Le Provençal, one of the most celebrated hotels on the French Riviera at the height of the 20th century, has returned to life in Cap d’Antibes following an extensive restoration. Guests once included Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway, and the hotel also holds a place in American political history: between 1938 and 1939, while serving as US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Joseph P. Kennedy spent his family summers there, with a young John F. Kennedy among them.
The rebirth of a hotel closed since 1977
The hotel closed in 1977 and stood dormant for decades before this year’s restoration converted the building into 41 new residences, carried out alongside a parallel €13 million upgrade of the surrounding seafront. The project’s interiors were designed by The Invisible Collection. Spanning the building’s top three floors, the triplex residence known as “Penthouse Nacre” offers a six-suite bedroom layout, a reception room, a “Club Room,” a family kitchen, a study and a private cinema room.
An apartment furnished with pieces of design history
The residence’s interiors bring together notable pieces of design history: a 1971 cocktail bar by Willy Rizzo, a 1927 Transatlantic chair by Eileen Gray, and a 1935 Pagoda side table by Jean-Michel Frank and Adolphe Chanaux all feature throughout the space.
A rare Maison Jean Roger vase in the lobby
A rare vase by the ceramicist Maison Jean Roger, once part of the personal collections of both Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Coco Chanel, stands in the lobby, while a Giraffe chair by contemporary designer Juliana Lima Vasconcellos brings a modern note to the residence’s historic character. Le Provençal’s revival is part of a broader trend along the French Riviera, where storied hotels and villas are being given new life as residential developments.
Discover more from The Vault Mag
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
