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Celebrities at
the Abbey

With Jean Reno’s epicurean gaze

Set on the shores of Lake Annecy, renowned for the purity of its waters, Talloires has been part of history since the 11th century. First a chapel, then a monastery, the abbey—built in the 17th century by Benedictine monks—is now a 4-star hotel and restaurant, appreciated for its comfort, heritage, and the richness of its cultural history. Both steeped in history and vibrantly alive, it offers, in every season, a setting that lends itself equally well to relaxation, celebrations, and working retreats.

Over the centuries, many notable figures have stayed at the Abbaye de Talloires, drawn by the magic of this unique place—nestled in the heart of one of the most beautiful bays on Lake Annecy—and by the atmosphere of calm and inspiration that reigns here.


Among them are Napoléon III, Mark Twain, Paul Cézanne, Jean Reno, Bruce Willis, and Charles Aznavour.

LOUIS BERTHOLLET

The chemist Louis Berthollet—credited in particular with discovering the composition of ammonia and developing bleach—was born in Talloires in 1748.







Napoleon III

During a visit to the region, shortly after Savoy was annexed to France in 1860, Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie were immediately struck by the beauty of the spectacle offered by Talloires Bay.


At the end of the 19th century, the writer André Theuriet, a member of the Académie française, stayed in Talloires and helped establish its reputation as a tourist destination. In 1890, he cemented the site’s fame in an article published in Le Figaro.

Mark Twain

The famous American writer Mark Twain visited Lake Annecy in 1891 and stayed at the Abbaye de Talloires on that occasion. He later described his impressions in his Travel Letters of 1891–1892.

Cézanne
& the Blue Lake

Paul Cézanne stayed at the Abbaye de Talloires in 1896. Deeply moved by the light and the reflections on the lake, he painted one of his emblematic works there, Lake Annecy—also known as The Blue Lake—now housed at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.


Cézanne’s presence in Talloires reflects the attraction this place held for the leading artists of his time. Today, the Abbey displays several reproductions of his works, including The Boy in the Straw Hat and The Blue Lake, shown as an echo of that founding period. They remind us how this landscape—between lake and mountains—inspired one of the great masters of modern painting.


Gabriel Lippman

French physicist and inventor of colour photography, Gabriel Lippmann produced one of his early photographs in 1902 in the cloister of the Abbaye de Talloires.

Composers such as César Franck and Gabriel Fauré, as well as political figures such as Winston Churchill and President Nixon, are among those who have stayed here.

Bruce Willis

An internationally renowned American actor, Bruce Willis was charmed by the Abbaye de Talloires during his stay in June 2010.