La Maison Aribert, beauty serving goodness

There are those who talk and stand idly by, not always knowing how to set their ideas in motion, however luminous they may be, those who demonstrate and then act, and finally those who babble little, but always push the cursor of their desires a little further. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Christophe Aribert is one of them. He could have stayed in the warmth of this Grand Hôtel, already in Uriage-les-Bains, where he was already proving his worth and making his mark on even the most obtuse of minds. After nearly twenty years as second-in-command, and then at the helm of the Terrasses d'Uriage, he felt it was time to move into his own premises, as " an obvious imperative ".

La Maison Aribert will open its doors in 2019, after three years of construction and a major investment (5 million euros). He remains discreet up there, at the crossroads of the Vercors, Belledonne and Chartreuse massifs. And yet, few chefs have been so far-sighted and coherent in implementing their will - to support craftsmanship, to help the transition to farming, to ensure well-being through food, to reveal the true meaning of the word.and actions, principles - ethics, transmission, sustainability... - and reality. We don't hear much from him, and he doesn't make a fuss here, in the calm of this somewhat forgotten spa, beloved by the people of Grenoble. And yet, with his home, he has demonstrated that it is possible to create beauty and goodness, for oneself as well as for others. " I wanted a place with as neutral a footprint as possible, a building where energy consumption would be as low as possible. "It was with these principles in mind, above all, that he chose to work with architect Joëlle Personnaz. Based in Grenoble, she advocates architecture that is 100% local, 100% eco-responsible and 100% sustainable. "And with her love of wood, it was a natural fit. "She re-imagined the lower (or main) house, dating from the mid-19th century, and built a wooden monolith - with a green roof, on which the beehives are installed - which she placed right in front of it, in the middle of the wild grasses. "From the very first sketch, we were there. She immediately knew how to set to music the words I had inside me. "In the house, a bistro, bedrooms and seminar rooms; in the extension, the gourmet restaurant. Today, Maison Aribert takes shape as you approach it through the Uriage park.

Wood, as local as possible - it comes from the Belledonne massif - takes center stage. Here, the extension's shutters - which let in the light, but above all act as thermal insulators - echo the design of a work by artist friend Thierry Martenon. He imagined a work created from the five plane trees that had to be felled to carry out the project, placed in this patio, between the house and the restaurant, just in front of the kitchens. Here, a burnt-wood floor, while poplar cladding, like invasive roots, covers an entire wall section, then reaches the ceiling. Or these walnut tables by artist Valentin Loellmann.

Inside/outside, indoors/outdoors... nature remains the main character, in the background, in the plate and in the form. This attention to detail and intention can be found everywhere, including in the new house, one of the nine chalets lining the park, now known as " La Maison du Chef ", where additional bedrooms and a wellness area have been installed. Insulation made from compressed used clothing, a Moby Dick lamp by designer Matteo Ugolini (published by Karman) placedwe sense a real attachment to a form of neutrality that is never bland or effete. Here, lamps designed by Céline Wright awaken a hallway, there's a display of forest photos by Frédéric Leyre, and elsewhere, snapshots of Japanese workers (Hatarak).s of Japanese workers (Hatarakimono) by K-Narf... Christophe Aribert and his wife Célia's choices are strong, yet never overpowering: to lead the guest towards an awareness and respect for the nature that surrounds the house, towards an optimistic attachment to what is offered to us. Architecture and interior design are at the service of an idea, not the other way around. They carry the message of a home that is close to nature, but at the service of people, where well-being and good eating are inseparable, where good is only really good because it's also beautiful...