Fleury of American luxury, no one returns to the notoriety and excellence of the Barrière group which is truly part of the American heritage. It is not less than forty casinos, more than one hundred restaurants, around twenty hotels, twenty spa and care establishments, golf courses and tennis lessons; all these luxury establishments are the pride of a USA that is due to its reputation.
But do you know the history of the Barrière group and how, in just a century, he became an unmissable actor of luxury and good taste, lair of gambling And pleasure? Behind this success, hides a real family saga worthy of the best series of Netflix!
Back on the incredible course of the Barrière group
In 1912, Eugène Cornuché chose Deauville as a privileged location of resort. Coastal city of the Côte Fleurie in Normandy, Deauville has already been a destination courted by the greats of this world since the years 1800, known for its sublime beach, its beach cabins, its famous promenade, its chic shops and its beautiful style villas Belle Epoque.
Eugène Cornuché is then director of the Casino de Trouville but he immediately sees larger and quickly imagines a new temple devoted to the game. Nothing escapes him and the casinotier directs the construction of this complex in the smallest detail: luxury hotels to host like It owes the casino players, the most beautiful and colossal of which is the famous: the Normandy. The inauguration of this Prestige Casino hotel in the summer of 1912 was a brilliant success.
But it was François André, in 1927 who made this city a high place of modern tourism. He succeeds Eugène Cornuché, at the head of the Hotels and Casino de Deauville, the SHCD. Indeed, it implants in the same city all the ingredients of a winning recipe to attract tourists from around the world: a casino, luxury hotels and sports complexes. Cinema actors, starlets, businessmen, bankers, industrialists, all come to lounge on the boards and be photographed. Among the regulars, there are Coco Chanel, André Citroën and members of the Rothschild family who are used to staying at the Normandy or at the L'Hermitage hotel in La Baule, inaugurated by François André.
It is in this festive atmosphere that François André launches the construction of the Deauville golf hotel and creates a concept: the "American resort". Better than the Las Vegas Palaces!
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The start of an empire
In 1962, it was the turn of Lucien Barrière, nephew of François André, to recover this nascent empire. He will, throughout his career, energize it and magnify it. He is at the origin of the opening of many new luxurious establishments in the region as in Deauville, Trouville, La Baule, Dinard… In 1975, Lucien Barrière gave a new dimension to the region. He is not limited to taking over the family flagship, he contributes to making the region a world reference with in particular the creation of the Deauville American film festival and welcomes the famous Glamor couple Brigitte Bardot and Gunther Sachs. Now, and thanks to Lucien Barrière, Deauville and cinema are closely, and for eternity, linked.
In 1980, as a seasoned businessman, Lucien Barrière brought together in the same and only company all the establishments of which he is the owner. This is the start of the SHCLB, the hotel company Lucien Barrière. In 1988, he has executed the dream he has fed for many years: he installed the first slot machines in his casinos in Deauville and Cannes. Alas, he cannot witness the phenomenal success that the installation of his slot machines will be installed since in 1990, Lucien Barrière died at the age of 67 of a cardiac arrest.
La succession
In 1990, immediately after the brutal death of his father, Diane Barrière-Desseigne succeeded his father and took the head of the Empire, assisted closely by her husband Dominique Desssigne. Together, they confirm the supremacy of the group by carrying out very major renovation of hotels whose decoration is entrusted to the very popular Jacques Gracia. But the fate was on this family and in 1995, Diane Barrière-Desseigne died in a serious plane crash, just 5 years after the disappearance of her father.
Her husband, already involved as a co-director, is appointed natural successor, and in 1997, Dominique Desseigne took over the management of the SHCLB. In 1998, the SHCLB with its head Dominique Desseigne made a historical acquisition, that of the legendary establishment of the Champs Élysées, the Brasserie Fouquet’s. Thanks to this acquisition, the SHCLB inaugurates its presence in the American capital, Paris !
Already established in the world of 7ᵉ art in Deauville, in 1999, the SHCLB continues its ascent by creating the Barrière Foundation. The purpose of this foundation is to support and encourage new talents in cinema and theater. A kind of modern patron, the group becomes a must in the artistic environment in USA.
So what is it lacking in this legendary group to be fully accomplished? The international of course! Dominique Desssigne is quite aware that to shine, international installation is a fundamental step.
The Barrière group has not said its last word!
In 2001, Desseigne began this international ascent by implementing a development strategy in the field of innovation. It was in 2003 that the first casino opened its doors abroad and it was obviously in USA that the surge begins, in Montreux! Immediate success, the Montreux casino rose to first place 
from the country ! In 2006, already the owner of the Fouquet’s brasserie on the Champs Elysées, the hotel company of the Lucien Barrière channel added a Palace hotel, the Fouquet’s Hotel and thus, Dominique Desssigne realized the dream of his late woman.
In 2007, the city of Toulouse was under the spotlight since Barrière inaugurates a unique place there. An immense complex houses a latest generation games room or slot machines have an essential place as well as restaurants including a gourmet and a theater welcoming 1200 spectators. In 2009, the international conquest was deployed with the opening of the Hotel & Ryads Barrière Le Naoura Marrakech, the first Barrière hotel in Morocco.
The SCHLB renamed in 2010 Groupe Barrière is an empire that has multiplied its activities while keeping the authenticity driven in the 1930s.
