Henri Borel, February 11, 1927 - September 6, 2023, from Waitsfield, Vermont, and Villeneuve-Les-Avignon, France, passed away in his hometown of Avignon where he had been enjoying time with family and friends, as he did every summer before returning to The Valley for the first snow to get his skis ready and open Chez Henri. The day before his passing he spent the morning with Francois walking to the village to his favorite outdoor café, to read the newspaper, enjoy a croissant, and strike up conversations with local patrons. Henri had such joie de vivre, infectious energy, insatiable curiosity, and the ability to connect with people and share his enthusiasm in their shared moment. He always said his life was an ongoing series of serendipitous events that created beautiful days and over time a beautiful life.
He truly lived a full life from his early childhood days in Avignon to at 17 years old, joining the French Armed Forces for a six-month tour of duty journeying first to Alsace-Lorraine and then in 1945, when peace was declared, to war-ravaged Berlin. Soon after his tour, he travelled to England to improve his English skills -- a work in progress. He then joined the merchant marines until a chance opportunity, in the late 40s, while walking down the Champs-Élysées, landed him a job at Air France. Henri met Rosie at Air France, and he introduced her to skiing first in Chamonix, then Mount Fuji and Tehran, and finally discovering together Sugarbush in late 1961. His love of skiing continued well into his 90s, and he was always trying to lower his NASTAR handicap.
Rosie and Henri immigrated to The Valley pregnant with their second child, Francois, and were quickly embraced by the kind and generous Sugarbush and Mad River Valley community which they both were forever grateful for. The couple took over managing, Ski Club Ten and on Christmas 1964, Rosie and Henri opened Chez Henri. In the early years, the family spent winters in Vermont and Henri spent time managing various nightclubs in NYC, South Hampton, Chicago, and Los Angeles with family in tow. In the late 60s, they opened Café Shelburne and La Patisserie (initially to supply genuine French bread to both restaurants) and were later involved with Habitation Léclerc in Haiti and Plum Tree Inn and Pomegranate Inn in Aspen, CO.
Through all their travels, The Valley and Chez Henri was always home. For the past 59 years, generations of the same families and skiers, as well as a Who’s Who of celebrities continue to make their way down the stairs to Chez Henri to be greeted in the early years by Henri and Rosie and then later Henri and Bernard Perillat, his longtime business partner and friend. Until cellphones, many people wondered if he had film in his camera as he made his way around the restaurant asking people to, ‘Keep Talking’ while he snapped memories of an evening spent at ‘Henri’s’ eating dinner, having a drink at the bar, climbing the pole or dancing in the Back Room.
He was the oldest of three children born to Felix and Gabrielle BOREL in Avignon, France, and husband of the late Rosie for over 50 years. Henri will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Alice Fabre, and his brother, Emile Borel, and forever loved by his daughter, Francoise and late husband Ken Desautels, and son Francois and wife Lara, grandsons Vladimir and Sacha Borel, and granddaughter Gabriella Desautels. His love of his family and the joy he shared with his wife, children and grandchildren will always be with them.
Friends and family are invited to attend a graveside memorial service at Waitsfield Village cemetery on Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 1 p.m. This winter, the family will be having a celebration of Henri’s life at Chez Henri.
