Inside Zannier Bendor: Paul Ricard's Riviera Island, Reborn at 75
- May 21
- 6 min read
There is a small island seven minutes by boat off Bandol that most of the travel world had quietly forgotten. Paul Ricard bought it in 1950, built it into a private playground for the pastis empire he was assembling, and threw the kind of parties that put Joséphine Baker and Yuri Gagarin on the same guest list. Ricard died in 1997. The island, the way these things go, eventually went quiet.
It is open again. On May 1, 2026, Zannier Hotels reopened Île de Bendor as Zannier Bendor: a 93-key property restored over five years in partnership with the Ricard family, with a 1,200-square-meter wellness center, three restaurants, and the unmistakable polish of Arnaud Zannier behind every detail. This is not a new hotel in the usual sense. It is the most patient and considered Riviera revival of the year, and almost no one in the U.S. is talking about it yet.
We think they will be by July.
The setup, in plain terms
Île de Bendor is seven hectares of pine and rock in the bay of Bandol, in Provence's Var department. It sits a short shuttle ride from the harbor, which means guests cross water to arrive. That is the entire premise. You are not in a town. You are not in a hotel district. You are on a private island that historically only opened to invitees of the Ricard family.
Bandol itself is roughly an hour east of Marseille and an hour west of Saint-Tropez. From Oklahoma City the cleanest routing is OKC to DFW or IAH, then a transatlantic into Paris (CDG) or Nice (NCE), then onward. Most clients we book into this part of Provence pair Marseille or Nice flights with two or three days on the coast before continuing to Cannes, Saint-Tropez, or the inland villages. Bendor fits neatly as the anchor of a Riviera week.
The restoration was led by Arnaud Zannier together with Marc de Jouffroy, Paul Ricard's great-grandson, who runs the Société Paul Ricard side of the project. That family thread matters. The Ricard heritage is the soul of the place, and the new property reads as a faithful continuation, not a tear-down.
What is genuinely notable
This is not a brand stamping itself on a generic location. Five years of work shows up in specifics.
Three buildings, three moods. Delos, the 39-key main hotel, channels the refined 1960s Riviera that Ricard helped invent. Soukana, with 49 keys, is the wellness-led side of the property. Five two-story Madrague houses sit by the harbor with private gardens, sized for families.
A serious kitchen. Executive Chef Lionel Levy, the Marseille chef behind Alcyone and Une Table au Sud, leads the food program. Le Grand Large is the gastronomic room with sweeping water views and a rotation of visiting chefs.
The Ricard tribute is woven in. Café Paul Ricard serves traditional Provençal fare. Bar Patrick is named for Paul's son, Patrick Ricard. The Village des Artisans on the island carries forward the cultural programming Ricard himself supported in his lifetime.
A 1,200-square-meter wellness center. Programs draw from Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, osteopathy, and naturopathy. There are indoor and outdoor pools, a diving center, and tennis and pickleball courts.
Inclusions that actually move the math. Boat transfers from Bandol, breakfast, and a curated set of Village des Artisans activities are included in nightly rates. That is more inclusive than typical European luxury, and it changes how a stay budgets.
General manager with French Maison pedigree. Emmanuel Blanchemanche, who joins from a senior post in European luxury hospitality, was appointed to lead the opening team.
Why this matters in the broader luxury map
Private-island hotels in Europe are scarce. The Mediterranean has fewer than ten true private-island resorts at this caliber, and most are seasonal or single-villa rentals. Bendor is the rare combination: an actual full-service hotel on an actual private island, with a real chef program, real wellness, and real history.
For clients who have already done the obvious Riviera moves (Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, La Réserve Ramatuelle), Bendor reads as the genuinely new thing on the map. It is also a destination where the property is the destination. You do not leave the island for dinner. That is a different kind of week than the Saint-Tropez circuit.
The 1960s Riviera that Bendor evokes (Baker, Bardot, Gagarin) is the version of the South of France most travelers chase but rarely find anymore. Zannier and the Ricard family have managed to serve it back.
