OUR STORY

A black and white vintage photograph of a beachside area with umbrellas, lounge chairs, and a small swimming dock. There is a rounded building with columns and a pavilion on the beach. In the background, there are large, wooded hills with houses visible among the trees.

‘This site is superb; we’ll build a hotel, and within four years, even Parisians will be flocking here.’

– Émile Bernhein, 1911. Belgian Industrialist and the man behind Le Beauvallon

Audrey Hepburn, Two for the Road

A black-and-white photo showing three women wearing chef uniforms and a man in a tuxedo standing in a room with a checkered floor, gathered around a table with papers and a pen.

Be a part of the story

Lady Churchill, Salon Sud

Black and white vintage photo of a group of chefs and kitchen staff in uniforms, including some wearing tall chef hats, posing outdoors with trees in the background. Two children are sitting in front holding a sign that reads 'Saison d'île 1927 Brigade Top Sead Beauralton Armel.'

Le Beauvallon’s guest book is a story in itself, a who’s who of glitz and glamour from the past century.

From F. Scott Fitzgerald, to Audrey Hepburn, Winston Churchill and the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg - all have sought inspiration, escapism and reinvigoration from our beloved estate.

Once a retreat for the rich and famous, forever a playground for wonderful experiences - we believe the best is yet to come.

From 1911 to Today

1911-1914

Le Beauvallon began life as Le Golf Hotel – a 100-bedroom hotel commissioned by the Bernheim brothers, Émile and Edmond. Designed by Swiss architect, Julien Flegenheimer, the Belle Époque palace was the epitome of luxury – a place for the Parisian glitterati to see and be seen.
1914-1918

When war broke out in 1914, the brothers offered the hotel to the French government, and for many years, it was used as part of the war effort. After the Great War ended, the entire estate underwent a full refurbishment before finally opening and dazzling guests.
1919-1929

The Roaring Twenties was when Le Beauvallon came into its own. Beloved French writer, Colette; feminist and resistance martyr, Berty Albrecht; actor, Jules Berry; and cyclist and sports journalist, Henri Desgranges – all spent time at the estate. It’s said that poet and playwright Paul Geraldy, even took up residence on the fourth floor to write some of his great works. Today, his legacy lives on in Salon Sud, where you’ll find his most famous poem of all, Toi et Moi, engraved into a specially commissioned work of art.
1930-1944

Throughout the ‘30s, A-lister guests kept arriving. Famed author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, was a frequent visitor during his French Riviera days – a destination he described as ‘the hot, sweet South of France’. Local lore has it that the author even penned a few pages of Tender Is the Night at the estate.
1944-1945

On August 15, 1944, American soldiers landed on the beaches of Beauvallon during Operation Dragoon – the successful Allied invasion of southern France. Following another lavish renovation after the war, the grande dame was hosting once again – this time, Sir Winston Churchill, Lady Churchill, the Grand-Duchess of Luxembourg and Senator Edward Kennedy.
1960-1969

Le Beauvallon later became the backdrop for the silver screen. The beach club was the setting for the 1967 comedy-drama, Two for the Road, starring Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. Two years later, in 1969, Le Beauvallon featured in an episode in the cult series Les Gendarmes de Saint-Tropez.
1988-2008

In 1988, Le Beauvallon had a new lease of life after it was passed to M. Armleder – a descendent of the Armleder family who owned and managed the famous Le Richemond hotel in Geneva for four generations. In 1997, the estate was purchased by the current owners and entered the millennium in sparkling form, as one of the first family-friendly luxury hotels in Europe.
2016-today

By 2016, the estate had entered a new era, when the family transformed it from a classic hotel, into an exclusive-use events venue. In 2025, we once again made our suites available to book for the summer. In 2026, we will open as COMO Le Beauvallon, in collaboration with the multi-award winning COMO brand of luxury hotels.

Art & Design

An artistic haven

Le Beauvallon is a creative dream brought to life, with its worldly treasures, eclectic curiosities and a collection of over 300 art installations - including the 2002 Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion, an entertainment structure designed by Pritzker Prize-winner, Toyo Ito.

A cozy corner with an armchair and a small side table, decorated with wall-mounted wooden shelves displaying vases, sculptures, and artwork, with sunlight streaming through curtains.

Location

Your idyllic home from home overlooking the Bay of Saint-Tropez

For centuries the Riviera’s charm and charisma have captured the hearts of all who visit. A spectacular corner of the Mediterranean, famed for its rich gourmet heritage, endless blue skies and abundance of art and culture.

From filmmakers, artists, poets, performers and leaders of industry; there is a particular magic about the place that leaves a lasting effect.