A black-billed, red-eyed night heron has landed on the wooden fence. In the distance, herons frolic in a large tree, and a squadron of wild ducks quack across the sky. A swan glides silently over the pond, while a lapping sound betrays the coypu… It is 9:30 a.m. at Bains Gardians, and the horses are setting off on a ride with their riders for the day through the lagoons and marshes of the Camargue Regional Nature Park.
Located 800 meters from Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône), Les Bains Gardians, Jean-Pierre Marois’ second hotel dream after he founded the 5-star Les Bains Paris, has been set up in place of a renowned inn.
“I didn’t want to do a Relais & Châteaux, nor set up in a place like Saint-Tropez,” says the former film producer. Of the 4 hectares of his Camargue estate, between canals and marshes, are dotted with forty-eight guardians’ huts, these traditional whitewashed cottages covered with sagnes (reeds), whose rounded backs provide no resistance to strong winds. The complex also includes a large farmhouse, arenas for equestrian shows, stables, a tennis court, two swimming pools, a restaurant, a spa, and other outbuildings to be renovated later (notably a large wellness area).
“Interior designers Hauvette & Madani worked on the existing structures, specifies the founder, and removed all the dressings in order to return to something more natural and beautiful.” The duo also took up some existing details, such as these bull or trident motifs painted on tiles, as well as certain codes of the region: crosses of the guardians, beige and brown checkered plaids, in reference to the saddle cloth of Camargue horses, curtains with the Mosca motif (“fly” in Occitan) – taken from the archives of the house Les Indiennes de Nîmes…
A car-free space for contemplation
“We did not seek to make grand architectural gestures, explains Samantha Hauvette. The idea was to restore an authentic atmosphere, in keeping with the country. For the rooms, which we are gradually renovating, we imagined a meditative cocoon, without an overdose of decor. » A comfortable bed, a mosquito net, a very simple bathroom, furniture unearthed by the antique dealer Julie Barrau based in Arles… The curation of contemporary art is provided by the former gallery owner and exhibition curator at Bains Paris, Jérôme Pauchant, and soon, artists in residence will intervene in situ.
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