Cost and booking window
Published opening-year rates from the property:
Medium season (May, and September 1 through October 31): €620 per night for a room, €1,455 for a suite. Both include breakfast, unlimited boat transfers, and Village des Artisans activities.
High season (peak summer): €745 per night for a room, €1,745 for a suite, same inclusions.
Madrague houses (the family villas with private gardens) are priced separately and on request.
For a couple, plan on a starting all-in of roughly $15,000 to $25,000 for a 5- to 7-night stay including flights from Oklahoma City, ground transfers, and the boat shuttle. A multigenerational booking into a Madrague house with a Riviera car program is meaningfully more.
The booking window matters. May and September are the medium-rate windows and also the most pleasant on the Bandol coast. July and August are gorgeous but warmer and busier. The first full season runs through October 31, 2026. We would book July dates and the September window now. The shoulder weeks are quietly the best value.
What to ask before you book
Are you flying through Paris or Nice? The routing affects the day-one experience. Nice gets you to Bandol faster (about two hours by car). Paris gives you the option of a TGV down to Marseille.
Which building is right for the trip? Delos for the polished Riviera glamour, Soukana for a wellness reset, a Madrague house for a family or multigenerational group.
Are you locked into peak-summer dates? If not, the May or September windows offer the same property at meaningfully lower rates with smaller crowds.
How many nights make sense? Bendor is best as a 4- to 7-night anchor, often paired with two or three nights in Saint-Tropez, Cannes, or inland Provence.
Do you want any of the included Village des Artisans activities pre-reserved? Some sessions are limited and should be locked in before arrival.
How Haus Travel can help
Haus Travel has been planning the South of France for clients since 1975. We work directly with Zannier Hotels and with the broader luxury Riviera circuit, which means we can layer in suite upgrades where available, early check-in, dedicated boat transfer windows, and (for the right itineraries) chef's table sittings at Le Grand Large.
Because Bendor's first season is small (93 keys across three buildings, with the Madrague houses limited to five), the best dates are filling steadily. The right time to call is now. Email blake@haus-travel.com or call the Oklahoma City office and we will put a specific itinerary in front of you, including the OKC-to-Nice or OKC-to-Paris routing options and the pre- or post-stay pairings that work best.
FAQ
When does Zannier Bendor open?
Zannier Bendor opened on May 1, 2026. The first full season runs through October 31, 2026.
Where is Zannier Bendor located?
On Île de Bendor, a seven-hectare private island in the bay of Bandol, in Provence's Var department. The island is seven minutes by boat from the Bandol harbor and roughly an hour east of Marseille.
How much does Zannier Bendor cost?
Opening-year rates start at €620 per night for a room in medium season and €745 in high season. Suites start at €1,455 medium season and €1,745 high season. Rates include breakfast, unlimited boat transfers, and selected island activities.
How do you get to Île de Bendor from the United States?
The cleanest routing from Oklahoma City is OKC to DFW or IAH, then a transatlantic flight into either Nice (NCE) or Paris (CDG), then a transfer or train down to Bandol. From there, an included boat shuttle delivers guests to the island.
Is Zannier Bendor good for honeymoons?
Yes. The Soukana wing was built for wellness and reconnection, and the property is private, quiet, and food-forward. It pairs well with a few nights in Saint-Tropez or Cannes for couples who want a mix of intimacy and Riviera nightlife.
Is Zannier Bendor good for families?
The five Madrague houses are two-story residences with private gardens, designed for families and multigenerational groups. The island is contained and safe to roam, with a diving center, pools, and tennis and pickleball courts.
Who is the executive chef at Zannier Bendor?
Executive Chef Lionel Levy, a Marseille-based French chef best known for his work at Alcyone and Une Table au Sud. He oversees the full food program, with Le Grand Large as the gastronomic room.
What is the history of Île de Bendor?
Paul Ricard, the Marseille-born pastis pioneer, bought the island in 1950 and developed it into a private cultural and social destination. Past guests included Joséphine Baker and Yuri Gagarin. After Ricard's death in 1997, the island gradually went dormant. The Ricard family and Zannier Hotels restored it over five years.
