“The restaurant has the feel of an old inn,” Lucas explains of Le Pont des Bannes, located in the reinvented mas, or farmhouse, with its cozy stone fireplaces and masonry benches. (The restaurant opens on July 1.) The designers selected black and white checkerboard accents as a nod to both the history of the Paris bains and the famous gardians blankets, representing the link between the two houses. The food offering will feature a Mediterranean menu infused with a local touch, like Camarguais beef prepared as a daube à la provençal gardiane and served with Camargue rice, which guests can enjoy at the restaurant or relaxing by the pool. While there’s no nightclub on the property, Les Bains Gardians will host a revolving door of artistic and musical programming, embracing Jean-Pierr’s vision of creating a cultural center in nature, where guests can dance under the stars while sipping signature craft cocktails from the bar.
Photo: Matthieu Salvaing
Photo: Matthieu Salvaing
To uphold the brand’s unique concept of blending heritage and culture through an amalgamation of enlightened hedonism and wellbeing, guests will find various wellness areas scattered throughout the property– from the tennis court to the large ’70s style swimming pool and terrace, where guests can swim and enjoy the view of the pink flamingos in the pond surrounding the property. (The second pool will open on July 1.) The hotel currently features a spa with one treatment room, a jacuzzi and sauna, and will unveil their completed spa Les Bains Guerbois in summer of 2025. As the property benefits from its own stables, the hotel will offer equestrian experiences, from Camargue horseback rides on the wild beaches of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer to horse-drawn carriage rides along the lakes to discover the local flora and fauna.
Photo: Matthieu Salvaing
Photo: Matthieu Salvaing
In many ways, Jean-Pierre approached this hotel the way he does his films: “It’s about bringing emotions to the people coming to my hotels or going to a movie by telling the story the best way possible,” he explains. For him, it’s a whole production as he emphasizes the importance of finding the right designers, florists, chefs, mixologists, housekeepers, therapists, and even perfumers. “I want to make sure the story of La Camargue is compelling enough, believable enough, coherent enough, so people suspend their disbelief and can really immerse themselves in the moment,” he adds. “Once this is done, it becomes more like a theater stage than a movie set—because the show is live, and the guests are part of the cast.”
