#ourstory
The Walser, the “People of the Alps,” from whom our hotel takes its name, were an ethnic group originating from the Valais region (hence Walliser). Over the centuries, they migrated along the Alps, cultivating new lands and founding villages, always in harmony with the surrounding environment and wildlife. Wherever they went, they built the fascinating. Stadel (or Wòhngade): larch wood homes built on a stone base with multiple functions. The basement served as a kitchen and living room, with an adjacent stable that provided warmth during the winter months. The upper floor housed the bedrooms, while the top level was used as a hayloft and for food storage.
#retreat
Our hotel draws inspiration from the Walser Stadel, presenting itself as a warm and welcoming refuge for alpine travelers. Just like the Walser, who migrated in search of new places and cultures to interact with, we believe in hospitality that brings travelers together in a place far from home, yet one that feels like family
My grandmother comes from Issime, a small town in the Gressoney Valley, also in the Aosta Valley, where the Walser settled as early as the 12th century. With patience, they reclaimed the valleys, clearing rocks that hindered cultivation and using them to create paths. The steep terrains were transformed into comfortable terraces, perfect for farming.
In the Gressoney Valley, people speak Titsch,a fascinating dialect born from a blend of German, French, and Provençal dialects. It is said that the Walser of Issime descended from an even more ancient lineage, as evidenced by their dialect, Töitschu, an even older and richer linguistic treasure steeped in history.
I remember summers in the house of San Grato, when we would gather grass for hay, and for lunch, we ate soup prepared the night before, shaded by a larch tree. As children, we moved easily across the steep slopes: to get to school, we walked 8 km, but in winter, we could use sleds—or even our wooden school bags, which, when placed under us, became perfect little sleds!
My Great-Grandfather Maurizio Luboz, better known as “Maurice la Garde,” was the park ranger of the Gran Paradiso National Park. At just 7 years old, he left for France to work as a chimney sweep in the villas of wealthy bourgeois families, earning a few coins to bring home to his family.
With the same determination and resourcefulness, Maurice built his home on a small hill in Introd, working every day after his job with his own two hands. He married Leonilda, both originally from Arvier, and they had two children: Attilio and Rosetta. In 1927, fate led them to Courmayeur, where Leonilda’s brother, the village butcher, entrusted them with managing the Bureau of Salt and Tobacco.
While Rosetta opened a gift store in the center of town, her eldest son, took the reins of the tobacco shop. It was in the summer of 1951 that his heart was captured by a special girl, known as“La Tedesca,” the person who would become my grandmother. Lidia Busso, from the Gressoney Valley had come to Courmayeur to seek summer employment and was working at the baker’s shop across the street from the Luboz tobacco shop. That summer, their lives became intertwined ..
When summer came to an end and Lidia returned to Issime to be with her mother and three younger sisters, Attilio realized he couldn’t let her go. He got on his Lambretta and traveled across the valley to ask for her hand in marriage.
#1952
In 1952, they married, sealing a love born under the summer sun of the mountains. The following year, Daniela was born, followed by Maurizio (Maurice) and, finally, Federica.
Daniela, the eldest, followed in her father’s footsteps and took over the management of the family tobacco shop. Federica, on the other hand, transformed Aunt Rosetta’s souvenir shop into “Les Betises”, a charming boutique offering mountain home décor and much more. But it was Maurizio Luboz II who, with the same name and indomitable spirit as his grandfather, embodies the wild and adventurous soul of the family. Despite his adventurous nature, there came a moment when he felt the call of his roots—the need to settle down in the place he had always called home.
And so, in December 1995, they opened the doors of the
Walser Hotel in Courmayeur for the first time.
. Un luogo che non solo porta un nome carico di storia, ma che rispecchia le case e le tradizioni della valle di Gressoney, terra natale della madre Lidia.
Over the years, the Walser has grown, proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary.. È stato il palcoscenico di innumerevoli avventure, come le entusiasmanti cacce al tesoro tra i corridoi, organizzate dai nipoti, i figli delle sorelle di Maurizio, che hanno trasformato l’albergo nella loro seconda casa. Per loro, Maurizio è più di uno zio: è un adulto saggio con un’anima selvaggia e uno spirito che non invecchia mai.
Thus, in the winter of 2020, when Maurizio decided it was time to retire and dedicate himself to his passions—sports and nature—he entrusted the management of Walser Hotel srl to the newly established company Sotschì Dzenn snc, led by Luca Gontier and his youngest niece, Sofia Sisto Luboz.
#WalserHotel
The logo of our hotel was designed by the renowned Aosta Valley painter and graphic artist Franco Balan.. Ispirandosi allo stemma dei A Walser from the Gressoney Valley, Balan reinterpreted traditional symbols, creating a Walser heart adorned with an alpine guide and a woman in traditional costume.. Questo logo celebra le radici culturali della nostra terra e l’orgoglio per le nostre origini.
In 2019, we decided to further enrich our emblem by blending the hotel’s distinctive elements and adding the rooster,an animal full of meaning. The rooster represents vigilance, courage, and renewal,. embodying the spirit of our hotel and its deep connection to tradition and the surrounding mountains. And that’s exactly how we do things here: a seat at the table will always be added for those who are hungry, a bed will always be offered to those who are tired, and a glass of wine will always be poured for those who are thirsty. We want every guest to feel like part of our family, welcomed with warmth and sharing, just as the Walser tradition dictates.
