Once upon a time

Bise is more than just a name

Aug. 2025

5 min.

In Talloires, a proud line of innkeepers has flourished for more than 130 years.

Bise, a celebrated name intimately tied to Talloires Bay. The lineage stretches back more than 130 years.

A family name that has become an icon of fine French cuisine, made famous by Marguerite Bise, one of the first French women to earn three Michelin stars.

Through this exclusive encounter with Christophe Bise, fifth generation of this illustrious family, he shares the art of hospitality at Cottage Bise Hotel, blending tradition with modernity.

“Bearing the Bise name means embodying our family’s entire history, marked by passion, hard work, and high standards. Since François Bise left his birthplace in Switzerland at the end of the 1800s to settle down here, every generation has made its own unique contribution while preserving the founding spirit of the hotel and restaurant,” explains Christophe Bise.

The beginnings of a family legend

After arriving in the area around 1890, François Bise was hired as a cook aboard a boat offering sightseeing excursions on Lake Annecy. During a stopover in Talloires, he met Marie Fontaine, a member of one of the village’s most prominent families; she was a dock attendant, a common job at any pier around the lake at the time. Destiny, and perhaps with a little push from Cupid, did the rest. They fell in love, married, and then decided to open a small café and restaurant at the port in Talloires, laying down the first of many bricks for what would one day become Auberge du Père Bise (Père Bise Inn).

Today, 1903 is considered the official year of the inn’s founding. However, according to Christophe Bise, this date remains approximate. “I think that it was a year or two before that. There is not really an official date,” he explains. From their union they had two sons, Marius and Georges, who grew up running between the kitchen and dining room during each meal service. It was only natural that they followed in their parents’ footsteps. Thus began the Bise dynasty.

Georges and Fernand Bise – vineyards in Talloires – 1929

Auberge du Père Bise

Marius, François Bise and Marie Fontaine’s eldest son, married Marguerite, a young cook. In 1928, after building an extension, the couple took over running the restaurant, he in the dining room and she in the kitchen, and named the establishment Auberge du Père Bise. Marguerite Bise quickly became a major figure in high-end French cuisine. She earned two Michelin stars in 1933, and then became one of the first women to earn three stars, along with the legendary Eugénie “Mère” Brazier in Lyon. Together they opened doors for women in a profession that until then had been dominated by men.

Among his most famous dishes, his crawfish-tail au gratin remained a guest favorite and restaurant staple for a long time, and heralded by some of the era’s foremost gourmet foodies. At this time, the establishment’s official name became Auberge du Père Bise in honor of Marius, the inn keeper, always very attentive to the hospitality and service guests received while his wife managed the kitchen.

The family tradition continued with their son, François, who took over the inn and restaurant alongside his wife Charlyne. Their daughter Sophie later took over, keeping the establishment in the family until 2017, the year when Magali and Jean Sulpice took over the reins, writing a new chapter for this iconic hotel and restaurant in Talloires.

Cottage des Marronniers

François Bise and Marie Fontaine’s second son, Georges, also became a cook. With his wife Claudia, he took over Hôtel Fontaine, a boarding house located in the center of Talloires. The establishment later changed names to Hôtel-Restaurant Georges Bise, and earned one Michelin star. In 1931, Georges purchased a villa along the edge of the lake, which today is part of Cottage Bise Hotel.

At the time, the establishment was called Cottage des Marroniers, paying homage to the many chestnut trees lining the patio (“marronier” means chestnut tree in French).

“In 1954, my grandparents, Fernand and Céline, took over the business. They put in all of their energy, hard work, and sense of hospitality passed down from generation to generation. Naturally, my parents to over and continued the family tradition with the same passion. Today, my brother Nicolas and I keep the story going. We grew up here, within the walls of this house, during meals and with loyal guests. This is much more than a job for us, it is a living heritage. And we are proud to keep alive the oldest independent hotel around Lake Annecy.”

The Bise Legacy Lives On

When such elegance flows so naturally, we cannot help but cheer to see this wonderful story continue generation after generation. After all, some things we always find pleasing, especially when they bear the name Bise.

Secrets from a legendary place throughout the ages

Imperial spa

In 1860, when Savoie became a part of France, Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie traveled to Talloires. They stayed in the house that now contains Cottage Bise’s spa. A plaque, still visible today, keeps the memory alive.

Spinach Georges Bise style

Winston Churchill, when he was not yet prime minister, stayed at Cottage Bise in Although he hated spinach, Georges Bise decided to serve it unbeknownst to Churchill. He prepared it au gratin, simmered with mushrooms, cooked in Noilly Prat vermouth, and browned with a touch of cream. Convinced, Churchill exclaimed, “This is not spinach… This is spinach Georges Bise style.”

Spies at Cottage Bise

During World War II, the second floor of Cottage Bise was requisitioned by the German army, as was the two other hotels in Talloires Bay. But the occupiers were unaware that they were being spied on… from the floor above them. On the third floor, British spies watched the comings and goings of the German soldiers through small holes in the floorboards. This exhilarating story is passed down from generation to generation.

“I told you I would be back, Georges!”

Among the many stories that have made an impact on life at Cottage Bise, this one has remained in everyone’s memory. Just before World War II erupted, an officer in the US Army stayed at the hotel. Called to the front in haste, he said his goodbyes to Georges Bise by exclaiming, “I will be back when all of this is over.” In August 1944, keeping his word, the now colonel came back, riding in a military jeep straight to Talloires. He had remembered this peaceful place, the lake, and George’s incomparable hospitality. Like finding comfort after chaos.