Located at Ruy, close to Bourgon-Jallieu and just half an hour from Lyon via the A 43 (exit Bourgoin-Centre), the Domaine des Séquoias is one of those charming addresses people like to keep to themselves. It's a bourgeois house, built in 1840, with a traditional Dauphinois farm house, set in the middle of 5 hectares of grounds which are planted with rare species of trees, including cedars and magnificent sequoias from which it takes its name.

At the end of 2004, Stéphanie and Éric Jambon took an about turn from their original careers in IT by buying the business from Laurent Thomas, who had owned it since 1988. "My husband has been mad about cooking since he was a child, and one day he asked Paul Bocuse if he could work with him," recalls Stéphanie Jambon. "The answer was yes, and that's how he got to be a trained chef before we spent two years setting up a business plan to take over the Séquoias".

Once the contract was signed, the couple set about finding investors in order increase the prestigious feel of the property. "In the three storey house itself we retained the 60-cover restaurant with its beautiful outdoor terrace," continues Stéphanie Jambon. "The house has floorspace of 1,200 m2. On the ground floor there are the reception rooms, kitchens and two meeting rooms with space for about 40 people theatre-style or 20 seated. On the first floor there are five bedrooms. The Domaine des Séquoias also has a fabulous outdoor swimming pool, and we've invested 850,000 euros in renovating the old Dauphinois farm which was a complete wreck. We've created 14 bedrooms on two floors of the farm building, decorating them in a modern, minimalist style".

Within the kitchen, Éric Jambon has ambitions to win back the Michelin star held by Laurent Thomas. And in light of the reputation he's already making for himself, one can only imagine that he will achieve his dream before too long.

In the meantime the hotel is part of Alain Ducasse's Châteaux et Hôtels de France group and awaiting confirmation of 4* classification for its rooms. With regard to seminars, the couple are targeting mostly Lyon-based clients due to the proximity of the region's capital as well as the various companies based between Lyon, Valence, Chambéry and Grenoble, right at the heart of the Rhône-Alpes' road system which makes this the ideal meeting venue for companies with several regional sites.

"We're trying to concentrate on seminars and study days lasting one or two days, bearing in mind that we have 19 bedrooms available for residential meetings," explains Stéphanie Jambon. "Our charge for a fully-equipped meeting room is 160 euros. Refreshment breaks are charged at 6 euros per person, the express lunch menu including coffee is 30 euros, dinner costs from 36 euros whilst the three dish gastronomic menu costs 56 euros. We charge from 110 euros for the rooms plus an extra 18 euros for breakfast".

Le Domaine des Séquoias is beginning to make its mark on the business tourism market, organising on average one event a week for regular clients such as HP, Volvo and Aventis. Éric Jambon offers cookery classes as an additional activity to the work sessions, which are proving incredibly successful. There is also an informal partnership agreement with the racing track at Laquais. Finally, Stéphanie and Éric Jambon are looking to the future with plans for a Spa, although this might not happen for a while because of the conservation area.