Crêt-Bérard

What Crêt-Bérard does

Crêt-Bérard is a Swiss non-profit private foundation operating a retreat, hotel, and seminar venue in Puidoux, Canton of Vaud, within the Lavaux UNESCO World Heritage wine region. Founded in 1948 and inaugurated in 1953 under the patronage of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud (EERV), the foundation runs a Protestant-rooted hospitality operation that is open to a broad public. The site comprises 40 guest rooms, a 26-bed dormitory facility branded Le Pavillon, 15 seminar rooms with capacity up to 170–180 people, and a 170-seat restaurant, supported by a permanent staff of 13 employees.

The business model combines commercial hospitality revenues — accommodation, restaurant and catering, seminar and banquet rentals — with non-profit income including membership dues from the Association des Amis de Crêt-Bérard and donations used to fund capital projects such as the 2025 Pavillon renovation. Customer segments span individual leisure travelers, families, corporate seminar clients, religious communities, and executive retreat participants served via the dedicated Rencontres Horizon program launched in 2017. The foundation does not raise external equity or debt funding rounds; it reinvests operating surpluses and project-specific donations back into the property.

The technology footprint is limited to standard hospitality tooling — an online reservation system, MailChimp for email marketing, and Google Analytics for traffic monitoring — with no proprietary platform, data assets, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed. Differentiated sub-brands (Le Pavillon, Rencontres Horizon, the cultural festival Livre à Vivre) create distinct venues and recurring engagement touchpoints, while third-party recognition (Swiss Location Award 2024, Swisstainable, Vaud Ambassador, Swiss Lodge, KAYAK) supports distribution via external booking channels.

Name

Crêt-Bérard

Legal name

Crêt-Bérard, Maison de l'Église et du Pays

Website

https://cret-berard.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crêt-Bérard is a Swiss non-profit foundation operating a 75-year-old retreat center, 40-room hotel, and seminar venue in Puidoux, Vaud, serving individual guests, corporate seminar clients, religious communities, and executive retreat participants within the Lavaux UNESCO wine region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality and Retreat Services

NAICS

Accommodation (721), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB), Conference Retreat Hotels (THAGALAG)

Keywords

• Retreat center services
• Seminar venue rental
• Hospitality accommodation
• Conference catering
• Spiritual retreat programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Puidoux

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hotel Accommodation: Revenue from 40 guest rooms across various configurations (single, double, triple, family rooms) with and without private bathrooms. Rooms are priced differently based on amenities, with surcharges for private facilities.
2. Restaurant and Catering Services: Three-meal service including buffet breakfast, three-course lunch menu (or buffet), and lighter dinner options. Accommodates dietary restrictions and allergies. Restaurant can seat up to 170 guests.
3. Seminar and Event Venue Rental: Revenue from renting 15 equipped seminar rooms for corporate events, seminars, conferences, and banquets. Offers half-day and full-day seminar packages with catering included. Venues accommodate groups from 6 to 170 participants.
4. Activity Programs: Fees from retreats, workshops, seminars, and cultural activities. Includes day programs and residential stays with accommodation. Children's summer camps charged at CHF 330 per child per camp. Family activity workshops at CHF 15/adult and CHF 10/child.
5. Membership Dues and Donations: Annual membership in the 'Association des Amis de Crêt-Bérard' provides CHF 30 (individual) or CHF 100 (collective) in dues, plus donations. Members receive 15% discount on retreats and activities. Donations fund infrastructure maintenance and sustainable development projects.
6. Special Events: Revenue from wedding receptions, corporate dinners, and banquet events. Full catering service from appetizers through post-wedding brunch. Seasonal celebration menus and custom event packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Crêt-Bérard operates a hospitality, retreat and seminar center offering 40 guest rooms plus the Le Pavillon dormitory (26 beds), restaurant and catering for up to 170 guests, and 15 equipped seminar rooms accommodating groups from 6 to 170. The center complements these core hospitality services with a varied program of spiritual retreats, workshops, children's camps, leadership forums, cultural events, and burnout prevention retreats rooted in the Protestant tradition of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Vaud.

