[Job Story] Bobcat Skid Loaders Help Mont Blanc Restaurant Clear Snow at 2,000 Metres

Chez Gaston, a family-run alpine restaurant, saves hours each morning thanks to compact Bobcat equipment and snow removal attachments. Near Mont Blanc, at an altitude of 2000 metres, ensuring customer access to the Chez Gaston restaurant used to be a serious challenge every winter. Today, the owners complete the task in just 30 minutes, thanks […] [Job Story] Bobcat Skid Loaders Help Mont Blanc Restaurant Clear Snow at 2,000 Metres published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.

Oct 30, 2025 - 03:55

[Job Story] Bobcat Skid Loaders Help Mont Blanc Restaurant Clear Snow at 2,000 Metres

Chez Gaston, a family-run alpine restaurant, saves hours each morning thanks to compact Bobcat equipment and snow removal attachments.

Near Mont Blanc, at an altitude of 2000 metres, ensuring customer access to the Chez Gaston restaurant used to be a serious challenge every winter. Today, the owners complete the task in just 30 minutes, thanks to the purchase of two compact Bobcat loaders (an S550 and an S130) and, most recently, an L85 articulated wheel loader.

Bobcat loader removes snow from Chez Gaston's terrace — Bobcat loader removes snow from Chez Gaston’s terrace

Founded in 1974, Chez Gaston is a family-run restaurant with a long-standing legacy in the Alps. Now managed by Grégoire and Céline, with Grégoire being the son of the original founder, the restaurant continues to thrive across generations. Their daughter has also joined the business, serving as head chef, ensuring that both tradition and family spirit remain at the heart of the experience.

Over the years, the restaurant has undergone several renovations, including the addition of a terrace. As the outdoor area expanded, snow removal became increasingly time-consuming, taking up to three or four hours each morning. That’s when Bobcat came into the picture, recommended to Grégoire by a friend.

Grégoire Gaston at Chez Gaston restaurant, with Bobcat loader

The first purchase was made through the local dealer, Sivemat, and thanks to the remarkable efficiency of the equipment in simplifying their daily tasks, additional machines soon followed. Today, he owns S550 and S130 compact loaders, as well as L85 articulated wheel loader, which have become essential to his operations. Equipped with specialised attachments such as a snow blower, these machines now allow him to clear the terraces in just 30 minutes, a significant time-saver.

“We’re proud to count restaurant owners like Céline and Grégoire among our loyal customers, whom we support all year round. They find in the Bobcat brand a wide range of products tailored to their specific and demanding needs”.

says Jean-Benoît Bourgeois, Sales Representative at Sivemat.

With the right tools now in place, winter no longer slows down Chez Gaston’s daily operations, allowing the team to keep the terraces clear and service running smoothly, even at 2,000 metres.

[Job Story] Bobcat Skid Loaders Help Mont Blanc Restaurant Clear Snow at 2,000 Metres published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.