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The Hôtel Belles Rives is a luxury hotel located in Juan-les-Pins, a town in the Antibes region on the French Riviera.[1] It is widely celebrated for its history, Art Deco architecture, and its setting on the Mediterranean coast. The hotel holds a special place in literary and cultural history due to its association with F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Jazz Age.
History
editThe hotel was originally a villa known as the Villa Saint-Louis, built in the 1920s.[2] In 1926, the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, rented the villa. It was here that Fitzgerald wrote much of his iconic novel Tender Is the Night, inspired by the region's glamour and his own experiences. The villa quickly became a gathering place for the expatriate community and notable figures of the Jazz Age, including Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso.[3][4]
In 1929, Boma Estène and his wife Simone acquired the Villa Saint-Louis and transformed it into a hotel. The Hôtel Belles Rives officially opened its doors in 1930, capturing the essence of the era with its Art Deco style.[5] During the Second World War, the hotel was closed, and upon reopening, it incorporated some of the wartime fortifications into its design.[6]
By 1960, the hotel had earned a four-star rating, and under the management of Casimir Estène, it continued to gain prominence. In 2001, Marianne Estène-Chauvin, the granddaughter of the original owners, took over ownership and management of the hotel.[7]
Cultural significance
editThe Hôtel Belles Rives is notable for its cultural heritage, particularly its connection to F. Scott Fitzgerald. Each year, the hotel hosts the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Prize, celebrating contributions to literature that embody the spirit of Fitzgerald's work.[8]
Water skiing
editIn 1932, the hotel played a significant role in the development of water skiing. Léo Roman and Emil Petersen experimented with skis designed for water, contributing to the sport's growth. Post-World War II, the Belles Rives Ski Nautique Club was founded and hosted the first water skiing world championships in 1949.[9]
External links
editReferences
edit- ^ "Hotel Belles Rives". October 12, 2016 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Brownfield, Elizabeth. "Relive The Glamour Of The Roaring Twenties At This Luxe Côte D'Azur Hotel". Forbes.
- ^ "Room Request! Hôtel Belles Rives". dujour.com.
- ^ "On Picasso's trail in Spain and France". The Guardian. April 16, 2023.
- ^ Dobson, Jim. "F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Awards At The French Riviera Hotel Belles Rives". Forbes.
- ^ "The untold history of the Hôtel Belles Rives". France 24.
- ^ "A Stay at the Hôtel Belles Rives". The New York Times. September 10, 2018.
- ^ "Prix Fitzgerald 2023: A literary celebration at Hôtel Belles Rives". Journal des Femmes.
- ^ "Death of Marco Grilli, a water skiing legend". Le Parisien. January 20, 2019.