Product overview

Crêt-Bérard is a private foundation operating a hospitality and retreat center located in Puidoux, in the heart of Lavaux, Switzerland. The organization offers a unified portfolio of services centered on accommodation (40 rooms plus Le Pavillon dormitory), conference facilities (15 seminar rooms for 5-170 guests), and restaurant services. These core hospitality services are complemented by a rich program of spiritual, cultural, and educational activities including retreats, workshops, conferences, children's programs (Petites Écoles), leadership forums (Rencontres Horizon), author festivals (Livre à Vivre), and burnout prevention retreats (Équilibre et Ressourcement). The house emphasizes disconnection with no TVs in rooms and limited WiFi, positioning itself as a place for reflection, spiritual growth, and community building rooted in Protestant Christian traditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Association des Amis de Crêt-Bérard: Supporting association founded September 12, 1949, to financially support Crêt-Bérard activities and contribute to the maintenance of the house and park.
• Le Pavillon
• Rencontres Horizon
• Livre à Vivre

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GHIX (Route de Champ-Colin 18, CH-1260 Nyon)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel booking system provider. External reservation platform partner for managing hotel bookings.
• KAYAKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline travel search and booking platform. Crêt-Bérard is listed on KAYAK with guest reviews and ratings contributing to KAYAK Travel Awards recognition.
• Swisstainable / Switzerland TourismminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSustainable tourism initiative by Switzerland Tourism. Crêt-Bérard is certified as a sustainable Swiss tourism provider, featured in Switzerland's sustainable travel promotions.
• Facebook Ireland Ltd / Facebook Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platform links on website. Clicking social links establishes direct connection between user browser and social network servers when user is logged in.
• Instagram Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhoto and video social media platform. Crêt-Bérard maintains Instagram presence for visual content marketing and community engagement.
• LinkedIn CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional networking platform. Used for professional community outreach and B2B visibility alongside business events like 'Rencontres Horizon'.
• A RochaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental conservation organization. Co-organizes children's summer camp 'Vitamine N' combining nature experience with faith formation at Crêt-Bérard facilities.
• EERV (Église Évangélique Réformée du Canton de Vaud)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding and governing church organization. Holds seat on the Foundation Council. Pays the resident pastor's salary. Co-organizes children's camps ('JACKS' youth animator training) and provides ongoing institutional support. Crêt-Bérard is 'La Maison de l'Église et du Pays' (House of Church and Country).
• State of Vaud (Canton de Vaud)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCantonal government authority. Holds seat on the Foundation Council, representing public interest and collaborative relationship between church and state as established at founding.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bienenberg: Reformed conference and retreat center in Liestal (Baselland), offering accommodation, seminar facilities, restaurant, and Christian formation programs. Directly comparable in faith-based positioning, Swiss geography, and dual lodging/conference model.
• Lassalle-Haus Bad Schönbrunn: Jesuit retreat and conference center in Edlibach/Zug offering accommodation, seminar facilities, and Ignatian spiritual programming. Direct faith-rooted peer in Switzerland with similar mix of individual retreats and group seminars.
• Casa Moscia: Christian conference and retreat house in Ronco sopra Ascona (Ticino). Combines accommodation, seminar rooms, and spiritual programming in a faith-based Swiss setting — overlapping in target audience and service mix with Crêt-Bérard.
• Centro Stefano Franscini: ETH-affiliated conference center at Monte Verità in Ascona. Comparable Swiss venue for academic and corporate seminars, though with less emphasis on individual spiritual retreats than Crêt-Bérard.
• Kartause Ittingen: Former Carthusian monastery converted into a hotel, conference, and cultural venue in Warth-Weiningen (Thurgau). Closely mirrors Crêt-Bérard's heritage-monastery architecture, retreat positioning, and combination of accommodation, dining, and seminar hosting.
• Kloster Kappel: Historic monastery now operating as a seminar hotel and conference center in Kappel am Albis (Zurich area). Same faith-rooted lodging-plus-seminar model as Crêt-Bérard, serving both individual retreatants and corporate groups.
• Schloss Freudenfels: Christian conference center in Bazenheid (St. Gallen) operating in a castle setting. Comparable faith-rooted lodging + seminar + retreat venue serving both religious and corporate groups in the Swiss market.
• Bildungszentrum Boldern: Swiss Protestant (Reformed) conference and retreat center in Männedorf overlooking Lake Zurich. Offers accommodation, seminar rooms, restaurant, and faith-based programming — virtually identical operating model and customer mix to Crêt-Bérard, making it the closest Swiss peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBSm_u9ta-3L8BWFwVRsxM9k1SBZeCrL-
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cret-berard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Crêt-Bérard