The family story of a mountain chalet in the heart of the 3 Valleys
Nicolas JAY, ‘Pépé Nicolas’, was a mountain farmer from Saint-Martin-de-Belleville who, in 1957, bought a mountain chalet in the heart of the high mountain pastures.
More than 30 years of heritage and values
In 1986, three of his grandchildren, Éric, Bruno and Thierry Suchet, and one of his sons, Patrick, took over the farm. They created next to the farm a modest mountain pasture restaurant, open only in summer. Over the years, La Chasse farm and restaurant have welcomed more and more visitors, attracted by the authentic family atmosphere and exceptional surroundings.
The alpine chalet "La Chasse" became "Chez Pépé Nicolas"
In 2014, the development of the nearby “La Chasse” ski slope radically altered the site, marking the start of a new adventure with numerous changes and works over several years.
“La Chasse” becomes “Chez Pépé Nicolas” in homage to the grandfather, and opens in summer and winter. The restaurant was completely redesigned by our atmospheric designer, Magali Suchet.
An old barn has been replaced by a store selling local produce. The fruitière, where the cheese is made, has been completely refurbished, with a new ripening cellar.
And finally, in 2020, a 2,000 m2permaculture garden was created at an altitude of 2,000 m.
In May 2026, Chez Pépé Nicolas was awarded the state label Destination d’excellence, formerly Qualité Tourisme, a first in the Rhône-Alpes region!
Over the years, Chez Pépé Nicolas has become a unique place, open in both summer and winter.
Margot, Valentin and Lucie manage the restaurant, the farm, the shop and the garden
Margot, Valentin and Lucie Suchet, great-grandchildren of Pépé Nicolas, and Margot’s husband Judicaël.
The essence of the Suchet family is taking the time to savour the moment, in the heart of the 3 Vallées, between tradition and modernity, creativity and the art of mountain living. It’s the spirit of a welcoming, smiling and caring family, for a real, life-size experience in the Alps.
Authenticity, excellence, sharing and protecting the environment are values shared by the whole team.
A committed and active team, summer and winter alike
Valentin Suchet, great-grandson of Pépé Nicolas and son of Eric Suchet, who took over the Montagnette to turn it into a restaurant, is the farm manager. With his team of shepherds, he manages the livestock in summer, and the visits to the altitude farm. He is also manager of the Suchet family’s 2nd restaurant, Le Montagnard, in the village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, with his sister Lucie.
Margot Suchet, great-granddaughter of Pépé Nicolas and daughter of Thierry Suchet who created the restaurant and runs the company, is the manager of the restaurant and shop, alongside her husband Judicaël Barbier.
Judicaël Barbier is the cheese maker and works alongside Margot, his wife, to manage the restaurant and shop.
Lucie Suchet, great-granddaughter of Pépé Nicolas and daughter of Eric Suchet, manages the guided tours, the shop’s back office and Le Montagnard restaurant in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, with her brother Valentin.
Joseph is the gardener; he’s been beautifying the garden for 3 years.
Together, the whole team welcomes you to the Savoie mountain pastures for a new and different mountain experience.
Short circuits, local resources and animal welfare
Protecting the environment is a core value at Pépé Nicolas. We favour short circuits, using local resources such as water from our natural mountain spring, milk from our cows and goats, trout that we raise in our own fishpond, flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs from our permaculture garden, and so on.
We promote naturalness and recycling from the plate to the decoration of our tables and terraces. Trendy tradi chic’ atmosphere in our 3 dining rooms and our panoramic outdoor terraces.
Antique everyday objects are reworked to decorate our different reception areas and arouse your curiosity.
We work with a network of 40 local suppliers and producers, all of whom are committed to respecting the environment through short supply chains.
In the same vein, the creation of a permaculture garden in 2020 was an obvious choice. We set out to recreate a mountain ecosystem. We’re proud to be able to serve you our pesto, garden vegetables and dried herbs in summer and winter alike.
A place rich in emotions, for an exceptional and indulgent moment, summer and winter, in the Alps.
