The little story of Cacharel
It was in 1947, after his childhood in Nîmes that Denys Colomb de Daunant, aged 25, settled in Cacharel, a place lost on the borders of not very hospitable but endearing land. This post-war choice was daring: no water, no electricity, no telephone. In 1949, he married Monique Bonis, the granddaughter of Marquis Folco de Baroncelli who had devoted her life to the Camargue, her traditions and the Provencal language. Very quickly, Cacharel was a meeting place where men and ideas, freed from urban and conventional constraints, gave free rein to the spirit of creation. Cacharel became a renowned breeding of bulls and horses for more than thirty years.
In the footsteps of the film “Crin Blanc”
From the meeting between a young director, Albert Lamorisse, a Camargue poet-writer, Denys Colomb de Daunant, and a child, Alain Emery, was born in 1950 "Crin Blanc", a film written and directed in Cacharel. Immensities between sky and earth, between winds and sands, covered with water, inhabited by white horses, black bulls, pink flamingos and free children: this image of the Camargue has made generations dream. From that time, the first horses were rented there to discover these silent landscapes. Even inexperienced, one could ride these horses perfectly adapted to wet and muddy ground.
The prosperous beginnings
The hotel was built by Denys and Monique Colomb de Daunant in 1954: 3 bedrooms and 4 people to take care of it. He was called "the Little Cacharel". Our clients came for 3 or 4 weeks and were, for the most part, riders who were crazy about loneliness. There was no water, no electricity, no telephone, only a table d'hôtes which the elders still talk about.
The enlargement of the 60s
In 1962, the hotel was enlarged to ten rooms. Between 66 and 68 water, electricity and telephone were placed underground, because Denys Colomb de Daunant, aware of a natural heritage to defend, refused for a long time all poles and lines which would have disfigured the landscape. Until 1986 a restaurant welcomed our guests.
The next generation of the 80s
In 1986, Florian Colomb de Daunant, son of Denys, took over from Cacharel. In the early 90s, the restaurant gave way to a light menu of country dishes. Now, these are sixteen rooms, where human warmth, calm and authenticity are cultivated for your happiness and for ours.
Tradition in the 21st century
Brought to life in the 2000s, our objective is not to betray the spirit that made our first customers dream so much. In 2004 then 2006, Monique then Denys Colomb de Daunant passed away. They left this magical place where their spirit will remain for a long time attached to this Cacharel and this Camargue that they loved so much.