The Compagnie de Vichy was created in the middle of the 19th century, and is therefore one of the oldest companies in France:
1853: Napoléon III gives the operation of the thermal baths to the company Lebobe, Callou et Cie.
1862: the company Lebobe, Callou et Cie is turned into a société anonyme under the name of Compagnie Fermière de l'Établissement Thermal de Vichy.
Until 1954: the company is headed by its founders or by their descendants, notably the Callou family.
1954: the company becomes a subsidiary of Brasserie et Glacières de l'Indochine.
1968: the company becomes a subsidiary of the Perrier group.
1992: the company becomes a subsidiary of the Castel group.
2005: Mr. Jérôme Phelipeau becomes majority shareholder of the company.[1]
The Compagnie de Vichy today
The company operates a concession from the French state until December 31, 2030[2] encompassing buildings in Vichy (France) and its surroundings, as well as 11 thermal springs including Vichy Célestins. Outside of the scope of the concession, the company also operates the hotel part of the thermal activity, with the hotels Ibis Vichy 139 rooms, Mercure Vichy Thermalia 128 rooms and VICHY CÉLESTINS Spa Hôtel, as well as the Vichy Thermal Spa les Célestins. With around 300 employees, the Compagnie de Vichy is the largest private employer of Vichy.
Licences
The company also licences the Vichy Pastilles to Carambar & Co,[3] and has a partnership with the company Cosmétique Active Internationale owned by L'Oréal who produces and distributes Vichy Laboratoires.[4]
International development
The Compagnie de Vichy created Vichy Spa International, a subsidiary dedicated to its international development. Capitalizing on its French experience, it is currently developing spas outside France under the brand Vichy Célestins Spa Hotel & Resort.[5]
References
^« Qui est Jérôme Phelipeau, le PDG de la Compagnie de Vichy ? (in French) », La Montagne, 22 octobre 2015.
^« Le domaine thermal, propriété de l’État et concession de la Compagnie Fermière toujours en vente (in French) », La Montagne, 16 octobre 2015.
^« Comment les pastilles de Vichy veulent conquérir le monde (in French) », La Montagne, 19 juin 2018.
^« L’usine L’Oréal, installée à Creuzier-le-Vieux, puise l’eau à quelques mètres de là (in French) », La Montagne, 21 août 2018.
^« Vichy Spa exporte son savoir-faire (in French) », La Montagne, 7 novembre 2017.
Further reading
Books (in French)
Vichy, l'irrésistible ascension, 1800-1870; Maurice Gontard; Créer; 1998
Aux sources de Vichy. Naissance et développement d'un bassin thermal (XIXe-XXe siècles); Pascal Chambriard ; Ed. Bleu Autour, Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule ; 1999
Vichy Et La Cie Fermière; Jean Débordes; January 1993; "Cahiers bourbonnais"
Légèreté & Saveurs; Pierre-Yves Lorgeoux; Lucien Souny; May 2008
Vichy et son histoire, des origines à nos jours; M. C. Weyer; Le Livre d'Histoire - Lorisse;
Vichy-Sévigné, Vichy-Napoléon; Albéric Second and Casimir Daumas; Henri Plon; 1864
Newspaper articles (in French)
Vichy - La ruée vers l'eau; L´Express; Bourgneuf Cécile; 16 August 2007
L'argent des Thermes; La Semaine de l'Allier; Philippe Hadef; 18 June 2009
