Stéphane RIGAUD
General Manager
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spa
Courchevel, France
Promo 1996
Careers in hospitality, catering and tourism
The hospitality management sector offers a wide range of opportunities: digital communication, oenology, ecotourism, event management, luxury marketing…
Career Paths of Vatel Graduates in Hospitality and Tourism
Discover the inspiring journeys of Vatel graduates: diverse roles in hospitality, management, events, restaurant operations, and tourism, both in France and internationally.
The first Vatel school, opened in 1981, Vatel Paris moved on September 1, 2025, to La Défense, a lively and dynamic district that hosts renowned companies as well as major events.
Vatel Lyon is a school of hotel management that trains the future operational managers and executives in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Vatel Nîmes is a hotel management school that trains future managers and executives in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Vatel Bordeaux is a school specialising in hotel management, preparing future professionals in the hotel and tourism industry for international careers.
Vatel Nantes is a hotel management school that trains future managers and executives in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Vatel Academy in Lyon-Marcy l'Etoile, is a vocational campus of the Vatel school that trains students for technical careers in the hotel and restaurant industries.
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Experimental structures
50% theory and 50% practical experience
Learn to manage real establishments, develop your leadership skills, and prepare for careers in the hospitality and restaurant industry.
At Vatel Paris-La Défense, the practical training center for food and beverage is integrated within the school. It provides a unique hands-on environment for welcoming clients under real conditions and operates like a true business. It is in this setting that students gradually develop their skills in human resource management, decision-making, and responsibility.
Test, Innovate, Learn
How do you hire a Head Chef? How can you significantly reduce the physical strain of housekeeping staff? What measures should be taken to fight kitchen waste?
By observing, taking action, and even making mistakes, students gain a deep understanding of hospitality and restaurant professions and how they interact. During the first three years, students alternate between a week of theoretical instruction and a week of practical training in Vatel establishments. They practice the roles of the staff they will manage in the future and learn through interaction with real clients.
Test, Innovate, Learn
From the very first year, students are immersed in real-life situations. They rotate through different departments and roles, testing their skills. Each practical session is followed by a debriefing, where challenges are analyzed, innovative solutions proposed, applied in the next session, and evaluated. This approach makes learning more engaging and effective!
A Gradual Path Toward Management
The Vatel pedagogy is designed to gradually give students more responsibility each year:
Vatel’s goal is to give students increasing responsibility and confidence each year, under the attentive guidance of instructors and the supportive presence of clients.