Why e-book?
To absorb Saint-Tropez’s sun-dazed glamour from a reimagined Nineteenth-century château – a neo-resort in full swing, with simply the correct amount of glitz.
The backstory
Fun reality: the title Messardière dates again to the reign of Charles Martel, Charlemagne’s grandfather. But the château’s trendy story begins in 1904. Perched on its hill like a film set, the turreted fortress was bestowed as a marriage reward for cavalry officer Henry Brisson de la Messardière and his creative, completely trendy bride, Louise Dupuy d’Anjeac. Saint-Tropez was nonetheless a sleepy fishing village, newly found by Fauve painters like Matisse and Signac, whose canvases have been splashed with brilliant-hued joie de vivre down by the ocean.
After Henry’s early loss of life, Louise opened the property to high-society company within the Nineteen Twenties, internet hosting lavish events. The property later modified fingers and entered a darker interval of decline. Then got here its most mythic Saint-Tropez years: in the course of the Bardot period of white events and Riviera showbiz, the château turned a magnet for the music and movie crowd, with impresario Eddy Barclay amongst those that made it a part of the scene. French rock icon Johnny Hallyday married his third spouse right here in 1992 in a spectacle locals nonetheless recount – followers lining the streets as a Rolls-Royce convertible paraded by city, a Harley-Davidson entourage behind, and a Gone-with-the-Wind-themed get together at La Messardière full with doves, lasers and a legendary fête.
A significant restoration in 1989 launched its second act and it reopened in 1990 as a luxurious resort. When I first visited – earlier than the latest makeover – the fortress was storybook dusty pink, grand however conventional, with a sure Florentine fussiness. Returning in 2021 after its transformation by the Airelles Collection, based by Stéphane Courbit, I instantly felt the shift to up to date luxe: luminous redesigned interiors by Christophe Tollemer and a family-friendly resort vibe.
Set the scene
There’s nothing fairly like arriving at Château de la Messardière in a sky-blue Mini-Moke, the resort’s seaside shuttle — a front-row seat for the drama of this hilltop entrance. We head up Saint-Tropez’s winding, leafy backroads — sun shades on, wind in our hair.
A member of the younger, smiling employees – wearing pale blue-and-white seersucker – leads us into the grand, white-on-white, Deco-inspired marble foyer. It’s undeniably cinematic, however the perfect comes after check-in. The rooms, swimming pools and eating places on the far aspect of the property share the identical reveal: a 12-hectare sweep of rigorously tended lawns and gardens, flat-crowned umbrella pines, and past them the shimmering curve of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
The temper is relaxed however buzzing – full of life, but peaceable. No throbbing bass, no DJ-led napkin-swirling revelry. Breakfast on the terrace is its personal type of theatre: the wildly beneficiant buffet is the sort that finally ends up on everybody’s cellphone; in the meantime, company order their third cappuccino and plan the day. Tennis and padel courts, a spa, outside health club, a critical Kids Kingdom and a non-public seaside membership just under make it an antidote to city burnout – but the village is shut sufficient to lure you into city, a Rolls-Royce shuttle experience away.
The rooms
Reimagined by French designer Christophe Tollemer, La Messardière’s 103 rooms and suites are completed in soothing ochres, greys and lotions, with pale stone flooring, plush sofas and plump duvets. Interiors are quietly luxurious, flooded with dazzling gentle.
All the rooms – of various shapes, sizes and classes – have outside areas. During one among my visits, the suite we stayed in got here with a columned, coated terrace – sunbeds, eating desk, and a large Gulf view framed by umbrella pines – plus classic-luxe, gleaming taupe marble loos with double vanities. Another time, in a more moderen poolside room styled like a recent seaside cottage (extra wooden, a ceiling fan, a smaller terrace), the rhythm was completely different. I used to be up for tumbling away from bed and straight into the mosaic-tiled pool for early laps. Families can go greater, with multi-bedroom choices together with signature tower rooms.
Food & drink
Three eating places are unfold alongside La Messardière’s lengthy panoramic terrace, so you’ll be able to shift atmosphere (and delicacies) with out ever leaving the view. La Table de la Messardière is the all-day anchor: relaxed, al fresco Provençal-style eating from breakfast by dinner. Palladio leans Italian and crowd-pleasing. Think fish tartares, spaghetti alle vongole, fritto misto and desserts that transcend the anticipated (together with a very onctuous tiramisu by Cédric Grolet). For one thing extra high-wattage, Matsuhisa brings its polished Japanese-Peruvian signatures and beneficiant sharing plates, from Wagyu tacos to miso black cod. Down on Pampelonne, the resort’s non-public seaside restaurant, Jardin Tropezina, pairs white sand with significantly good meals, from slowly simmered shoulder of lamb to royal platters of lobster, prawns, langoustines and caviar, plus fantastically grilled fish. On my final go to, I couldn’t resist leaving with a couple of favourites: a case of Roseblood rosé from Château d’Estoublon, and the home olive oil, packaged like an costly fragrance bottle.
Wellness
The Spa Airelles by Valmont is constructed round high-performance wellness, with signature remedies such because the Glacier Elixir, a re-energising facial therapeutic massage utilizing Kobido lifting methods, plus Iyashi Dome infrared classes and energy-harmonising Qi Gong teaching. There’s additionally a curvy heated indoor pool – a welcome refuge when the Mistral kicks up, and a chilled post-treatment hideaway from the bronzed-and-beautiful pool scene outdoors. At dawn, hard-core health followers can work up an urge for food on the state-of-the-art outside health club, tucked away within the pines.
For households
The standout right here is the Kids’ Summer Camp, housed in a spectacular 500m² villa tucked into the woodlands under, with its personal non-public pool, eating room, and what looks like one playroom after one other: rooms for Lego, Pac-Man, arts-and-crafts actions, hip-hop lessons and a non-public cinema, plus a quiet house with little wood beds for naptime. Outside, youngsters can go to the mini-farm, or disappear into big wood treehouses with slides. Beyond the Kids’ Kingdom, there’s a lot to do as a household with older teenagers, from tennis (on professional courts) and Padel to Pilates and pétanque.
Eco effort
Electric visitor automobiles and shuttles with charging stations, plus low-impact transport from Mini-Mokes to bikes. Organic cereals and grains, and powerful collaboration with native producers, from wine to jams. Recycled and repurposed waste, diminished plastics, recycled detergents, and pure tub merchandise.
Accessibility
There are lifts to each flooring; quite a few suites are designed for wheelchair entry. Guests may also request particular tools for motor, visible or auditory impairment.
Anything left to say
Go native with a cooking masterclass the place you’ll study to make the right tarte tropézienne from begin to end. In our session, the chef provided a extra refined tackle the native icon: a brioche-style cake full of orange-blossom custard and topped with raspberries. For dessert devotees, there’s all the time the Rolls-Royce shuttle into city for designer procuring adopted by a sugar cease at Airelles’ Cédric Grolet’s boutique for lucious trompe-l’œil mangoes and lemons.