Audrey Hepburn/Irina Shayk
this year marks 150 years of the most luxurious and famous hotel on the French Riviera — Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Guests of the legendary, glamorous parties, fashion shows — in its history was all. Alas, to celebrate it with the usual places scale because of the pandemic coronavirus did not work, but surf the archives closed borders and the pandemic does not hurt. br>
In our new article you can learn about the brightest moments in the history of the famous hotel and its guests.
the founder of the newspaper Le Figaro, Jean Hippolyte Auguste Delaunay de Villasan, was fascinated by these places, where the rocks meet the azure waves, and wanted to found a Villa Soleil is a residence for writers and artists where they could create, inspired by the beauty of nature, or, conversely, to break from the throes of creativity. George sand, who visited this place in 1868, called it Paradise.
But to implement the idea Filmesana not have enough money. At the same time the territory became interested in Duke Paul Fersen, previously served at the Russian Imperial court, and at that time lived in Antibes. He was keen to acquire as much real estate on the coast and to create conditions for rich tourists from the Russian Empire: in that time the Riviera was just to shrink the aristocracy.
In 1863 he purchased this picturesque site on the shore of the sea and made famous for the 179-foot alley, but in 1865 he died from tuberculosis, and in the future, the project implemented his brother-in-law, former captain of the hussars of the army of the Russian Imperial guard Alexey Pleshcheyev.
the construction has been spent more than 640 thousand francs (a sum roughly equivalent to 130 thousand dollars today). Funded the project, local entrepreneurs and a number of Russian aristocrats.
the Official inauguration of the magnificent building in the style of Napoleon III on 26 February 1870. The idea with the residence Villa Soleil has managed to bring to life. Special train from nice to deliver around 100 guests (many of them were investors). They waited for a ball with waltzes and Mazurka, as well as a dinner with 15 (!) – course — menu was, of course, seafood and pheasants with truffles.
But after some initial success faded, and things were upset. In 1887, when a young hotelier from Piedmont Antoine Sella saw this estate and garden, and Villa were in disrepair and were abandoned. Sella will need two years to completely refurbish the Villa. In January 1889 the building was once again opened its doors — this time as the Grand Hotel du Cap.
the Sella from the start that I wanted, the hotel was known for its unique level of luxury and service that have distinguished his own unique styleening from all other hotels. The owner does everything to attract the most demanding and respectable people, and constantly working to improve the property.
By the time among the guests is already quite a lot of members of the British aristocracy in 1882 Queen Victoria visited for the first time on the Riviera and was fascinated by this region.
One of the rich guests of Sella, Lord William Onslow, British politician and former Governor of New Zealand has financially supported new innovations of the world: Central heating and luxurious bathrooms. It is worth noting that at the beginning of the XX century the Riviera was in demand not as a summer resort, but as a place of hibernation.
In 1914, the hotel was requisitioned by the Red Cross for the wounded in the war, but even in such circumstances, the owner never stopped to think about how to improve your hotel, and most importantly — to attract tourists and summer. Then it comes the idea to build a tea pavilion Eden Roc on the beach, to attract the attention of those who will see the hotel from the water.
At the same time starts the creation of a saltwater pool and views of the Mediterranean sea. It was built directly on the rocks — it blasted the rocks. The idea came to the Sella, when he watched the nurses, who in the rare free time to enjoy the beautiful weather and swimming in the sea. Thus, Antoine Sella became a pioneer of summer vacation on the French Riviera.
after the war, the hotel began to arrive and wealthy American tourists — the ocean of the glory of the Riviera moved together with returning from the front by American soldiers. Beginning of a new era — American tourists summer resort and favorite place of Bohemia, had in 1923, when summer had been expats Gerald and Sara Murphy.
rest in the hotel, 1927
In Paris Gerald studied painting, and they began to start Dating, thanks to which became famous. On the Riviera they quickly became the center of secular society. In terms of their communication consisted of F. Scott Fitzgerald with his wife Zelda, Ernest Hemingway, Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso and many others.
Actress Annabella (Suzanne Georgette Charpentier), a star of French cinema of the 1930-ies
Dream Filmesana still true after almost half a century — his ideal residence turned into a hotel, really became a point of attraction for the Bohemian society of writers and artists. Marc Chagall came here for studies, the F. Scott Fitzgerald immortalized this hotel as Hotel des Etrangers in his novel “tender is the Night”.
The wonderful place on the French Riviera, about halfway between Marseille and the Italian border, stands proud and pink building. Palms respectfully hide from the heat of the facade, need which was dazzling in the sun a short strip of beach. Later the hotel became a fashionable summer resort for a select audience, and then, ten years ago, he almost regions were depopulated, after in April he left the hotel-British,
so begins the book of Fitzgerald, which he dedicated, by the way, Chet Murphy.
a Regular guest of the hotel was and the forsaken king Edward VII of great Britain — the first time he visited it while still a Prince, and not change his habit after the rejection of the throne. Andre Sella (hotel management by that time had already passed to the son of the founder) always personally met him and his wife Wallace Simpson at the train station in Antibes.
