Marc-Emmanuel Dufour, formerly a familiar face on TF1 with the show "Tous ensemble ," has suffered a devastating blow. The Chalet de la Croix, a restaurant located in the hills above Monnetier-Mornex, in Haute-Savoie, was ravaged by fire on the evening of Tuesday, August 4th. The fire struck the building situated on the slopes of Mont Salève, along the Route des 3 Lacs. Firefighters were called to the scene around 22:30 p.m. The roof and first floor of the approximately 200-square-meter establishment were particularly hard hit. The building was destroyed in less than two hours. Lightning is considered the likely cause of the blaze.
"I have nothing left, it's all gone up in smoke."
Standing before the ruins of the establishment into which he had poured so much of his energy and savings, Marc-Emmanuel Dufour makes no secret of his devastation. "I have nothing left, it's all gone up in smoke ," the former presenter confides. He also describes his condition after the disaster: "My head is killing me. Anyway, I'll never be able to recreate everything I put into this project. It's so powerful. Those five years where I gave it my all."
During those five years, Marc-Emmanuel Dufour had personally invested himself in the renovation of the Chalet de la Croix. The project was nearing completion, and a restaurateur had already been chosen to take over the operation of the establishment. The reopening was planned for next year.
A historic restaurant on the Salève
The Chalet de la Croix was no ordinary establishment in the region. Its history dates back to 1889, and it had long been a fixture on the Salève mountain. Perched on the heights of Monnetier-Mornex, it boasted spectacular views of Geneva, Lake Geneva, and the Petit Salève. The restaurant had been closed since 2019, the year of Christiane Morel's death. She had managed it since 1982. Her sister, Mireille Duvernay, then took over the family business and refused several offers to buy it in order to preserve the restaurant's identity. Marc-Emmanuel Dufour knew Christiane Morel himself. A former customer of the restaurant, he visited her when she was in a nursing home and later in the hospital. After her death, he became close to Mireille Duvernay and decided to help save the Chalet de la Croix.
Marc-Emmanuel Dufour had invested all his savings
The former presenter then acquired shares in the building and the restaurant's business before dedicating five years to its renovation. His ambition was to preserve the historical purpose of the Chalet de la Croix and prevent the building from becoming a mere private residence.
“I wanted the restaurant to outlive its owner ,” he explains. He claims to have mobilized numerous local contractors and personally sourced some of the materials needed to restore the building. The project cost several hundred thousand euros. Marc-Emmanuel Dufour asserts that he invested all his savings in it. The disaster struck at the worst possible time: after five years of work, the project was finally nearing completion.
"Lightning brought us to our knees, but we will get back up."
Despite the extent of the damage, Marc-Emmanuel Dufour refuses to abandon the Chalet de la Croix. A glimmer of good news amidst the disaster: the building's foundations appear to have survived. The former television presenter has announced his intention to launch a fundraising campaign to finance a complete reconstruction. "So yes, we need your help ," he acknowledges. He also thanks the residents and the town hall of Monnetier-Mornex for the numerous messages received since the fire. "We were brought to our knees, but we will rise again ," he affirms.
After All togetherThe former presenter refuses to give up
Marc-Emmanuel Dufour was a popular face on TF1 between 2009 and 2015 thanks to the show " Tous ensemble" (All Together) . The program mobilized tradespeople and volunteers to urgently renovate the homes of families in difficulty and could attract nearly 3 million viewers. This time, it's the man who organized these community projects who finds himself confronted with the destruction of a building he was trying to save. But Marc-Emmanuel Dufour and Mireille Duvernay have already shown their determination to rebuild. For the former presenter, the objective remains the same despite the fire: "This restaurant will live again in tribute to Christiane."
