Fountain in the main hall of the Pittier Park

This popular hall is called Salle du Parc, simply because in the 19th century, the green space surrounding it and the beautiful trees that populate it, not forgetting of course its small watering hole, were the place to relax for the residents of the Grand-Hôtel des Bains, which was just across the road.

Today, what remains of the establishment are the three rental buildings arranged in a U-shape, where a kiosk and the regional social services are located at street level.

The Grand-Hôtel des Bains was opened in 1824 and within a few years had become the address of choice for all lovers of baths and thermal treatments. With this development of the tourist and medical activity, the need for water, and thus for fountains, will be more and more important. We will talk about this in step 15.

This beautiful achievement was the work of the investor Benjamin Dürr and his entire family of Aargauian origin, who at that time worked hard for the development of Bex. The city of the Avançon river banks had known a very good 18th century, but the passage of the century, with the revolutionary troubles and also serious fires, in particular in 1806, had seriously worsened the economic, social and financial situation of the village.

The thermalism (with the other hotels which will be born) was thus a source of revival, a period of glory even, which will last almost a century, before the First World War and the crisis of 1929 give the blow of grace to this hotel industry.

But it's not just the hotels. From the Grande Salle, you can already see the bell tower of the Temple of Bex, built in 1501, just before the Reformation took hold in the locality as in the whole region. The first church in Bex, located in the same place, dates from the end of the 12th century.

Still visible from the Grande Salle car park, but to the north of it, is the small English chapel, dating from 1882, intended for Anglican worship and transformed into a meeting room in the middle of the last century. It also serves as the headquarters of a Masonic lodge.

And now, the second stage, where the small pond will remind us of the vine.