Coco Chanel’s Favourite French Hotel Has Been Transformed Into Luxury Homes

Dreaming of a sun-soaked life on the French Riviera? Cap d’Antibes was once home to Hôtel Provençal, a destination frequented by the likes of Coco Chanel, Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. After a fifty-year closure and a monumental renovation, this historic spot has just started a brand new chapter as a luxury residential estate – and what formerly served as the hotel’s tennis club has now become a €70 million villa. 

Le Provençal: Inside The Most Glamorous Homes On The French Riviera

Caudwell

While there are plenty of celebrity hotspots in the south of France, there was nowhere quite like Hôtel Provençal. After opening its doors in 1927, it became a Jazz Age landmark: Ernest Hemingway loved to drink at the bar; F. Scott Fitzgerald visited often with his wife Zelda (while writing Tender is the Night); and Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Coco Chanel spent many leisurely days at the tennis club. 

The hotel closed in 1977, and it looked for many years like its golden days were over – that is until billionaire developer John Caudwell (the founder of Phones 4u) acquired the estate in 2014. After an incredible renovation, Hôtel Provençal has become Le Provençal: a one-of-a-kind residential estate boasting some of the French Riviera’s most spectacular homes. 

Caudwell

Perhaps the most spectacular home of all is the recently-unveiled Domaine de la Belle Étoile, which occupies the site of Hôtel Provençal’s former tennis club. Spanning more than 14,000 square feet, it’s a property of palatial proportions; the main living room, for instance, has been designed to accommodate up to 200 guests.

Caudwell

There are six bedroom suites and five reception rooms in the villa, plus two kitchens (because why have just one?). Alongside a study and media room, you’ll spot amenities including a spa, gym and games room. There’s even a show garage providing more than enough space for a few supercars.

Caudwell

There’s a cocktail bar in one of the living rooms; a gorgeous marble bar in the family room; and a mirrored pilates studio in the gym, which neighbours the stunning spa area featuring a beauty salon, treatment room, sauna and ice room. Meanwhile, the principal suite alone amasses more than 1,000 square feet of space, boasting a private terrace, two walk-in wardrobes and two bathrooms. 

Head outside and you’ll find yourself in glorious gardens encompassing an olive grove, a vineyard and a hidden meditation area, not to mention a boules court, a chef’s garden and a rose garden. The villa is also complete with multiple terraces commanding breathtaking views across the outdoor swimming pool and out over the sea.

Caudwell

As if that wasn’t enough, the tennis club’s original clubhouse has been renovated, too, and it now serves as a two-bedroom guest house known as Villa Céleste. With vaulted ceilings, restored wooden beams and a show-stopping living/dining area, it certainly emulates the sophistication of the former hotel – and provides a brand new space for A-listers to gather. It’s no wonder this jaw-dropping property is predicted to sell for a whopping €70 million.

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