Provence Is Getting a Private Island Resort
A stylish new luxury destination from the Ricard family is coming to the south of France
Rendering of a pool at Zannier Hotels Bendor.
Source: Zannier Hotels
When French spirits entrepreneur Paul Ricard (of Pernod Ricard SA) purchased Île de Bendor—off the coast of rosé capital Bandol—in the 1950s, it was just an empty piece of land. He transformed the stony island into a hot spot where people like Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, actor Mireille Darc and artist Salvador Dalí would come for a sun-soaked stay on the Mediterranean Sea.
Now the Ricard family is teaming up with luxury hospitality group Zannier Hotels to turn the 15-acre Íle de Bendor into a vacation destination on the French Riviera, with a planned opening of Zannier Bendor in 2026. The island will include a 93-key hotel, three restaurants, a beach club, a diving center, a wellness and spa area and an artisan village.