Hotel Belles Rives on the French Riviera is this year celebrating not only the centennial of ‘The Great Gatsby’, but also 100 years since its famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald fell in love with the French Riviera.
Fitzgerald so loved the Côte d’Azur that he and his wife Zelda rented what was then the Villa Saint-Louis in Juan-les-Pins, in the mid-1920s. Today that seaside villa is of course the beautiful Hôtel Belles Rives. It was bought and rebuilt by hotelier Boma Estène in 1930, and has become one of the most famous art deco landmarks on the Riviera coast.
Perched on the sparkling Mediterranean, it’s the perfect spot for enjoying a cocktail (at Bar Fitzgerald or on the terrace) while you gaze at Ile St Marguerite and watch the sun set over the distant hills of Cannes, in an atmosphere of relaxed elegance.
Adding to its charm, is its literary history. This is where Fitzgerald began writing ‘Tender is the Night’, inspired by the lifestyle of his wealthy American friends who flocked like moths to the twinkling lights of the South of France, drawn by its everlasting allure.
This year marks 100 years since Fitzgerald’s great American novel, The Great Gatsby, was published on 10 April 1925.
To mark this milestone, the Hôtel Belles Rives is inviting the world to celebrate the American legend and his masterpiece by visiting the destination he so loved. The hotel says:
“In homage to Fitzgerald’s legacy, Hôtel Belles Rives will be hosting a series of exclusive literary events, dinners, and themed experiences throughout 2025, each designed to bring guests closer to the world of the Lost Generation.”
Special menus at Belles Rives’ Michelin-star restaurant La Passagère feature the period’s culinary delights, while curated cocktails at Bar Fitzgerald bring Gatsby-era glamour to life. (Try the the Sparkling Scott which is a cocktail of Champagne, rose, lime and raspberry; or the Gatsby which consists of Ballantine’s Brasil Whisky, Hammam tea syrup and roasted pine nuts, fresh mint, ginger ale and lime.)
Guests will be guided on a tour through the history of the hotel and its former residents, offering insight into how these surroundings shaped Fitzgerald’s timeless work, says Belles Rives. (In fact that the mesmerising green light that blinks from the port when you’re out on the terrace is said to have been the inspiration for Daisy’s green light in ‘The Great Gatsby’.)
A couple of events already on the Belles Rives calendar include:
- Bal Rêves: 5 June 2025 – a charity ball to support Tara Océan (a foundation involved in scientific exploration of the ocean, and raising awareness about the importance of protecting marine ecosystems).
Tickets are 330€ each. You can book a table for 10 at 3 300€.
Book here: https://www.bellesrives.com/fr/bal-des-reves.html - The Annual Fitzgerald Literary Prize: 14 June 2025 – former winners include American writers Joyce Carol Oates (2024), Quentin Tarantino (2023) and more.
The Belles Rives is still privately owned, and operated by the Estène-Chauvin family, under the guidance of Marianne Estène-Chauvin with her son Antoine Chauvin-Estène (43) at the helm. Overnight rates range from 390€ to 1900€.
The hotel says it “continues to honour its legacy with period-authentic decor and artisanal touches. As this iconic landmark reaches its centenary, it stands ready to welcome a new generation of visitors, writers, and dreamers to revel in the same beauty that captivated the Fitzgeralds a century ago.”
Summer guests are also able to relax at the hotel’s beach club, La Plage Belles Rives, taking in the same sweeping Mediterranean views that were so loved by the Fitzgeralds. The Belles Rives says: “Visitors can unwind on the private lido, partake in water sports, and even connect to the birthplace of waterskiing – a legacy born at this iconic locale.”
Hotel Belles Rives is inviting literary enthusiasts to celebrate this historic anniversary with a toast to the “enduring magic of the French Riviera and the legacy of the Fitzgeralds’ indelible influence on literature and culture”.
