Rondele Ranch began in 2004 as a private residential retreat owned by Claude Bourguignon. A true renaissance man, Claude came to the U.S. from Montreal at a young age with a dream and a vision that led to the creation of this haven in northern Wisconsin.

In the 1970s, Claude and his business partners purchased a cheddar plant in Merrill in northern Wisconsin, where they began to produce an innovative cheese called Rondele, a French-style spreadable cheese. After years of success, they sold ANCO to Kraft Foods in 1990.

To celebrate his entrepreneurial spirit and entertain family and friends, Claude constructed Rondele Ranch. An avid hunter, he traveled the world pursuing wild game, and many of his trophy animals are on display in the Main House. Today, owner Bob Chadwell celebrates his unbreakable bond of friendship with Claude–a friendship that built a business relationship that turned into a lifetime partnership.

It was the wedding of Bob’s granddaughter that transformed Rondele Ranch–once a private home–into something much more special and significant. This once-in-a-lifetime occasion spurred Bob and his family to open their doors as a sacred space for people to share life’s defining moments with those closest to them. Today, Rondele Ranch hosts weddings, private events, business meetings, retreats, and more, as well as welcoming Northwoods vacationers at lodges, cabins, vacation homes, and motel rooms located on the 700-acre property and at other scenic spots nearby.

And Bob still shares Claude’s original mission to bestow the grandeurs of the Northwoods upon others:

“We invite you to encounter all the wonders Rondele Ranch holds. We have people who come here for the first time, and they keep coming back again and again.”