The resorts dotted along southern France’s coastline have long been a lure for the world’s most glamorous and gilded individuals. Known for its warm climate, turquoise waters and beautiful beaches, the Riviera originally became popular as a winter destination with British aristocrats in the 19th century and, by the 1920s, it was frequented by artists and creatives including Gabrielle Chanel and Pablo Picasso, who helped transform it into the place to be seen and show off.
Fast forward to the late-20th century and early 2000s, and the region had somewhat lost its shine. Tacky casinos, brash beach clubs and their equally outré clientele meant it became the epicentre of all things Eurotrash. Now, though, things are shifting again, and a new generation of sophisticated locals and travellers are embracing contemporary architecture and design.
With its stunning location, nestled into the unspoilt hillsides just south of Saint-Tropez and close to its own private beach, Lily of the Valley quickly became one of France’s most lauded hotels after opening in 2019. While the main hotel was designed by Philippe Starck, last summer, the property launched two exclusive private villas nearby: the work of another renowned architect, Charles Zana.
Aiming to recreate the spirit of the glamorous Riviera of the 1960s and 70s, he wanted to capture the true essence of Saint-Tropez, so the wooden structures seamlessly blend refined design and a real homeliness. This is luxury at its quietest and most comfortable, with the two villas both accommodating up to 10 guests across five suites, where an understated colour palette and natural elements echo the Mediterranean landscape and encourage complete relaxation and rejuvenation. Taking their names from the two hectares of centuries-old olive trees and stone pines they sit among, Les Oliviers and Les Pins come with their own dedicated teams and private chefs, so that your every need is taken care of from the moment you arrive to when you reluctantly leave.
It may have its starry film festival, its international boat show and the famous Croisette, but Cannes is now also the epicentre of a fresh approach to interiors and design. At its heart has to be the newly rejuvenated Carlton Cannes hotel. ‘La Grande Dame’ (pictured top) opened in 1913 and was pivotal to the Riviera’s heyday but, after a renovation project that lasted seven years and was worked on by around 750 people and 450 firms, it was relaunched in 2023 to much fanfare, signalling the area’s renaissance.
‘My role was never to impose a contemporary style or a visible signature,’ says interior designer Tristan Auer, who led the project. ‘It was about revealing a beauty that was already there, though at times altered, at times dormant. Paying close attention to the signs, to colour nuances, the accuracy of materials – all the details that, together, create a form of almost instinctive refinement.’
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The rooms show what Auer calls ‘restraint’ and feature pieces that are contemporary yet inspired by that art deco heritage; an elegant chaise longue in front of picture windows, for example, to make the most of the views, surrounded by a sophisticated palette of whites blended with wickerwork, marble and brass. Hotel luxury for a modern age.
Elsewhere in the city, architects Kevin Caprini and Jerry Pellerin are leading the charge when it comes to both public and residential projects. ‘The Riviera never stopped being a playground for ideas,’ say the pair, ‘and now, rediscovered modernist icons such as Le Corbusier’s Cabanon, Villa Kérylos and Fondation Maeght are colliding with a new wave of global investment and design-led, experiential luxury.’
The duo’s firm recently completed a full reimagination of Cannes’ iconic Palm Beach luxury complex, which now includes restaurants, a members’ club, fitness centre and the legendary casino. As they point out: ‘These landmark restorations, alongside bold, contemporary projects, are transforming the Riviera into a living design laboratory, rather than a frozen postcard.’
Perhaps the most extreme move away from the glitzy aesthetic associated with the Côte d’Azur’s recent history can be found in Nice’s old town, where hotelier Valéry Grégo has caused quite a stir with an understated, sublime sanctuary, the Hôtel du Couvent. Opened in summer 2024, this 17th-century convent was meticulously restored over 10 years and now feels not just like another opening, but a new kind of hotel entirely.
As Grégo puts it: ‘I think hotels need to help us travel better and create wonder.’ Here, community is key – the hidden building is situated within a few acres of tranquil, terraced gardens, and these inspire so much of what happens on the property: there’s a resident herbalist, and menus are created using produce from the grounds and the hotel’s own farm close by. The courtyard hosts local farmers’ markets and the onsite bakery sells its creations to locals too. The buildings and rooms are something special, restored by Grégo’s Perseus Group in collaboration with Studio Mumbai and Studio Méditerranée, with interiors by recent ELLE Decoration International Design Award winners Festen Architecture. They worked with respect for the building’s features and created 88 rooms and suites furnished with a mix of bespoke pieces and period antiques.
Once considered the most hedonistic location on the coast, the principality of Monaco has also never been particularly known for its design destinations, but now that too is changing. As well as the clifftop Maybourne Riviera, with its luxury-liner-inspired rooms by Bryan O’Sullivan, restaurant Robuchon Monaco not only has a menu to honour the legacy of one of France’s greatest chefs, but an equally impressive interior created by London based Francis Sultana. He’s combined plush green velvets, mirrored surfaces, subtle animal prints and a magnificent marble chevron-tiled floor that’s every bit as interesting as the food.
As Caprini and Pellerin conclude: ‘The area is one of the rare places where lifestyle drives architecture, not the other way around, and it’s attracting a new generation of globally minded, design-literate tastemakers. The momentum is palpable. The Riviera isn’t reinventing itself – it’s redefining its legacy.’
