"Nicole from the Négoce" says goodbye
2026 EPFL/Mathias Udriot - CC-BY-SA 4.0
The Le Négoce shop will close at the end of the year. EPFL plans to perform renovation work and issue a call for tenders for a new manager. Here are a few words from Nicole Thiébaud, who has run the shop for the past 40 years.
I came here in late June or early July 1986 and took over Le Négoce when the previous owner left.
The shop hasn’t moved at all since then, which is notable for the EPFL campus. I started to add my personal touch as soon as I was handed the reins. I wanted to give center stage to local products and specialties. And I’ve consistently fought to keep that local focus.
What’s our best seller? The sandwiches! They’re always homemade with baguettes and other bread from a nearby baker who delivers them daily.
I’ve known five EPFL presidents over the past 40 years. Each one had their little ritual at Le Négoce. They were always very polite when they stopped by, either first thing in the morning or to grab a quick bite at lunch.
People even recognize me when I’m abroad! It’s happened a few times that I’ve been on vacation and heard someone call out: “Nicole from Le Négoce!” And I know a lot of people at EPFL. Or at least by their first names – Yves, Benoît, Patrick, Marc and so on.
I’ll be leaving Le Négoce at the end of the year. I’m a little anxious, but I’ve already started planning the next step. I set up a workshop in a family home in Denges that I can use to continue my catering business.
I would like to thank the entire EPFL community for all these years on the campus, which I know I’ll miss.