Located in the Rhône Delta, the Camargue wetland in France is a remarkable natural area, unlike anywhere else in France and maybe the entire world. The region has welcomed a new hotel, Les Bains Gardians, with everything a cinema lover, horse fanatic or simply one who loves all things beautiful can dream of.
Jean-Pierre Marois, a former filmmaker and the man behind the hotel Les Bains Paris, is the one who set everything in motion for Les Bains Gardians in 2022. “Making a film and opening a hotel incorporate similar acts of storytelling”, Marois told magazine Vogue.
Two years ago, he purchased what had already been a hotel and decided to entirely transform the premises. Located just outside Arles, near the Mediterranean, and right in the middle of the Camargue, the base for the project was already solid to begin with. Apart from a swimming pool and tennis court, remnants of the old hotel, he planned on adding horse stables, cabanes de gardians (small cottages used by bull herdsman typical for the region) and much more.
“I saw an opportunity to deliver the same type of yin and yang experience as Les Bains Paris but in resort mode,” he said. “La Camargue is a region that deserves to be discovered. It’s a natural wilderness, a land of incredible energy and magnificent traditions.”
He joined forces with architecture firm Hauvette & Madani to design a 67-room hotel. 48 of those are traditional cabanes de gardians, resulting in a setting that much resembles a film decor or something from a time long gone. Together with antique dealer Julie Barrau, art curator Jérôme Pauchant and floral artist Luce Monier, he gave back the property’s charm, one that had been lost due to many not-so-successful renovations over the years.
The overall feel of the place was therefore kept as simple as possible, with lots of whites, wooden furniture and traditional fabrics. Everything, from the terracotta floors to the menu of the restaurant, has been put together to give the place an authentic feeling, while guests can nonetheless enjoy all modern comforts and even some cultural events every now and then.
“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. 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. Once this is done, it becomes more like a theatre stage than a movie set—because the show is live, and the guests are part of the cast”, Marois explained.
Les Bains Gardians has been open since 1 June. Prices for a double room start from 201 euro per night.