Page 43 - Livre Beau Rivage Palace

Fig. 6 Fig. 7

not expensive house.’ (Murray, 1838, p. 144) ‘Hotels: Faucon, the The first – somewhat vague – reference to an inn in the guides guide of 1865, while Murray still included it in the 1886 edition. The hierarchy of selling points progresses from the purely
best but most expensive; Lion-d’Or, Couronne, Balances (more so far examined dates back to 1793: ‘Surroundings. Ouchy, small village The Auberge de l’Ancre was not the only inn in Ouchy to practical (post and telegraph office) to the spectacular views
moderate prices), Gibbon, newly built in an excellent position on the shore of the lake; it is the port of Lausanne. The inn is good.’ (Reichard, appear in the guides. This is an important point since it would be (essential ingredients of tourism which is about consuming
and already enjoying a well-deserved reputation.’ (Joanne,1841, 1793) The establishment in question is the Logis d’Ouchy (1775-79), wrong to believe that guidebooks presented the whole picture. geographical space as if it were any other commodity), to the
p. 157) ‘Inns: Hotel Gibbon, very good, splendid view across the lake which would become the Auberge de l’Ancre in 1820, and finally They only reflected part of the reality and that part was filtered pleasures of music and dancing and finally to various financial
[…]. Faucon, expensive; Lion d’Or, cheap and good; Balances, likewise.’ the Hôtel d’Angleterre in 1868. The 1816 edition of Ebel’s guide, through the author’s own subjectivity. Shortly afterwards, as arrangements (fig. 8). Even so, not a single figure is quoted. While
(Baedeker,1844, p. 320) which the author did not approve, is a little more forthcoming about Ouchy developed as a resort, other hotels and boarding houses the Murray guides show the same reticence, this is not the case
From that moment on, a hotel was unquestionably the the village but not about the inn, although the quality of its service opened for business (fig. 7). The first hotel to feature in the guides with Baedeker which gives a series of figures for each hotel – the
right place to stay. Besides, more and more hotels and boarding is mentioned: ‘[Excursion] The first excursion is to the village of Ouchi was the Beau-Rivage which, on its inauguration in 1861, robbed cost of room, breakfast, dinner, service and the candles which were
houses were springing up. It would be tedious to mention all [sic] situated half a league below Lausanne; there one finds a very fine inn; the Auberge de l’Ancre of its top spot in the guides: ‘Hotel: Beau- essential before electricity, along with a whole string of abbrevi-
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the many hotels and boarding houses in Lausanne, which in the Ouchi may be regarded as the port of Lausanne. It is a delightful place for a Rivage, one of the largest, most beautiful, best-situated and best-kept hotels ations which make the descriptions extremely dense, giving readers
years between 1850 and the start of the twentieth century had walk and one rich in magnificent vistas such as the view from Ouchi to Cour in the whole of Switzerland’. (Joanne,1865, p. 85) In 1874, the same the impression that this is a special sort of jargon that they have
become a popular stopping-off place and holiday resort. Neither and to the farm known as Les Cerises.’ (Ebel, 1816, p. 361) guide described it as ‘an establishment of the first order’, raising it to to learn. In 1876, the entry for the Beau-Rivage looked like this:
do the repetitive nature of the list and the abbreviations make it a Although the inn’s precise name is not revealed, the author ‘an establishment of the very first order’ in 1908. Although Joanne talks ‘Hotels: *Beau-Rivage, (ch. 3 à 5 fr., boug. 1 fr., serv. 1 fr., déj. 1 fr. 50, dîn.
particularly attractive exercise. In addition, the guides themselves does give one very good reason why the place is attractive to about the hotel in superlatives, it is noticeable that the reviews 5 fr – i.e. room 3-5 francs, candle 1 franc, service 1 franc, breakfast 1.50
were to undergo a thorough overhaul in the first decades of the visitors, namely the village’s outstanding location affording contain no figures. They are extremely short, conciseness being francs, dinner 5 francs), with a magnificent park, baths, etc., recommended
new century. Murray ceased publication in 1904, the Joanne wonderful views, as well as access to even more wonderful views. one of the rules of the genre. Anyone wanting fuller descriptions for an extended stay’ (Baedeker 1876, p. 208). The reference in the
guides became the Blue Guides during the First World War, and It is not only the views in the immediate neighbourhood that had to look in the relevant advertisements. However, as the guides corresponding English version, published three years, later reads as
the Baedeker series on Switzerland ended in 1928. On the other catch the visitor’s eye. Beyond Ouchy there is the promise of often made it a point of honour not to accept adverts, in order, as follows: ‘*Hôtel Beaurivage, with pleasant garden, baths, etc.. R. 3-5, B.
