From Jean-Paul Belmondo to Bella Hadid, how Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes became the private refuge of stars – Gala

For more than 150 years, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has been one of the very popular and confidential addresses of the French Riviera. From Jean-Paul Belmondo to Bella Hadid, via Bruce Willis, many celebrities have been there. But then, why does this establishment, which is a century and a half old, appeal to the jet-set so much? Gala.fr tells you everything.

Appreciated by our French celebrities, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc also an international reputation. And that is not new. Built in 1870 in a Napoleon III style, the establishment first became known as Villa Soleil. This idea of ​​creating a peaceful place that could shelter the artistic community, especially writers, in search of calm and rest during sunny days, was born from the head of the press Hippolyte De Villemessant. But that only lasts for a while. At the end of the 19th century, the property is transformed into a prestigious hotel, thanks to the Piedmontese Antoine Sella. When the latter discovers the Cap d’Antibes, its idyllic landscapes and the richness of its vegetation, he imagines a hotel complex, both glamorous and confidential, which overlooks the Mediterranean. Located near the very famous city of Cannes, the Eden-Roc which includes a hundred roomswithout forgetting its other dependencies, covers nine hectares of land.

Once the extensive renovation work has been settled, the reputation remains. From the 1920s, this corner of Mediterranean paradise attempts to attract American high society. And it works, since the couple formed by Gerald and Sara Murphy stayed there for several summers during. They then agree the writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald, who draws inspiration from places to write his novel Tender is the nightpublished in 1934. To make itself better known, this five-star hotel located at the tip of the Cape, owned by the German Oetker dynasty since the 1960sdo not delay organize social events, a must for the stars, especially during the traditional Cannes Film Festival. So that’s where it takes place Grisogono evenings (which owes its name to the Swiss luxury brand, editor’s note) or the AMFAR charity gala, the famous foundation created by actress Elizabeth Taylor to finance AIDS prevention and medical research, where follow each other Robert de Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Eva Longoria. In short, Eden Roc is the place to see and be seen. And that, the stars have understood.

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Jean-Paul Belmondo, a regular at Eden-Roc

Since its creation, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has seen parade of beautiful people. A time prized by writers, the clientele has grown over the years. Jeans-Paul Belmondodisappeared on September 6, 2021, was one of the regulars of the establishment. This lover of the Côte d’Azur goes there from childhood, accompanied by his parents, and returns there as an adult. In 2022, this prestigious hotel decides to pay homage to him, through a photographic exhibition of Paris Match, which traces the highlights of his acting career. “It’s a nice tribute. There are some photos that I did not know despite everything. After of course, I find memories. The shoots on which I accompanied him, vacation memories…“, entrusts his son Paul to our colleagues from Nice morning last May. And to add:My father is no longer here… but he is still here! In front of these photos, I don’t have the impression that he is gone, even if I miss him sorely.“On the Côte d’Azur, where he often went, Jean-Paul Belmondo has also left a great void.

A mythical… and inspiring place

The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes inspires its clientele, which we know to be rich and demanding, but not only. As reported by our colleagues from Madame Figaro, this luxurious sanctuary gives its name to a perfume from the house of Dior in 2021. True to the reputation of the place, this fragrance, which the brand defines as “sensual“, mixes marine and solar notes. “Eden-Roc is the expression of an obvious beauty of simplicity and naturalnessthat of a point of saline crystal that rests on the tip of the tongue, of tanned skin heated in the sun, of the protective vault of a pine tree in the south of France“, can we read on the website of Dior.

Between the walls of Eden-Roc, the flavors are also found on the plates of the various restaurants available to the establishment. Between authenticity and creativity, the chefs Éric Frechon and Sébastien Broda seek to sublimate the Provençal terroir, working in close collaboration with local producers and artisans. According to Madame Figaro“small stuffed meatless” are already part of their unmissable recipes. In 2021, the duo will also win one star for the Louroc gastronomic table. “We have redesigned everything with a lot of ambition, but with true continuity to make Cap-Eden-Roc shine like never before.“, explains the multi-starred chef Éric Frechon to the Point. The hotel also has two other restaurants, the elegant Eden-Roc which offers a view of the sea and the Eden-Roc Grill, which welcomes customers in the spirit of a contemporary brasserie. Something to satisfy everyone.

These famous personalities who have invested the place

Madonna, Rihanna, Kaia Gerber, Johnny Depp… Countless stars have been guests of this popular hotel on the Côte d’Azur. When the fine weather arrives, when the Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, people flock to the Croisette. When they’re not walking the red carpets, they have a good time at the Hotel Cap-Eden-Roc, where luxury and discretion combine. This is particularly the case of Bella Hadidseen several times within the establishment, but also from Bruce Willis. The memory of the latter’s visit remains imperishable for one of the hotel staff: “We were vacuuming our shirtsleeves and I was afraid it might bother him. But not at all ! He told us that we had to continue our work, that he just wanted to be there with us. He’s a wonderful man“, assures Christophe Lencioni, the head bartender of the Bellini (one of the bars of the hotel, editor’s note) to our colleagues from Madame Figaro.

Appreciated for its discretion

Apart from the beauty of the place, the stars like to go there for the discretion offered by Eden-Roc. By its geographical position already: the fact of being located in height prevents the paparazzi from having an overview of what is happening there and even less from entering it. A tranquility that seems to appeal to stars in search of serenity, such as Mick JaggerSting or even Neil Youngaccording The echoes. And for that, celebrities can count on the few hundred employees, who have worked at the Hotel Cap-Eden-Roc for several decades. They are there for meet their needs, but also manage crises.

Marie-Christine Saison, the general governess in the house for more than thirty years, does not forget the episode of “the suite totally ravaged by a Kate Mossthen in a relationship with Johnny Depp, furious at having suffered a remark from the director because she was walking around in a bikini in the marble hall of the palace“, relate our colleagues. “A vision of the apocalypse!”, sums up the patroness of maids. Except for a few small indiscretions made in the press – such as the fact that Madonna usually drinks her cappuccino with strawberries – what happens at Eden-Roc stays at Eden-Roc. And that’s also where all the magic of this place, as mythical as it is timeless, is.

Photo credits: BEST IMAGE