Françoise Spiekermeier
Our 5 dream hotels on the Mediterranean coast
Closer to the water, it's on a boat... Plume has selected five hotels close to the waves between Carry-le-Rouet and Cap d'Antibes, to intoxicate yourself with the scents of iodine from dawn to sunset. With panoramic views over the open sea, a room aboard one of these hotels is a journey in itself.
La Reine Jane, 14 rooms 14 designers
In the evening, the blue neon lights of the "HOTEL" in Hyères, Var, bathe the small port of l'Ayguade, just a stone's throw from the sandy beaches. Out to sea, the view takes in the islands of Port-Cros, Porquerolles and Levant. Between these modern walls, erected in 1948, Jean-Luc Godard shot scenes from the film Pierrot le Fou, with Bébel's face painted blue. In 2017, David Pirone, the new owner, entrusted young designers who won the Design Parade festival (organized by Villa Noailles) with decorating the rooms on a Mediterranean theme. Recurring blue. Spanning 15m2, each room offers an immersive trip, an alcove where you can fall in love. Chambre1, by Claire Lavabre and Adrien Goubet, is an unfinished project of agglomerate bricks brushed with cement. Chambre15 (we skipped n°13!), Antoine Grulier and Thomas Defour make a mermaid dance on a wall panel of hand-painted ceramic tiles. In Chambre3, Mathieu Peyroulet and Laureline Galliot position the shower at the head of the bed, with a large printed curtain as a blackout screen. On the first floor, the restaurant opens onto a shaded terrace through large windows. On the roof terrace, cocktail evenings are held under a canopy of sky. The two weekend get-togethers are a regular occurrence: the Saturday seafood counter and the Sunday brunch, joyously ritualized in the shade of the plane mulberry trees.
From 110€ per night.
1, quai des Cormorans 83400 Hyères.
La Reine Jane
Photo credit: @StephanieDavilma
Les Roches Rouges, Esterel in the 50s
The colors of nature: the red of the rocks of the Estérel massif against which the town of Saint-Raphaël backs onto, the cobalt blue of the Mediterranean against the sky blue of the seawater pool dug into the rock, the purple of the sky between dog and wolf. The playful color of the details: touches of orange, ochre, lemon yellow and blue, an anthology of colored vibrations for a sensation of discreet luxury in contact with the wind. Everything at the Hôtel Les Roches rouges emphasizes this intimacy with the elements, this desire for a vacation, for freedom in sobriety: a commitment to the wind, for a five-star hotel. In the forty-four rooms, adorned with custom-made vintage furniture and a selection of films from the 50's, light and air circulate and you can breathe! Whether from the bed, the bath, the desk or the balcony, the view of the sea is breathtaking, as it is from the two restaurants, the two bars or the rooftop terrace. This retro luxury is a pleasure to behold. As for the pleasures of the palate, at Le Récif, where Michelin-starred chef José Bailly officiates, they are renewed every morning according to the catch of the day. On the seafront, the bar at La Plage, the hotel's other restaurant, serves cocktails and light fare until sunset on the Île d'Or. An ultra-contemporary vintage ambiance where, to complete the picture, you'll dream of escaping on a pedalo.
From 341€ per night.
90, boulevard de la 36e division du Texas 83530 Saint-Raphaël.
Les Roches Rouges
Belles Rives, the fabulous Gatsby legend
New York, spring 1922? Not at all: Cap d'Antibes, 1925. The stone walls of the former Villa Saint-Louis inspired the myth of Gatsby the Magnificent. It was here that the American writer F.Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda lived a new life bathed in champagne, inviting a youth disillusioned by the First World War to live among artists and celebrities. Evenings on the jetty lead to the height of extravagance... From this whirlwind of uninhibited pleasure, an echo remains, an energy in the richly decorated retro accents, evoking American-style vacation luxury, Roaring Twenties style. Here, you can taste the unrivalled charm of a Côte d'Azur vacation. You can breathe in the air of yesteryear as you indulge in the jet-set lifestyle and embody a certain idea of modernity. At least, that's the idea of owner Marianne Estène-Chauvin, who bought the hotel from her family in 2001 to found the Belles Rives group. Through this cultured woman and her vision, a refined, artistic spirit strolls around Cap d'Antibes. Thanks to the preservation of period furniture, the lobby has retained its former grandeur. The floors, in Venetian-style terrazzo, are adorned with wave-patterned mosaics: they lead to the restaurant La Passagère, a Michelin star since 2016, where chef Aurélien Véquaud officiates, voted Grand de demain at Gault&Millau 2019. All the spirit of Belles Rives is concentrated in the Fitzgerald Bar, with furniture covered in sumptuous leopard-print fabric, at aperitif piano time. Then dine on the terrace, admiring the silhouette of the Lérins Islands on the horizon. The sense of celebration culminates every Thursday evening, from June onwards: the pontoon is once again given over to dancing to the sounds of the resident DJ. A cult hotel that's definitely alive and kicking.
From €148 per night.
33, boulevard Édouard-Baudoin 06160 Antibes.
Les Belles Rives
Photos with rights reserved
Seaside, view of the Frioul archipelago
Looking out over the sea, you could almost see the Count of Monte Cristo escaping from his prison in the Château d'If, in the middle of the bay. The scenery seen from the Bords de mer rooms is exceptionally beautiful, especially in summer, when you follow the sun's disc across the horizon. The nineteen-room Hôtel Richelieu, with its iconic Art Deco façade skilfully preserved by its new owners, Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Foucher, is a true refuge, with its back turned to the furnace of the Old Port, yet only a five-minute walk away. The Cercle des nageurs, one of Marseille's finest sporting institutions, is a distinguished neighbor. The living room is as serene and cheerful as in a contemporary townhouse. The rooftop pool, perched near the clouds, is the perfect place for a handful of privileged guests on the balcony of a fabulous natural theater. The small details have the art of creating memories of an imaginary childhood. And to surprise you, the restaurant's chef Chester Tsai, an international chef who has worked in New York, Singapore, London and Paris, offers a voyageur cuisine, where products from the sea and Provence vibrate with novelty, such as this tartar of prawns and mango with Tom Kha sauce, or these snacked cuttlefish, grilled cabbage and celery with satay emulsion. A real treat! After your meal, why not visit the spa? Mineral, carved out of the rock, it's a den of gentleness. With the passing of time and water, the irreplaceable charm of this Mediterranean address is undeniable.
From 190€ per night.
52, corniche Kennedy 13007 Marseille.
www.lesbordsdemer.com
Photo credits : @Yann Deret @wearecontents @celinehamelin
Hotel Bleu, a motionless cruise
Embark on a cruise from the small port of Carry-le-Rouet, east of Marseille. It's the gateway to the Côte Bleue, with its wild creeks and fishing hut culture, still very much alive in the recesses of hard-to-reach coves. Patience: the 4-star Hôtel Bleu, with its 180° panoramic view of the port, is due to open in July. It's the perfect base from which to explore the local culture. The 44 yachting-style rooms are like cabins aboard an ocean liner, where rare objects are placed on box shelves to prevent them from being knocked over, and the built-in furniture leaves plenty of room for the king-size bed. An extended range of pillows turns your stay into a trip on a cloud. The restaurant, L'Oursin, located above the harbour for a better view of the local catch, will offer inventive, gourmet cuisine with Mediterranean flavours and spices. The emphasis on space and emptiness invites you to enjoy a light-hearted stay, sailing in calm waters, even on mistral-force days.
Hôtel Bleu
1 Bd des Moulins 13620 Carry-le-Rouet
From €249 per night
Photos DR
