The announcement appeared via “Le Figaro” on November 12. The four-star hotel in Saint-Sylvestre-sur-Lot, Le Stelsia, owned by Philippe Ginestet, boss of Gifi, is for sale. It would be, according to the announcement, the real estate agency Sud Périgord (which did not respond to our requests), in Villeréal, which would be responsible for finding a buyer for the establishment. A delicate task given the immensity of the place, with its 31 rooms and suites, its two restaurants, its reception rooms of several hundred square meters and its 23 hectare park with 6,000 trees.
The price of the set is obviously not indicated in the ad. The sale of this important real estate asset comes after the announcement of that of the Gifi brand (1).
The great era
Almost ten years ago, in June 2015, Le Stelsia opened its doors after a two-year renovation led by Philippe Ginestet and which, at first, was not unanimous. Because the boss of Gifi had chosen to completely transform this castle, called Lalande, dating from the 18the century. And rather than renovating the building in a period classicism, Philippe Ginestet decided, on the contrary, to make it a multi-colored place, whether inside or outside.
Philippe Ginestet opened the doors of Stelsia in June 2015.
South West Archives
In the park too, he shook up the codes by installing palm trees, a carousel and a giant mini golf course. Many people at the time considered that Philippe Ginestet had transformed this architectural heritage into an amusement park. But the latter ended up convincing his detractors by opening the castle gates wide to walkers and organizing family events, at Halloween, Christmas or Easter, which could attract up to 25,000 people. The owner of the place also welcomed some celebrity personalities, such as Benjamin Castaldi, as well as candidates from “The Voice”, in 2016.
In 2018, Le Jasmin, one of the hotel's two restaurants, won a Michelin star, under the direction of Michel Vico, who left a few months after this success. In 2021, Le Jasmin lost its star, due to failure to reopen its doors after confinement.
More than nine years later, Le Stelsia is part of the decor and its pop colors no longer shock many people. The future buyer will have no obligation to leave the place open to the general public.
(1) Our attempt to contact the GPG group by telephone for confirmation was unsuccessful.
