There are resorts, posh places, trendy and there is Saint-Tropez. It is a myth, a total work of art, a phenomenon. The success of Saint-Tropez lies in its noble reluctance to try new things: no modern restaurant chain or large luxury hotel has been able to upset the town in the past 30 years. The alleys and facades have been preserved in their original form, and even the hotspot of the rich and famous, the exclusive 5-star Althoff Hotel Villa Belrose on a hill in Gassin, distances itself from the rest of the party scene on the Côte d’Azur and resembles more of a nature reserve. One of the most exquisite locations in this most expensive spot on the continent is the rocky outcrop of Ramatuelle, where La Réserve, one of the most beautiful hotels in the world, has been perfectly integrated into the landscape. In this magical place, just 150 meters from the water, we head for two houses on a plot of about 18,000 m2 together with the photographer in the Bentley Mulsanne. The property in L’Estagnet above Saint-Tropez itself resembles a resort in itself. But unlike similarly sized and often lonely villas, it has been possible to create a warm, sympathetic atmosphere here. This may be due to the location, the weather, the vegetation in front of and behind the house, but above all it is due to the well thought-out architecture. The English architect John Pawson created habitable works of art here, which are reduced and yet extremely homely. Pawson is a contemplative person. Before embarking on a project, he first takes a comprehensive look at the place and environment of the task, at the customs and objects that characterize the use and users.
“I don’t build the way I want to live or be – I build for my customers. I don’t want to just design something and then let people live in it. It’s important to me that everything we do has a good reason – it should be logical and well thought out. I think it’s a way of life,” Pawson told me.
The soul of this work could be described as a cross between a Prada bag, a Minotti sofa and an Aman resort. One of the houses, very charmingly dubbed a “guest house” by its owner, has a minimalist 480 square meters of living space, the same equipment and three bedrooms, each with three attached bathrooms. Above all, the subtle color scheme of the entire property is striking. Nothing about it disturbs the idyll of the unique hillside overlooking the bay of Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and the northern Côte d’Azur. The light shade of brown dominates both inside and out, even cypresses and olive trees have been integrated into the architecture of the houses. Have we aroused your interest in the “Villa Eden”? The rental price per week is about 100,000 euros, including all amenities such as a Michelin-starred chef and the Bentley. The agency World’s Finest International also offers individual complete packages for the summer, information at https://worldsfinest.com/
Text: Joachim Fischer
Photos: J. Konrad Schmidt – www.jkonradschmidt.com
Models: Monic Perez (IMG New York) & Brehan Murphy (Cult Models)
Hair/MakeUp/Grooming: George Tsiogkas (Ballroom)
Styling: Michèle Junker
PostProduction: J. Konrad Schmidt
Location: Villa in Saint-Tropez, built by British star architect John Pawson – www.johnpawson.com
Creative Direction: Michèle Junker & J. Konrad Schmidt
Editor’s Pick:
An oasis on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez: Althoff Villa Belrose, located on a hill in Gassin, offers an unobstructed view of the Mediterranean Sea. Only five minutes separate you from the small port town on the vibrant Côte d’Azur, while you enjoy the peace and quiet up here. The exclusive 5-star Althoff Hotel Villa Belrose attaches great importance to sophisticated gastronomy, upscale interiors and authentic hospitality. The impressive scenery takes care of the rest. https://www.althoffcollection.com/de/althoff-villa-belrose
