Translated by Bethszabee Garner

The history of Byblos, the famous palace in Saint-Tropez, is a tale of love, money, and even geopolitics! At the origin of this wonderful folly, in the mid-1960s, was a man in love with the most beautiful woman in the world, Lebanese businessman Jean-Prosper Gay-Para, who was struck by the beauty of our national treasure Brigitte Bardot when he met her in Beirut. An excessive and passionate oriental, he decided to seduce her by building a palace in homage to his beloved in the village where BB had recently fallen in love. She had just bought a small house in Saint-Tropez, where she would begin its legend.

It was in the Lebanese fishing village of Byblos that Jean-Prosper confided his plan to a close friend, who suggested that he give his project this Greek-sounding name. Back in France, the businessman bought a plot of land a few steps from the famous Place des Lices, in the heart of the village, and began construction of his hotel. He wanted to include a nightclub “where Brigitte could dance” and asked for advice from a friend who was making a fortune in Beirut with his nightclub, Les Caves du Roy. He was inspired by the model and copied its main features and name.

Desertion during the Six-Day War

A few weeks before the opening, Jean-Prosper went on the offensive, asking Brigitte Bardot to become the patron of the Byblos. To his great dismay, the star refused, sensing an attempt to impress her. Disappointed, he turned to Mireille Darc, who gladly accepted. Brigitte Bardot did eventually come to dance among the iconic palm trees of the discotheque, but the magic of the place did not dampen her romance with director Roger Vadim.

It was 1967 and the Six-Day War broke out in the Middle East. Jean-Prosper Gay-Para had to return to Lebanon to protect his business and his family. The jilted lover, who made crucial decisions in a flash, chose to sell the Byblos. And quickly. He then set his sights on a prime target: Sylvain Floirat, president of a prosperous communications group. But the leader with the sing-song accent knew nothing about Saint-Tropez or the hotel business. Gay-Para persisted. He finally secured a meeting with Floirat thanks to the intervention of a mutual acquaintance in show business. Under pressure from the two men, Sylvain Floirat scribbled an offer on a piece of paper torn in a hurry. It was well below the estimated value of the property. “That's my final price,” he said, handing the piece of paper to Jean-Prosper. To his great surprise, the desperate owner accepted. Sylvain Floirat thus found himself at the head of an establishment he had never seen, in a village he had never visited!

Never mind, the founder of Europe 1 radio had made a good deal and was now donning the uniform of a hotelier. The Byblos filled up nicely and, above all, the Caves du Roy attracted a growing clientele. Its reputation even crossed borders, as in 1971, one of the biggest rock stars on the planet, Mick Jagger, celebrated his wedding there with Nicaraguan fashion icon Bianca Perez-Mora. The Rolling Stones were there, starting with Keith Richards, the members of the band Faces, who were very prominent at the time, Roger Vadim, Nathalie Delon, and many other happy few who were identified in the numerous French and foreign newspapers reporting on the event. The reputation of the Byblos and its nightclub became international.

The gendarme at the Byblos

Another important moment in the hotel's life, more comical and typically French but nevertheless very memorable, was when scenes from the film Le Gendarme à Saint-Tropez were shot at the Byblos. Louis de Funès, the lead actor in the cult series, even cemented this unlikely association in the collective memory by proposing to his girlfriend live from the hotel. She said “yes” and joined him there with their children. The hotel's fame continued to grow. Leading French singers gathered around the piano in the lounge, including Aznavour, Polnareff, and Bécaud, who improvised memorable jam sessions in front of enthusiastic customers.

In the carefree 1980s, resounding concerts drew impressive crowds to Les Caves du Roy. A surprising event took place there, which made the front page of the New York Times: the management refused entry to Hollywood couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, who wanted to be accompanied by their security detail. “We ensure the safety of all our customers,” was the response to the American actor. Christophe Chauvin, the hotel manager, explained: “We know how to handle celebrities perfectly well. If we let one of them in with their bodyguards, they would all want to do the same and the Caves du Roy would lose its soul.”

With such a glorious past, the current owners of the Byblos could have rested on their laurels. But true to the adage that “if you don't move forward, you fall behind,” they gradually transformed the Byblos starting in the 2000s. “We wanted people to continue to party there, but also to welcome families with children,” explains Christophe Chauvin. And the loyal customers from the early days, thirty years later, have grown older. They have other needs and desires than shouting themselves hoarse on the dance floor of the Caves du Roy. Take American businessman Jimmy Goldstein, who has known the Byblos since it opened. He still spends a month there every year, always asking for the same room, to the point that the management hangs a plaque with his name on the door when he arrives and takes it down when he leaves! Now over 80, this NBA basketball agent remains an inveterate night owl but is also looking for a more relaxing environment. The Sisley spa and the holistic setting created a few years ago suit him perfectly. “Our long-standing customers appreciate the family atmosphere that characterizes us,” says Antoine Chevanne, owner of Byblos.

The great-grandson of Sylvain Floirat recounts this anecdote, which says it all: "A lady who has been coming to us for decades panicked a little when she heard that we were going to do some work in ‘her’ suite. She said to us, ‘Above all, I want you to keep a large wardrobe and lots of drawers because I like to have space to store my clothes.’ ' And that's what we did! In what other hotel can a guest make such demands of the owner when he's planning a renovation?“

Family spirit

In 2012, the five-star hotel was awarded ”palace" status. This achievement is a source of pride for Antoine Chevanne. “The committee responsible for this distinction took into account traditional criteria of luxury,” he says, “but it also considered the soul of the place, its past, the quality of service, and the family spirit that permeates all our establishments.”

What does he mean by the spirit of the place? ”A quasi-paternalistic and maternalistic management style,“ he says. ”My mother has been in charge of the decor for a very long time and she makes sure that our rooms, suites, and common areas retain the same character despite the changes". Recently, four suites were renovated by the talented designer Laura Gonzalez, who is known for hunting down objects and furniture so that the atmospheres she creates in hotels are imbued with a regional or local identity and authenticity. “But before entrusting her with this mission,” emphasizes Antoine Chevanne, “she met my mother, and they hit it off immediately. Without this rapport, we wouldn't have been able to work together.”

The “Laura Gonzalez” suites, with their inimitable style, where modernity blends into a Provençal atmosphere so consistent with the history and geography of the Byblos, seem to charm the first guests who discover them, hinting at further decorative projects for the designer. In terms of dining, the palace has found its balance with high-quality cuisine that prioritizes indulgence over the obsessive aestheticism of some Michelin-starred restaurants, a restaurant around the pool where guests can enjoy quality products at any time of the day or night, and a trattoria by Ducasse.

“I think we've managed to preserve the festive DNA of the Byblos,” says Antoine Chevanne, “while taking into account the new aspirations of customers looking for relaxation, or even recovery after a stressful year.” It's a challenge to reconcile opposites that is not so obvious, but one that the Byblos has risen to with flying colors.

Article written by Yves Derai, featured in issue no. 8 of OniriQ magazine.