Edward, Duke of Windsor, Wallace Simpson and Andre Sella
Guests at the time was also Marlene Dietrich and Erich Maria Remarque. On vacation here with her father and eight brothers and sisters came, and young John Kennedy, the future President of the United States.
Marlene Dietrich
Barely a hotel again reached new heights and attracted guests, Europe has again fallen war — Grand Hotel du Cap became once again the hospital and a base of the allied forces.
But in 1946 returned to the glamour and glitz parties, together with the first Cannes film festival is a partner of the hotel will be for many decades until today.
And with it came the movie stars. Rita Hayworth met Prince Ali Khan, who then got married at the hotel. It was rumored that the meeting occurred thanks to the Sella: he noticed two lonely guests for dinner and introduced them to each other. In the 1950s a frequent guest at the hotel was Pablo Picasso. He even developed a new menu design restaurant, taking money for it.
kirk Douglas
rest in the hotel, 1969
In 1964, the German entrepreneur Rudolf-August Oetker with his wife Maya have made a sea voyage along the coast of the French Riviera and, like many before him, was in the absolute power of the spell of this place.
After five years from the owner of the company Villeroy & Boch, he learned that the property offered for sale. But Andre Sella was not just looking for a buyer — he was looking for a kindred spirit, someone who shares his views, who will continue the family tradition and keep the spirit of the hotel.
To meet the Oetker rushed as soon as he returned from a trip to Argentina, and Sella he immediately developed a relationship of trust so that the transaction took place. So, in 1969, the legendary hotel has changed owners, but remained a family business — and today he is in the group of Oetker Hotel Management.
Mel Ferrer and Audrey Hepburn
a New milestone in the history of the hotel marked by the emergence of a new cult hero in its vicinity. On the territory of the Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc stepped and the foot of superspy 007 James bond. On PR��Stanny behind the restaurant Eden Roc were shooting one of the first scenes of the film “Diamonds are forever” (1971) Sean Connery.
In search of his enemy Blofeld fearless bond strangles “coherent” Marie with her own bikini. She, by the way, was played by French actress and miss world 1953, the daughter of the mayor of nice Denise Perrier.
a Craving for improvement has joined It with the previous owners of the property. In 1980, the site (which is a little more than nine acres) there is another housing 16 rooms in Les Deux Fontaines.
Earlier, the main building was also renovated the Hamburg architect Cesar Pinnau, and the artist Pierre-Marie Rudel painted the interior of the restaurant Eden-Roc work can be seen there today. Well, the hotel itself was renamed from the Grand Hotel du Cap at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
the spirit of the past time and even some old-fashioned here also kept to the last. Only in 2006 the hotel began to accept credit cards — this only took cash.
Today the hotel is known not only as a place of high quality recreation, but also as a place for the most glamorous and star parties. There still are techniques in the framework of the Cannes film festival, including the famous charity gala evening of amfAr. Entered the hotel and in the history of fashion thanks to Karl Lagerfeld.
Karl Lagerfeld Cruise Chanel show in 2011
Irina Shayk adriana Lima Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Blake lively Vanessa Paradis Kendall Jenner Justin Timberlake
no Wonder that the designer, who paid attention not only clothes, but what scenery it will be presented, turned the famous Avenue to the sea at the podium. In 2011, this open space hosted a showing of the cruise collection of Chanel. The atmosphere of the hotel, by the way, and she adored Coco Chanel, so she would have such a choice definitely would have approved.
Jude law
the same year came and the perfume is Dior Jude law, which took place at the hotel. Four years later, in the same scenery Natalie Portman tried on the image of the runaway bride in Miss Dior video.
Choosing the hotel and for private star parties. So, its 22nd anniversary in the Riviera celebrated Kylie Jenner.
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott
In the year of jubilee the hotel had to remain without parties, and without shooting. Even regular season began later, after the pandemic, Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc opened only on 1 July. However, the downtime was again used for committedpolishing is probably also a tradition of the hotel.
the Premises was again renovated under the supervision of renowned Brazilian architect Patricia Anastasiadis and chief consultant of all three restaurants — Eden-Roc Grill Eden-Roc and LouRoc — was appointed Eric Frechon, winner of three Michelin stars and chef of the restaurant at Le Bristol Paris. Next year, will book, Hotel du Cap Eden Roc: A Timeless Legend where will be documented the entire history of the hotel, collected various stories about the famous guests, archival photographs and illustrations.
But the literary experience, of course, will not replace the parts on the main Avenue of the hotel is the stream of photos on instagram does not dry out during the quarantine, when the tourists remembered his last vacation, and bubbling with new strength, almost cost the hotel to open. Think of the magnetism of this place, which was losing the will millionaires and stars will last for another 150 years.
