A hidden sanctuary in the heart of the Charente countryside, Domaine des Étangs is where the soul of rural France meets the quiet sophistication of contemporary luxury. Spanning over 2,500 acres of preserved forest, lush meadows, and serene lakes, this 13th-century former château has been reimagined as one of Europe’s most enchanting estates—part of the distinguished Auberge Resorts Collection.
Privately owned by the Primat family, the Domaine offers just 17 keys, including 11 refined suites within the château and 6 private cottages (Métairies), each offering a unique immersion into the French art de vivre. At its heart is Dyades, the property’s Michelin-starred restaurant, where culinary artistry and regional terroir converge to create an exceptional dining experience.
With its rich cultural heritage, sweeping natural beauty, and architectural elegance, Domaine des Étangs is not only a luxurious countryside retreat but also a secluded destination for the most intimate and high-end weddings and private gatherings. Here, time slows, senses awaken, and every detail speaks to the timeless grace of French living.
Job Description
The General Manager will serve as both host and visionary—leading the team, stewarding the Domaine’s distinct positioning, and building enduring relationships with guests, media, partners, and ownership. This role is ideal for a poised, high-performing resort leader ready for their first GM appointment. The successful candidate will bring strong luxury credentials, fluency in French and English, experience in remote settings, and a sharp commercial eye, particularly across Sales, Marketing, and CapEx execution. Above all, they will embody the grace, discretion, and hospitality that define Domaine des Étangs.
This is a role for a seasoned Resort Manager or hotel leader ready to step into their first General Manager position—an individual with a luxury pedigree and a demonstrated ability to lead small, high-performing teams in remote, nature-based destinations. Experience in independently branded hotels is essential, as is a strong commercial mindset, fluency in Sales & Marketing, and a proven ability to lead CapEx projects with vision and financial acumen.
In concert with Auberge’s unique expertise, the key responsibilities for this position are:
Owner Relations. Effectively managing the owner relationships on behalf of Auberge, to ensure the owners maintain trust and confidence in our successful stewardship of their asset.
Positioning. To continue positioning Domaine des Etangs as a best-in-class hotel in France, from providing highly personalized service, wellness and culinary to the most intimate and high-end weddings and private gatherings.
Strategic. Oversee the development of the strategy and business plan for Domaine des Etangs to deliver on our mission of being the best luxury French country retreat resort in France.
Financial. Ensure that the financial targets are met and exceeded through adept business planning and being commercially savvy.
Sales. Be the sales champion and visible with most influential travel advisors, clients and media.
Recruitment, Employee Branding and Culture. Develop the recruitment and employee branding strategy so that we are the employer in the region. Build a rich culture of trust, pride and joy based on our ENRICH values that will result in a high employee advocacy and engagement.
Operational Excellence and Quality. Oversee the creation and successful implementation of the guest experience - pre-arrival, arrival, stay, departure and post-departure experiences to ensure that our guests report the highest levels of personal and customized services, and that our team is motivated and engaged. Drive guest advocacy scores in excess of 80%.
Service Experience and Excellence. Oversight of service experience with high guest and team member engagement and floor presence.
Food & Beverage Experiences. Responsible for facilitating, and guiding well-designed and creatively curated guest experiences unique to Domaine des Etangs through programming, entertainment, partner alignment, and space activation.
Qualifications
Ability to live and work in France without sponsorship.Minimum 10+ years of luxury hospitality experience with a minimum of 5 years as a General Manager or Resort Manager in a luxury hotel.
Global experience, with relevant European knowledge, working in key luxury markets with exposure to brand positioning or repositioning fluency as well as take over and transitions expertise.
Significant F&B experience in a luxury, relevant hotel environment.
Ability to earn trust and confidence and build strong relationships with all stakeholders including travel community, ownership, home office and the local community.
Proven expertise in successfully driving performance in luxury operations.
Proven ability to Successfully lead CapEx initiatives, combining operational insight with a business-driven, long-term vision.
Independent asset experience in addition to traditional notable brands.
Bilingual language skills; English & French
Represent Auberge’s unique, luxury position in Europe in concert with other hotels in this key region.
Additional Information
Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences, and private clubs. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the soul of the locale to life through captivating design, exceptional cuisine and spas, and gracious yet unobtrusive service. With hotels and resorts across three continents, Auberge invites guests to create unforgettable stories in some of the world’s most desirable destinations. Please visit aubergeresorts.com to learn more about our Collection. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, Facebook and Pinterest: @AubergeResorts and #AlwaysAuberge.
Our mission is to be the most inspired operator of one-of-a-kind luxury properties and experiences. Auberge is a family of intimate, one-of-kind hotels and resorts that define an approachable style of luxury in both product and service that resonates with the curious modern traveller. Passionately local, experience-led, romantic, and stylish, these hotels hum with a vibrancy that is both refined and relevant.
