History

Once upon a time...

The history of the present-day Le Vieux Manoir begins in 1724 with the purchase by Nicolas Chatoney of a small lakeside estate just outside Murten. It remained in the family for more than two-and-a-half centuries.

One descendant, Jules Daniel Chatoney, had four children. In those days it was the done thing for respectable families to send their daughters to Paris for a time; that was where Laure Chatoney met, and married, the French General Mallet.

When the children of Jules Daniel Chatoney divided the estate up amongst themselves in 1906, Laure Mallet-Chatoney received Grèves – now known as Le Vieux Manoir. General Mallet, captivated by the picturesque countryside and the mesmerising sunsets, decided to have a summer residence built in 1906/7 for himself and his wife.

The high-quality villa was, at the time, without a doubt one of the most modern in the canton. The English style with which it was imbued can be seen in the functional interior amenities and the picturesque, playful exterior. Until the 1950s its garden house served as a garage for the owner’s cars before it became La Pinte de Meyriez. From its early days, Le Vieux Manoir maintained a tradition of hospitality.

The General died, and his heirs sold the property after the Second World War. Le Vieux Manoir was discovered by a hotelier and an architect in the mid-1950s and converted into a hotel. Since then it has been home to countless guests who have enjoyed its hospitality and been captivated by its charm.