Fenestraz Family History

Then, Raymonde met her husband André, a traveling coffee merchant who went on to work in building construction. Allying their talents, the Fenestraz were pioneers in the construction of luxury chalets and homes, among which were the Hameau de Bellecôte Chalets, the Chalet de Pierres and the Jardin Alpin Residence. These creations gave Courchevel 1850 ski resort’ the allure and the famous reputation that it still enjoys to this day. At the end of the 70s’, the young couple built the AlpenRuitor hotel and residence which became the center of the peatonal village of Méribel Mottaret and most of all the heart of the 3 Valleys, a favorite among skiers worldwide. The development of the family business continued with the Hôtel de la Loze, also nicely placed opposite the Croisette and the slopes of Courchevel 1850. Restored in an Alpine style, the establishment also features two elegant “Appartements d’Exception”. During the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympic Games, Raymonde and André didn’t let the chance to realize their dream slip by. At Courchevel, they transformed the outdated Airelles hotel into a magnificent luxury hotel, often referred to as the “Palais de Sissi”. Considered to be one of the finest hotels in the world, the address carries on the soul of the owners, who held on to it just until 2007. During this time, Raymonde and André’s only son Raoul also decided to live out his dream. With his wife, Stéphanie and their three children, they moved to Argentina.

30 years after the first construction in the Savoy region, it was Stéphanie and Raoul’s turn to become pioneers! Living near Cordoba, they built a sumptuous residence, whose architecture was inspired by the Argentinean estancias of the early 20th century. Opened in 2005 and member of Relais & Châteaux association, Estancia El Colibri offers guests the opportunity to discover Argentina’s rural lifestyle, horse ranching and polo. Just a few kilometers away, Don André – as a tribute to Raoul’s father, who passed away in 2011 – is a 700 hectares property specializing in ranching Aberdeen Angus cattle for producing some of the best beef in the world. They are now developing a “grass feed” type of beef with a holistic concept that takes care of animal welfare as well as the future of the environment. The Argentinean dream of the Fenestraz family can also be found near Salta, in the northern region of Argentina, the famous “NOA”. Acquired in 2007 from the Oscar winner Robert Duvall, House of Jasmines is also part of the Relais & Châteaux association and it has been elected by the international press as one of the most romantic estancias in the World. Beautiful Argentina is not the only South American country where the Fenestraz family has landed. In fact, after experiencing the hippie-chic atmosphere of the fisherman’s village of Trancoso, in the Salvador de Bahia province in Brazil, in 2012 Raoul and Stéphanie decided to acquire and renovate the magnificent villa “Casa Angatú”.

The “Appartements d’Exception” brand was dedicated to apartments located in Courchevel 1850. In 2018, we expanded the offering with a new selection of luxury apartments in Annecy. One of these is located in the former “Hôtel de Sales” in the heart of the old town. This 3-bedroom apartment is Madame Fenestraz’s “masterpiece”. This magnificent museum apartment was decorated by the artists who created Courchevel 1850’s famous Palais, Les Airelles. The other is completely different from what we’re used to from the Fenestraz family: a very modern, contemporary apartment with a breathtaking view over Lake Annecy. You can now discover these unique properties in the “Venice of the Alps”.

After consolidating their offering of private houses and villas in France, Argentina, and Brazil, the pioneering spirit of Raoul and Stéphanie Fenestraz remained as strong as ever. On the contrary, they followed their instincts and this time settled in the stunning region of Puglia, in southern Italy, where they began a new life and family project.

In 2020, Raoul and Stéphanie explored every corner of southern Italy, hoping to find a unique, vibrant place filled with warm and welcoming people, and an exciting artistic and cultural energy. That’s how they discovered, in the Salento region, their dream location: a friendly and dynamic environment, an extraordinary climate and cuisine, and fertile land for cultivating fruit trees, olive groves, and vineyards. Moreover, the region is not only lined with incredible Mediterranean coastlines and sandy beaches, but also features stunning cliffs and caves.

Raoul and Stéphanie first visited what would become our Masserias Maison Fenestraz during the olive harvest in 2019, and they simply fell in love. They realized they were exploring what would soon become their new Italian homes.

True to the Fenestraz family motto — “the best thing one man can do for another is to share his dream” — they decided to first renovate Masseria del Gigante, available for rent since 2021, followed by Masseria Torre Ruggeri, available since 2025, to offer their guests the opportunity to live their own Italian dream.