L'Hôtel du Parc

The hotel was created in 1824 on the initiative of Benjamin Dürr (1797-1867). It was thanks to this man and his spa project that Bex became a fashionable resort between 1830 and 1914. Members of the Dürr family also built the "Grand Hôtel des Bains" in Lavey-les-Bains.

The thermal springs discovered in 1820 were located at a place called les Isles (between Bex and St-Triphon, not far from the Rhône), the other near the entrance to a gallery of the salt mines, in the direction of Gryon (galerie du Fondement).

The medical properties of these waters were described in 1824 by Samuel Mercanton, professor of chemistry at the University of Lausanne: they treat skin diseases, rheumatic pains and gastric disorders. Mr Mercanton concludes his work as follows:
"It is to Mr. Dürr that we owe the beautiful bathing house that has just been built in Bex: with an elegant simplicity, this house combines all the conveniences that one likes to find in such an establishment. It will thus offer all the advantages that one seeks at great expense in foreign countries. There will be fresh water baths, hot and cold; sulphurous water baths; steam baths, ordinary and Russian style; ascending and descending showers.

Works undertaken in the hotel in the 19th and early 20th centuries were aimed at improving the comfort of guests and the luxury of the hotel. And there was no limit to what was spent: in 1877, the lounge and dining room were charged at CHF 6,672, which was the equivalent of the price of a small villa at the time. The hotel park was planted with beautiful trees, some of which still remain, and had a painted wooden bandstand.