Épopée Gestion today announced the launch of Épopée Hôtels I, an investment fund dedicated to the hotel industry and the development of more sustainable tourism. With an eight-year duration, the fund aims to invest a total of €200 million. It will enable the renovation and repositioning of around ten hotels in the French regions, and will be distributed mainly by Izimmo through its two brands: Le Comptoir Immobilier and La Référence Pierre.
An increasingly popular French Atlantic Arc and a great opportunity for the regions concerned
From Normandy to the Basque Country, via Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, French Atlantic Arc is one of the most attractive tourist regions in France. This trend is set to accelerate, with an expected increase in tourist numbers over the next ten years. The main reasons for this are global warming and the often scorching summer temperatures around the Mediterranean. Faced with this trend, the hotel industry in the Atlantic Arc is faced with a number of challenges: modernizing reception infrastructures, moving upmarket and implementing ambitious investment programs to support the area’s renewed attractiveness.
The Épopée Hôtels I fund, which plans acquire a high-quality seed, is targeting an overall size of €200 million under management, and aims acquire around ten hotels. It will invest in the hotels’ premises and goodwill, and work with recognized local partners to renovate, reposition and modernize them through a works program or the addition of a service component often demanded by today’s consumers.
A fund committed to promoting sustainable tourism
In line with the ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) ambitions of Épopée Gestion’s, Épopée Hôtels I is a fund committed to the region and the environment. In addition to financial performance, the fund aims to obtain the Clef Verte label for all its hotels, an objective guarantee of an integrated CSR approach, while promoting the creation or maintenance of jobs in the projects it supports. Acting as a true partner, Épopée Gestion is committed to helping its hotels make the transition to sustainable tourism.
A team of investors with solid expertise in the hotel sector
Led by Arnaud Lehuédé, Managing Partner of Épopée ‘s Real estate business, the team has been joined by Laurence Martin to enter a particularly buoyant and dynamic sector. With solid experience in the hotel sector, notably with Mazars’ Hotel Transaction Services team and with JLL, Laurence Martin played an active role in the creation of Épopée Hôtels I.
Distribution by Izimmo to private customers
The fund, accessible to institutional investors like all Épopée Gestion funds, will also be proposed to private clients with a minimum investment of €100,000 (informed clientele).
Distribution will be handled mainly by Izimmo, a subsidiary of the Crédit Mutuel Arkéa group, which will propose the product to wealth management customers through its La Référence Pierre brand and to private banks through its Le Comptoir Immobilier brand.
Ronan Le Moal, co-founder and Managing Director of Épopée Gestion: “We had identified a need in the hotel market. More and more people are attracted by the advantages offered by the French Atlantic Arc, often with a view to more environmentally-friendly travel. However, there isn’t always an offer that corresponds to their needs. With our partners, we want to help renovate the existing stock and improve its quality, in attempt to find a solution to this major regional problem.”
Sébastien Le Goascoz, Chairman of Izimmo: “With Épopée Gestion and the Épopée Hôtels I fund, we have found a fantastic tool for our customers: the ability to invest in hotels in regions that are often close to their hearts, and to do so with a strong commitment to sustainability in hotel renovation and management. Épopée Gestion has chosen local partners who, like them, know the terrain like the back of their hand, and will be able to seize the right opportunities in the French Atlantic Arc. This convinced us.”