A Savoyard après-midi between ESB

Last Friday, a group of some fifteen former ESB students met up for a day of visits and exchanges in the Chablais region of Haute-Savoie. On the program: discovery of a local company, immersion in a large-scale worksite and convivial moments over a good meal and a few drinks. Here's a look back at the day.

Visit the Favrat company: immersion in Savoyard know-how

The day began in Orcier, where we were welcomed by Pascal Favrat, head of the eponymous company, accompanied by Thé, his site manager, and François, his procurement manager. The company, which specializes in timber framing and construction, boasts solid figures: founded in 1935 by Octave Favrat, it now employs around 100 people and expects to achieve sales of €20 million by 2024.

An intergenerational tour de table

Before continuing our program, a tour de table revealed a fine mix of generations and promotions. A warm and instructive moment, punctuated by the mischievous intervention of Gérard Bouchereau, our doyen, who despite the years has lost none of his sharp wit!

The Thonon Municipal Technical Center: an ambitious project

The afternoon continued at the site of Thonon's new Municipal Technical Center. This large-scale project boasts impressive figures: 14,971 m² of floor space, more than 146 tonnes of wood used, and a clear objective: to design a modern, high-performance work tool to bring together municipal technical services in a single location. Wooden floor and wall structure principle

A well-deserved moment of relaxation

After this instructive visit, we headed for the bar "Les Cochonneries du Général" for a well-deserved break. Then it was off to the Lycée Hôtelier for a memorable dinner. A rich and tasty menu, enhanced by a selection of wines carefully chosen by Benoît Naud: Savoie, Burgundy, Bandol... Suffice to say, the tasting lived up to expectations! And as the saying goes: "To drink wine is to drink genius"... or so some would have us believe!

As some headed home, others continued the evening in an Irish-style dance bar, before finishing in another equally festive establishment. A special mention to our dean, always present and in top form - hats off to him!

What's next? See you in Annecy!

As we parted company, an idea naturally emerged: a next meeting in Annecy. The organizers will know who they are, and we can't wait to meet up again!

A huge thank you to all participants for a day full of discoveries, exchanges and good humor. See you soon for new adventures!

Many thanks to Simon Ribreau (ESB 81) for proposing and organizing this Savoyard event and writing this article. Thanks also to Simon Rigondeau (ESB 72 and AIESB administrator) for these images.