But the city’s historical crown jewel lies a little bit east on the quieter side of the Boulevard de la Croisette at the Palm Beach, the Belle Epoque palace that will reopen Tuesday following a three-year transformation to restore it to its former glory.
“The plans show you things, but it was most important for us to get direct feedback from many people who saw this building, so we went to the 90-year-old neighbors, to friends of my father, and all through the generations in Cannes and they all had a story to tell,” he said.The Palm Beach was once an architectural wonder that welcomed world leaders including British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
“It was supposed to be demolished,” said Pellerin, comparing it to two other buildings that were once slated for a similar fate. “The Parisians have their Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais, and the Cannois have the Palm Beach.” “We completely re-approached it with the codes of the Belle Epoque and Art Deco, mixed with the Hispano-Moorish style. We completely recreated the shape and details,” said Pellerin. “We took the codes — they were a gift, you know — and used them to create new things, feeding the architecture and proving our creativity based on the heritage.”
Arches abound, inspired by St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. They used marble from India, Italy and Iran throughout. The architects emphasized French stone in the passageways, using limestone from Burgundy on the terraces and walkways, while the shopping arcade boasts exposed raw travertine. Raffia walls also feature throughout.The duo reinterpreted terrazzo, traditionally constructed of small, hand-cast stones, in a grander scale fitting with the building’s massive size.
The team also demolished and completely rebuilt the Riviera’s only saltwater pool of nearly Olympic proportions at 142 feet. It will now be a members-only club.