Pierre et Vacances Founder Gérard Brémond Dies at Age 88
Gérard Brémond—with his passing, the tourism industry has lost a pioneer.
© EAP-Magazin
(eap) He is considered a pioneer and visionary in holiday resort and apartment tourism: Gérard Brémond, founder of the French company Pierre et Vacances, passed away at the age of 88. This was announced by the Pierre et Vacances-Center Parcs Group yesterday (25 June).
Brémond’s entrepreneurial story began in 1967 with the creation of the car-free ski resort Avoriaz in the French Alps. In 1973, the offering was expanded to include a concept of holiday residences for families and groups of friends. Over the years, this developed into a successful business model, which was complemented in 1978 by the “New Property” concept. This enabled private individuals to invest in a holiday property while also being able to spend their holidays in other accommodations operated by the Group. One year later, the Group opened its first seaside holiday residence, thereby extending its offering beyond mountain tourism.
In 1997 the company reached an important milestone in the field of sustainability with the pilot project “Village de Belle Dune” on France’s Atlantic coast. There, it implemented measures for the first time to save water and energy, introduced waste separation and ecological green space management, and created educational programmes designed to raise guests’ awareness of nature.
Following its stock market listing in 1999, the Group continued its expansion. In 2001, it acquired maeva, then the second-largest holiday resort provider on the French market. In 2003, the acquisition of the Dutch Center Parcs Group marked its move onto the international stage. With this step, the Group also adopted the successful concept of short breaks in holiday parks designed close to nature.
In the wake of the Corona pandemic, the Group had to cope with major losses. In 2022, it initiated financial and capital restructuring, which included debt reduction and the entry of three new shareholders. In 2024, the company returned to profit for the first time after a decade of losses. Most recently, the Group received a takeover offer from investment company Mubadala Capital.
Today, the Group – which comprises the four brands Pierre et Vacances, Center Parcs, maeva and Adagio – employs around 13,000 people, according to its own figures. They serve almost eight million guests.
“What Gérard Brémond built makes us his heirs today,” the Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group stated. He had left behind a legacy of vision, innovative spirit and ambition that continues to live on in the Group’s day-to-day work. In Gérard Brémond, the industry has lost a pioneer whose ideas have had a lasting impact on the understanding of holiday resorts in Europe – and will continue to resonate in the future. ■
