painstaking, patient work. But I soon realized that another path might be better suited to me. Skilled with my hands and attracted by construction, I led a number of building projects in my youth that enabled me to discover the building trades. When I embark on a project, I aim for excellence: I’m demanding, first and foremost of myself, but also of the teams around me.
That’s how the hotel business came about naturally, by combining the management of transformation and renovation projects with a global vision of the place to be brought to life. What’s more, Cécile and I wanted to build something together. In this business, success often depends on the complementary nature of the couple – which was obvious to us.

Our passion

Cécile:Above all, we are builders. What drives us is to undertake, to create, to constantly innovate in order to offer our customers a sincere welcome, refined comfort and services designed for their well-being. Our business is above all one of shared pleasure: to please, by fine-tuning every detail with attention and exacting standards.

Stéphane : We’ve always wanted to stand out from standardized hotel chains, where the welcome lacks soul and uniqueness. What we’re looking for is to be close to our guests, to exchange ideas and understand their needs, so we can offer them a tailor-made experience. We see our guests as an extension of our family. They need to feel at home, in a room that’s just like them.

Our beginnings :

Stéphane : It all started with a modest establishment at the foot of the Cité de Carcassonne. It was simple, a little outdated, and no longer met the expectations of customers looking for comfort and charm. Barely 28 years old, Cécile and I decided to embark on an adventure: transforming it into a 4-star hotel, worthy of the exceptional site that surrounds it.

Cécile : Everything had to be redesigned: the layout, the volumes, the decoration, the services… We completely rethought the reception areas, with the aim of creating a place that combines authenticity and modernity. An apartment was quickly set up in the basement so that we could live on site and devote ourselves 100% to the project.
At that time, we took on all the roles: receptionists, decorators, night watchmen, waiters, workers, maintenance staff… A total immersion, demanding but exciting, which laid the foundations for everything we built afterwards.

Opportunity-driven development

Cécile : An unexpected opportunity presented itself: within the space of four months, we managed to acquire four houses adjacent to the Hôtel de l’Octroi. It was the perfect opportunity to enlarge the hotel and give it a whole new dimension. The hotel now opens onto a garden, a vast terrace and a swimming pool. It becomes a contemporary and lively place, nestled just beneath the towers of the medieval city of Carcassonne.

Stéphane :The investment turned out to be more substantial than expected, but we decided to go ahead with our vision. We transformed the whole space into a bright, colorful, cheerful and accessible design. The decor is simple and warm, just like you’d imagine in your own home, halfway between the historic city and the lower town.

Cécile : And as is often the case in our career, one opportunity followed another. Almost simultaneously, two adjoining houses of the Hôtel Montmorency were put up for sale. An opportunity to pursue our development and expand our offer in this establishment.

Stéphane : We decided to invest again, this time taking greater risks. For the first time, I’m entrusting the site to outside contractors. This requires intense monitoring and mobilizes all my energy. I have to withdraw temporarily from welcoming customers – a real heartbreak for me.

Cécile : The Hôtel Montmorency is entering a new phase: we’re giving it a more contemporary identity, with a colorful, bold and refined design. All the while remaining true to our philosophy: a lively, elegant place on a human scale.

‘We grew up with Carcassonne hotels, but we needed some fresh air, to undertake a new project.’

In the years 2014/2016, a feeling of saturation set in. After passionately developing our three establishments, we felt the need for a new lease of life, a different project that would enable us to regain the momentum from the start.
Online reviews had profoundly changed our business. Some customers were expressing their dissatisfaction without ever talking to us about it. Dialogue disappeared in favor of instant feedback. The smartphone was taking precedence over the human relationship. And when criticism is unfair or disconnected from our efforts, it becomes demotivating – for us and for our teams. Under these conditions, it became difficult to continue reinventing ourselves with enthusiasm.

Cécile : Despite this, we remained deeply attached to what lies at the heart of our business: personalized welcome, availability, attention to detail, and a sincere desire to bring happiness to our customers. This high standard, this discreet luxury, comes at a price. And we chose to maintain our prices to guarantee the quality of our offer.

Stéphane : Fortunately, the relationship with platforms is changing. More and more customers are recognizing the value of our services and reading between the lines. We’re learning to take things into account, to step back from criticism, and to rely on the criticism that helps us to progress.
But the conclusion remains the same: it’s time for us to open a new chapter, to imagine a new place, in our own image.

We improve

Cécile : At the Hôtel des Remparts, the terrace is the real starting point for your stay. As soon as you put your suitcases down, you can enjoy a cocktail prepared according to Stéphane and the boys’ secret recipe. It’s the first moment of disconnection.
We then enter the spacious lounges, under magnificent stone vaults, bathed in the soft light filtering through the high windows. And after a hot summer’s day, the indoor pool becomes an intimate refuge, a place to recharge your batteries.

Stéphane : This building, steeped in history, was in turn barracks, police station and prison. It has retained its powerful architecture, with vast volumes and carved stone walls. The sober, elegant rooms combine modern comfort with timeless charm. High ceilings, noble materials and simple lines make for a place that is both authentic and refined.

Cécile : It’s a new balance we’re trying to achieve: marrying the strength and character of stone with the softness and serenity of a comfortable stay. The Hôtel des Remparts should be a place of calm and conviviality, a refuge for families, friends or business travelers, whatever the season.

Stéphane : When we took over the hotel in 2016, we dreamed of turning it into this exceptional place. But the reality of the building quickly brought us back to the demands of old buildings. Renovating while respecting the soul of the place turned out to be a real mammoth task, especially as time was short.

Giving new life to our family home

Cécile: This house has been part of our history since we bought it in 2006. We’ve experienced so much here, watched our children grow up and shared countless moments as a family. And then, little by little, each of us moved on. The house emptied out… but it remained full of memories. One day, it was our children who came up with the idea: “What if we could all come back one day, with our families? It was an obvious choice. This house had to be able to welcome them back, with their companions, their children to come… And at the same time, it could no longer remain static, half-empty, for a couple now often on the move. It had to be given a new destiny.

Stéphane: That’s how the project to transform Domaine de la Jasso came about in 2023. Located just 500 meters from the heart of Carcassonne, this unique site, bordered by the Aude like a natural rampart, offers absolute calm amid nine hectares of unspoilt nature. There are vineyards, a wooded park and our own mini-farm… A little world of its own, lulled by birdsong and bathed in sunshine. We started renting the house by the week back in 2016, after we moved to Aigues-Mortes. But today, we’re going much further. Major work is underway to extend the living space to 900 m². The estate will soon boast 11 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, an indoor pool, two outdoor pools and a pool house.