OUR HISTORY

It was in the heart of the Semois valley, in the peaceful little village of Corbion, that Jules Maqua, familiarly known as Nanon, and his wife Eugénie decided to open a small café 123 years ago.

 

Back then, the place was already serving up some good, cold local beers. Jules and Eugénie had three children: Emile, Marie and Eugène Maqua.

In 1909, noting that tourists visiting the region were often looking for accommodation, Jules and Eugénie decided to transform their café into a hotel restaurant. The prosperity of the establishment, no doubt due to the dynamism of the owner but also to the creation of the Bouillon-Sedan by-pass line, made this timely expansion and modernisation possible. In addition, a player piano set the tone and many Corbionais hummed the fashionable polkas and mazurkas.

 

In 1913, Emile Maqua married Philomène and together they took over the establishment. They had two children, Raymond and Roger Maqua.

During the First World War, the business slowed down considerably, but in 1935, Emile and Philomène supervised new expansion work.

 

Their son Roger Maqua, for whom business sense was second nature, already enjoyed chatting to passing tourists...

During the Second World War, Emile Maqua and his son Raymond were taken hostage and deported to Germany, where they were killed in a bombing raid.

 

Emile's brother Eugène came to help and became head chef. Roger stayed in Corbion with his mother Philomène, who distinguished herself by secretly joining the Resistance and taking in Jewish families at the hotel during the war.

 

In 1948, Roger Maqua married Andrée Arnould, who joined her husband's uncle Eugène in the kitchen. Roger and Andrée had four children, Raymond, Marie-Claude, Philippe and Agnès, and in 1953 they built the villa opposite the hotel, which still houses four of the hotel's rooms. The kitchen was run by a succession of chefs until 1970, when Raymond Maqua took over.

 

In 1991, as the hotel celebrated its century of existence, Raymond and his brother Philippe took over the management of the establishment with their wives. They worked together for almost 20 years.

 

Raymond and Sévéryna will have two daughters, Angélique and Caroline Maqua. The family also grew at Hedwig and Philippe with Julie, Joan and Stéphan. On 29 April 2009, Sévéryna, Raymond's wife, passed away after a long illness. Her dynamism and know-how will be remembered by all. Raymond handed over the reins to his chef Philippe Bernard, with whom he had worked for 16 years.

 

In 2005, Joan Maqua joined his parents Hedwig and Philippe and familiarised himself with the management of this renowned establishment, which now has 33 rooms. In 2010 he married Magali Harzée, who gave birth to Gabriel Maqua on 29 December 2010. Gabriel and his cousins are part of the 6th generation in the history of the Maqua family. They were blessed with a little sister, Estelle, on 8 July 2012.

 

Julie Maqua has three children with Mike Chaput: Eva, Noa and Liam. They don't work at the hotel but come to lend a hand from time to time.

 

In 2012, Stephan Maqua took over the kitchen, with his wife Pauline Bastin working in the dining room alongside Magali and Joan. They are the proud parents of Lilou, Marion and Charly.

Hedwig, after a career spanning more than 40 years, is retiring to enjoy her grandchildren.

 

Since 2021, Joan and Stephan have been the proud owners of this fine family establishment. They are supported by their dad and their wives.