From students to entrepreneurs: how three graduates are reviving the Domaine d’Ablon in Normandy

In the fourth and final year of the Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality and Restaurant Management, some students choose to do an international internship, while others prefer to immerse themselves in a hospitality group in operational or managerial positions.

Claire, Thomas and Léo, however, made a completely different choice: to relaunch a hotel in Normandy that was in bankruptcy proceedings. It was a courageous, carefully considered decision that perfectly illustrates the initiative and professional maturity of our young graduates.

Today, all three are employee-managers of the Domaine d’Ablon, a secluded location just a few minutes from Honfleur and Deauville.

Three paths, one shared ambition

Claire, originally from Roanne, grew up in a world deeply influenced by gastronomy, with Maison Troisgros as the local reference. Coming from a general background, she built up solid management expertise at Institut Lyfe and chose to specialise in financial and strategic analysis of the international hospitality industry in her fourth year.

Thomas, from Marseille, attended a hospitality high school before joining Institut Lyfe. In their first year, he and Claire met and began working together on conference associations, public speaking competitions, student projects, and more. Their natural collaboration laid the groundwork for what was to come. He specialised in entrepreneurship, guided by a strong appetite for innovative project management.

Léo, trained in culinary arts and pastry making, joined Institut Lyfe through parallel admission and chose to specialise in entrepreneurship to complete his academic career. He has significant experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, particularly in Normandy and the South-West of France. From their very first meetings, it was clear that their profiles complemented each other and their visions were aligned. Thomas then invited him to join the Domaine d’Ablon project.

A hands-on entrepreneurial experience

The original idea was simple: to have a more engaging professional experience than a traditional internship. The three students embarked on a takeover study: dossier, business plan, search for investors. After several meetings with shareholders, the project was approved. A few weeks later, they moved to Normandy, officially as interns but already fully involved in the future of the estate.

Ten minutes from Honfleur, Domaine d’Ablon is a secluded Norman village consisting of five cottages and ten rooms, each with its own private garden. It offers an intimate, independent atmosphere, prized by travellers seeking a personalised, high-end experience.

But behind the façade lies a complex situation: the former operating company had gone into liquidation, there were urban planning non-compliances, … Where some saw constraints, the three young graduates saw an opportunity: to restructure, clarify and rebuild a solid, sustainable model.

Then they had to learn how to operate like a real business: creating processes, formalising their internal communication, structuring operations, managing the unexpected. Added to this were the legal, administrative and reputational issues related to the estate’s situation. It was a demanding reality that strengthened their ability to adapt and their sense of responsibility.

The roles were divided up naturally:

• Claire, in charge of financial management, oversees accounting, administrative follow-up and internal organisation. She also manages customer relations and coordinates stays.
• Thomas, in charge of marketing and customer experience, devises the highlights of the stay, organises dinners and oversees commercial and operational aspects.
• Léo, chef at Domaine d’Albon, is responsible for all culinary offerings: dinners, breakfasts, menu creation, purchasing management, stock monitoring, wine cellar, special requests, etc.

A project design to last

Their plan for the coming months is ambitious: to open a fine dining restaurant in one of the estate’s cottages, limited to three tables. An intimate setting, focused on vegetables, produce from the garden and local producers.

Léo envisages a committed cuisine, without exotic or unsustainable ingredients, deeply connected to the resources of the estate’s garden. The menus will evolve according to the seasons, the climate and the maturity of the vegetable garden, creating a lively, authentic experience deeply rooted in Normandy. With Nicolas, the gardener, he experiments and cultivates rare varieties of herbs, flowers and vegetables to create a unique culinary identity.

More than just a restaurant, Léo wants to create a space where time slows down, where the connection between the earth and the plate can be felt with every bite, and where hospitality becomes a sensory experience.

By choosing to relaunch a hotel establishment even before graduating, Claire, Thomas and Léo demonstrate what Institut Lyfe strives to convey: autonomy, audacity, creativity, high standards and a sense of responsibility. Their adventure at the Domaine d’Ablon is that of a generation ready to reinvent models, to commit fully and to pursue an ambitious vision of hospitality.