The Palme d’Or goes to Le Majestic Hotel for Cannes. Time spent in luxury, with a refined gentleman.
The Trailer – Handsome British Journalist visits Cannes with a group of other writers to discover the “who done it”. Was it in the library or the restaurant, le casino or maybe it was in the spa, who would imagine!! Initially the setting showed no sign of intrigue but like all good thrillers you need to pay attention…. Well as much as I might have wanted to be a character in an Agatha Christie novel, alas that is not the case but as all good detectives will tell you, you need to look at the evidence which is.
The setting – Cannes in the South of France is known worldwide as a centre for chic southern flare and Le Hotel Majestic is synonymous with Cannes and with the film stars that stay there.
History of The Majestic Hotel
The Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes is an iconic, 1926 Art Deco palace on the Boulevard de la Croisette. Famed for its prime beachfront location and proximity to the Palais des Festivals, it has long served as a glittering hub for international cinema stars and luxury travelers.
The hotel has hosted countless Hollywood and European legends, with Lucien Barrière famously giving up his own private apartment to accommodate Paul Newman. Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas and Pierce Brosnan who by the way, the star in this movie Michael Grenville briefly worked alongside on a 007 movie… “name dropper” !!
Cannes Cinema
Ah yes …., dating back to at least 1946 when many would say the Cannes Festival as we know it started and when I should say the dress of gentlemen was supremely elegant and definitely not the shorts that “Michael”, that’s the handsome English gentlemen in this movie was wearing on this trip…. “and he says he runs a publication called Gentlemans Butler, well maybe he is trying to detract you away from the clues …….. back to Cannes….
If you have a moment to speak to Michael Grenville when he is not trying to be in character in his movie, he would say visit Cannes not so much to be in someone else’s movie but to create your own movie.
Embrace the savoir faire, the chic, upmarket refined Riviera and be your own film star for a few days, as you are staying in the most famous film festival in the world alongside the Oscars, but Cannes is the place to be seen.
It’s your holiday, your vacance …. so, whether you feel like Jacque Tati or Cary Grant, Grace Kelly or even Edward Fox the south of France and particularly Cannes is the place where you should be …. Just make sure you do not recreate The Man in the Iron Mask as you might not come back.
One of my favourite movies of all time is Edward Fox in the mighty Fred Zinnemann’s Day of the jackal, which I watched again the other day and saw that includes Edward Fox driving his open top sports car along the Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes.
My movie “Cannes” set at Le Majestic would be set in the 70’s and include this wonderful ambiance you see in this film.
My heroine, yet to be cast!! would insist we stay at The Christan Dior Suite and after our yacht docked in Cannes Harbour, we would be whisked up to the elevated heights of this sublime suite with its iconic Dior dark lacquer, and sit looking over the glorious bay.
In all seriousness the setting is a delight and even if you character does not stay in the Dior suite, which maybe you might want a re-write about!! but even so opening up the windows in the late afternoon, lying down and feeling the warm Mediterranean sea air flow over you whilst the distant hum of Cannes passes by is a delight and one I can repeat and repeat and repeat until I am fast asleep and that’s something I should say I slept like a baby and that is not always the case.
Whether you are flying solo or with your divinely beautiful heroine I suggest you put on your linen trousers, shirt and hat and promenade in both directions whilst taking in a coffee and pastry or a relevant nibble depending on the time of day. Cannes is the place.
My film will include 7 key locations…
Breakfast at Le Majestic, Cannes
Simply magnificent but remember not to look too shabby…. unfortunately, my character was flying solo so he might have included a gaze or two to a beautiful lady, that was until her bronzed beau turn up…quelle domage …. however, breakfast was sublime. The pool gleaming, the staff super smart and on the money as they say in Texas and the food was spot on. Fresh croissant, fruits, coffee, orange juice and butter absolutely first class. I find luxury can over complicate but to me getting the simple things done brilliantly with small touches really says something and the croissant and orange juice was some of the best I have ever had. I noticed the choice of soap and hand lotion from Guerlain in the room which added a touch of Vanity Fair to my room and I appreciated greatly. The small little touches make such a difference.
A drive along the coast and into the hills preferably in the vintage 50’s sports car…….like another one of my favourite films …..”To Catch a Thief” with two of the greats of film Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. The film shot on location in the south of France in the 1950’s included locations in Cannes. Directed by the wonderful Alfred Hitchcock.
A trip to the Ile Sainte-Marguerite
which is famous for Fort Royal, a fortress where the mysterious “Man in the Ron Mask” was imprisoned in the 17th century and made famous by Richard Chamberlain in the swash buckling 70’s film. Preferably take your sailing yacht across but if the producer is moaning about the budget or your script says stay in disguise then there are daily boat crossings to and from the harbour, either way go for the day where you can wander, and have a wonderful lunch and let go…
A night of glamour in Cannes.
Looking out of my window I feel that scene with the Campari sign in James Bond. The options are endless but a discrete conversation with the hotel concierge will keep your 007 secrets safe …
Cannes Beach life
…. the restaurant…. the hum ….. the look … the vibe…..I adore Mediterranean cuisine and the restaurant, Mademoiselle Gray served up really spot. Lebanese food, perfect for any situation but particularly in the beach. Great vibe, service, food absolutely excellent.
The Spa at Le Majestic
My whole life does not revolve around trying to be a character in a movie, however I do feel my life has been a multitude of vignettes, of chapters in a long winding movie and when I travel I absolutely love to embrace what a country is known for and what they do best and how they act. The French beauty industry is world famous and I personally have had a massive amount to do with cosmetic, beauty and wellbeing companies, having briefly modelled in my twenties and then written on the subject for years so when I enter a spa/salon in the South of France I am thinking of Sean Connery with Kim Basinger in the 80’s Never Say Never Again. Not an epic but the spa scene is about money, power, beauty and romance. The Spa at the Majestic was pretty good, rarely do I say perfect but pretty good. The setting was refined, punctual, clean and chic and my massage was supremely relaxing. A top end French spa should I feel be little clipped, refined, elegant… No riff raff in here please Mr Grenville. Beauty is a serious business!!
Lunchtime with the band by the pool jazz
The newsletter for Gentlemans Butler is called “Le Flaneur”, the wanderer in French. There is a book called Le Flaneur. At my best, when relaxed there is nothing I adore more than good company, excellent food and yes, some flirtation. For me flirtation is what makes life zing and can come in many forms. Sometimes it’s some banter between men or sometimes it’s a feeling and yes sometimes its romantic. It might sound patronising, but I have reached the age where I love to see people smile and laugh in an emotive and positive way and so going to Sunday Lunch at The Majestic, seeing people dressed and the band playing, the windows open in the late summer sunshine was special. I felt right at home. I had just arrived so I sat by the pool and ate a club sandwich as I was in a hurry, but if I had not I would definitely have enjoyed a long winding and beautiful lunch and then moved over to the sun loungers with a book, possibly with some poetry and dosed in and out of sleep whilst listening to the goings on around me…
And then it’s a wrap… Time for shorts, t-shirt and a drink by the sea before dinner.
And our wrap party does not need to feel guilty as you are staying in a highly eco hotel with bees of the roof and green energy from the sea in a new sea power scheme
A bientôt or is it au revoir
A perfectly chic French getaway for you and your loved one in the region that oozes French finery and je ne sais quoi.
For now, I say thank you, until we meet again for “Cannes” the sequel.