hand, it is interesting to concentrate on one specific destination, even more panoramas. What more could anyone want at a time they claimed, to maintain their independence, they did not adhere 1 ½, D. 5, L. and A. [Light and Attendance] 2 fr.’ (Baedeker 1879, p.
namely Ouchy. when travellers were in search of much greater excitement and very strictly to the rules. Between the 1860s and 80s Joanne 199) The asterisk preceding the name of the hotel was a mark of
spectacle? In the Romantic era, a cultured visitor might also have guides also published a supplement printed on coloured paper excellence. Throughout the whole of the nineteenth century, until
OUCHY BECOMES A RESORT argued that if some literary reference to the site also existed, the to accompany their books. The following advert for the Beau- it ceased publication of the Swiss guides in 1928, Baedeker never
At the end of the eighteenth century, Ouchy was a small fishing experience of being in a particular spot would also be imbued Rivage appeared in the 1882 edition: awarded hotels more than a single star (fig. 9). The term ‘etc.’ has
village quite separate from Lausanne, which then only extended as with a powerful aesthetic emotion. By chance, such a situation a slightly strange function. It actually interrupts the inventory of
far as Place Saint-François. Contemporary guides clearly show this arose soon afterwards and was subsequently mentioned in all the OUCHY (near Lausanne) services on offer by inviting those looking at the advert to extend
distinction and refer to Ouchy as a place ‘in the neighbourhood’ of guidebooks. It was at this very inn that ‘Lord Byron, delayed by bad HÔTEL BEAU-RIVAGE the list in their imagination. Perhaps this is an echo of one of the
Lausanne and an interesting destination for a ‘drive’ or an ‘excursion’. weather, wrote in two days on June 1816 his beautiful poem The Prisoner Post and Telegraph Office in the Hotel. – functions of travel guides, namely to offer possibilities while also
Also, before 1823 when the first steamers came into service on Lake of Chillon’. (Joanne 1841, p. 157) Some doubt the veracity of this Magnificent terrace, Splendid views of the Lake and Alps. – Concerts leaving room for readers to dream and experiment for themselves.
Geneva, Ouchy was not on a well-trodden route to Lausanne but anecdote. However, historical truth is not the most remarkable every evening in Beau-Rivage park and dances every Tuesday and In any case, it sharply underlines the problems confronting the
somewhat remote from the city centre. The main road from Geneva aspect of the story. True or otherwise, it was an event that all the Saturday in the hotel’s spacious public rooms. – Special terms for families writer of any guidebook – to provide as much information as
led to Montbenon and the road from Vevey to the top of the Rue guides seized upon and relayed to their audience of travellers. And wishing to stay during the summer season. possible as concisely as possible. After all, the book is intended to
de Bourg, while those linking the town to Berne and Yverdon ran while, at the beginning, the story appeared in the English, French – Special winter rates including meals. be portable and to fit in a bag or pocket rather than be kept on a
above it. After 1823, Ouchy’s status changed dramatically, from an and German guides, despite their cultural differences, its durability bookshelf. Apart from cramming details into an even smaller space,
out-of-the-way village to a threshold, a gateway to or a point of varied from one culture to the other. There was no mention of it A. MARTIN-RUFENACHT, manager. changing prices and altering the name to Beau-Rivage Palace
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departure from Lausanne (fig. 6). in Baedeker’s 1859 edition, although it featured in the Joanne (Joanne, 1882, advertising supplement) following the enlargement of the hotel in 1908, the information
Godefroy Engelmann, View of Ouchy harbour below Lausanne. Engraving, 1823. Hotel d’Angleterre, villa Longchamp and Beau-Rivage. Photograph, c.1860-68. Fig. 8 >
J. J. Friederich (drawing), Hôtel Beau-Rivage by Lake Geneva. Engraving, published in
Geneva by Frédéric Margueron, 1861. This type of image combines and, perhaps unwittingly,
perpetuates the two myths that underpinned the creation of the Swiss Confederation in
1848. Firstly, the myth of a traditional Alpine people, and secondly that of an original
lakeside culture, the latter supported by recent archaeological excavations of palafittes
– prehistoric lakeside dwellings – near Zurich and in the Neuchâtel region.
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