The French magazine Challenges has recently published its ranking of the richest people in France. Business personalities in the tourism and hospitality sector have solid positions on the list. There are entrepreneurs who have built their career in the sector; others for whom it may be a side business, but who nevertheless own prestigious brands.
Bernard Arnault is at the top of the ranking. He owns the LVMH brand and the Cheval Blanc hotels, opened recently in the heart of Paris a few months ago. His fortune is estimated at 149,000 million euros. Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, owner of 40% of the Barrière group, is ranked 28th, with an estimated fortune of 4,500 million euros.
The boss of Fimalac recently put Webedia, which owns Easyvoyage, up for sale. In 40th place, with some 3,000 million euros, is Charles Ruggieri and his family, head of Batipart Invest. The real estate company that Charles Ruggieri passed on to his three children has 8 billion euros in assets, notably in Center Parcs and Club Med villages.
The list includes other entrepreneurs linked to the tourism sector such as Sophie Bellon and her family, from the Sodexo group, Frédéric Jousset (143rd, 835 million euros), the co-founder of the customer relations specialist Webhelp, Jean-Paul Dubreuil (183rd, 650 million euros), or Arnaud Vaissié (260th), the co-founder of International SOS with 260 million euros.
Stéphane Courbit is the owner of the Lov Group, which owns 25% of the leading audiovisual production group Banijay and several luxury hotels. His portfolio of establishments includes Les Airelles, Maison Fouquet, the Château d’Estoublon in the Alpilles and La Bastide de Gordes. He was ranked 56th.
Michel Reybier, a well-known figure in the hotel industry, is in 58th place, with 2,000 million euros. The former industrialist owns a dozen hotels, including three La Réserve establishments, the epitome of the very high-end hotel industry. It is closely followed by the Duval family (66th), which owns the Odalys residences. The group recently made news by buying the Flower Campings brand to strengthen its position in the outdoor hotel industry.
The president of Euroéquipements, Olivier Pelat, is ranked 79th on the list. The developer owns several thousand hotel rooms, making him one of the main Accor franchisees. Pierre-Edouard Stérin is in 113th place, with 900 million euros. Head of Otium Capital, he is described by Challenges magazine as “the most active French business angel”.
The owner of Belambra is in 170th place in the ranking. Lorène Martel and her family have a fortune of 700 million euros. Delphine André (197th) also owns several hotels – Les Roches, Les Ateliers de l’image (Saint-Rémy de Provence) and Les Barmes de l’Ours. Her fortune is estimated at 600 million euros.
