Patrick Barbezat

The Val-de-Travers region lies in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. There’s a small village bearing the same name in the Jura mountains. Forests bordered by mighty mountains surround this village. These mountains are where Patrick grew up.
In the 1980s, following the quartz crisis, he and his parents had to leave Val-de-Travers. They moved to the canton of Vaud, located between Lausanne and Geneva. After finishing his secondary education in Lausanne, he left to work in Geneva.

“You’ll make a better living in finance than in carpentry,” his father told him. For thirty years, he immersed himself in the world of finance, far from the peaceful world of the countryside.
15 years were spent in currency and precious metals trading and the following years in corporate risk management. He explored many countries and discovered many new cultures during business trips, which helped him enrich his mind and his knowledge. However, a love of the countryside remained deep in his heart.

“I stayed in the world of finance for convenience and not because I was enjoying it.” It was during these years that he met his wife. He became a father to two girls and they moved to Collonges-sous-Salève in France.
He explored Le Salève and, as a keen sportsman, he was able to enjoy some of his favourite sports, including cycling. We’re mentioning this because it’s significant!
It was on the way back from a bike ride (as well as following a series of coincidences) that the Cabanes du Salève entered Patrick’s life. On his way home alone from his ride (which happened very rarely), he passed a sign with a telephone number. He took a picture of it and went home, which was just 10 minutes away. He wasn’t sure at first, but eventually he phoned the number and it’s this call which started his new venture – the Cabanes du Salève!

But was it really a matter of chance?
“It was the result of a chain of events which might seem because of chance. However, I don’t believe in chance.” In any case, as far as Patrick was concerned, there was no question about it.
He left behind all that he had and focused his efforts entirely on his new venture and turning it into a reality. It took two years to complete the project. These were two years of hard work, but when you enjoy what you’re doing, time passes so much more quickly!
The Cabanes du Salève opened in June 2018 and Patrick’s new life began.

One man’s passion has been crystallised into a place where you can be bathed in his philosophy of life.