Located just a short drive from Arles, Camargue, a blissfully untouched part of Provence in southern France, is home to Les Bains Gardians – a rural Mediterranean retreat where one of the rarest breeds of horses run wild.
The greatest design stories from AD Middle East, delivered to your inbox
What does hedonism mean to you? If you’re a habitué of Les Bains Paris, the celebrated five-star hotel billed as a place where you can “sleep, relax, drink, eat, dance and do it all over again”, it’s probably about glamorous partying. The hotel started life in 1885 as Les Bains Guerbois, the French capital’s most modern and luxurious spa; in 1978, it morphed into Les Bains Douches, a Philippe Starck-outfitted nightclub frequented by the stars.
This Chic French Riviera Holiday Home Was Inspired by It’s Serene Location on the Côte d’Azur
Les Bains’ unconventional blend of wellness and decadence remained part of its DNA when it reopened as a hotel in 2015, under the stewardship of ex-film producer Jean-Pierre Marois. With the opening of Les Bains Gardians, a new outpost in the Camargue region of southern France, Marois has pulled off a second tour de force.
This time, he’s taken over a four-hectare estate half a mile from the Mediterranean Sea. Built as a hotel in the 1960s, the 67-room retreat includes 48 herdsmen’s cottages (the “gardians” of the hotel’s name) with white walls and thatched roofs, which immerse guests in the wild landscape. “We wanted to fit our concept into the local culture,” says Marois. “The architecture was developed in the 18th century by the region’s cowboys, so they could live close to their cattle and horses. It also has stables, so it feels like a horse ranch. You can ride from the hotel through a nature reserve and gallop on the beach.”
The hedonism you’ll encounter here is of a very different kind from Les Bains Paris. The wellness aspect of this rustic Mediterranean retreat, also fundamental to the brand’s concept, comes in the form of an intimate, one-room spa and an “equitherapy” programme. “We have about 25 good-natured white Camargue horses and we are creating retreats which are not just about riding, but also about taking care of the animals,” explains Marois. “It has a proven soothing effect.” Just as in Paris, music is also part of the experience. “There’s no nightclub, but there’s a gorgeous pool, so it will be more like a pool-party vibe.”
This Timeless Mallorcan House Is a Lesson in Refined Mediterranean Luxury
Over an 18-month period, the estate has been transformed into a magical landscape – rewilded with native trees and reeds – earning the hotel a prestigious Green Key certificate. This sustainability focus is also felt in the restaurant and bar, Le Pont des Bannes, which occupies a restored mas (farmhouse). Its farm-to-table menu incorporates traditional Camargue specialities.
Marois commissioned Paris duo Hauvette & Madani to decorate the interiors, admiring their minimalist style. “We agreed that we needed to go back to the authentic setting,” he says. “The décor is rustic with Pop highlights; most of the furniture is upcycled pieces from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, which reduces the environmental impact.”
For Marois, creating a hotel is not dissimilar to filmmaking – both are about storytelling. “You’re gathering people that you think are the best to tell the story you want to tell – interior designer, landscape architect, chef, mixologist,” he muses. “But once the project is finished, it’s more like a theatre stage – you’ve got to perform.”
Discover more barefoot luxury resorts
