Glamour & Sparkle

With a month and just a few days to go, the countdown is on to 17 May, the date on which fever pitch hits the Croisette. This year is already looking hugely promising, in keeping with the success of other Cannes Film Festivals which have celebrated a new decade. The 70th event will be no exception, as already witnessed by announcements throughout the winter confirming the exciting presence of Claudia Cardinale, Monica Bellucci, the epitome of glamour and mistress of ceremonies, and Pedro Almodovar, the bard of femininity and champion of movies which are as imaginative as they are full of talent, in his role as President of the Jury this year. With such a colourful cast, it’s clear to see why anticipation is sky high!  

It is a festival in which the Barrière Cannes Resort plays its part to the full. And with just cause as it is without doubt its most loyal partner. In 1939, its founder, François André, offered his Casino Municipal as the venue for the very first event, a strong connection with the film world that has continued to the present day. And with a total of 8,000 nights already booked, some reserved up to a year in advance, the Majestic, a jewel along the Croisette, is one of the festival’s star addresses thanks to its perfect location opposite the Palais des Festivals. During the twelve days of competition it will welcome 25,000 visitors for one or several nights, a cocktail, a meal, interviews, fittings, a business meeting or a private film screening. A number of film stars are included in this number, such as Marion Cotillard, Adrien Brody, Jean Dujardin, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Kidman, Gong Li and Hugh Grant, all of whom will enjoy the Majestic experience at some stage during the festival.

On the front line 

Each and every one of the Majestic’s teams will be ready and waiting. And to cope with the requirements of the festival, its staff will double from 350 to 700. Here’s a quick glimpse of what lies ahead: 8,000 roses placed in guestrooms, 14,000 towels and 15,000 sheets to be changed, 6,000 articles of clothing to be cleaned or ironed, 25,000 meals to be prepared and served, accompanied by 18,500 bottles of wine, half of which are champagne.

As for the guestrooms, some are completely emptied of their furniture so that they can be converted into offices for producers, studios and the media. This is particularly the case for our suites, popular with the world’s leading luxury labels who transform them into their showcase venues, a must for stars climbing the festival’s famous steps. This year, Chanel, Gucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, Stella McCartney and even Alexander McQueen have chosen 10, La Croisette as their home for the festival, not forgetting Dior, of course. The Parisian couturier has made this five-star hotel in Cannes its second home since it added its mark to the decor of the suite that bears its name: the Suite Dior, 400m² of luxury and comfort and a refinement that is pushed to the extreme with its Hungarian point parquet flooring, grey and silver medallion chairs, identical to those found in its flagship boutique on Avenue Montaigne in Paris, and even a replica of the personal bureau of the creator of the New Look.

To be at their most stunning when they climb the world’s most famous steps, some divas from the world of the big screen are not content just with the dresses and jewellery of the world’s most prestigious designers, but will be treating themselves to a relaxing break in the zen-like ambience of the Diane Barrière spa. Here, in a cocoon of wellbeing, they can forget about the stress and nerves of the festival and its media obligations and enjoy the benefits of a beauty treatment or a massage with Biologique Recherche or LIGNE ST BARTH, the spa’s new partners.

Reservation required

Other places much frequented by festival-goers include the Majestic’s 15 meeting rooms, which host a continual stream of receptions, gala dinners, press conferences, photo calls and private screenings for hand-picked audiences. Although the Croisette and Dinard rooms, both of which were superbly renovated last year, are used by several companies, the most popular of the hotel’s rooms remains without a doubt the Cinémathèque Diane. With its unique decor which takes you on a journey to faraway galaxies, its quirky yet opulent furniture, and its cutting-edge audio-visual equipment, this private cinema is much in demand with studios who use it to screen premières of their latest movies.

The hotel’s three restaurants are equally as popular, with statistics during the festival that will make your head spin – 40 tons of fruit and vegetables, 3 tons of fish, 2 tons of lobster, 800 kilos of crayfish, 350 kilos of foie gras, 50 kilos of caviar and 160,000 eggs!

There’s something for everyone here. La Petite Maison de Nicole is the choice of many stars who appreciate the restaurant’s discretion, its convivial and elegant setting, and, above all, its Mediterranean dishes prepared with fresh ingredients which are full of flavour. La Plage, meanwhile, is always busy. Throughout the day, journalists and celebrities meet here for lunch right by the water, a bit of shopping on the beach, or some filming out on the pontoon. Come the evening, the restaurant hosts private events attended by VIPs and festival attendees. As for Le Fouquet’s Cannes, this is one of the Croisette’s most outstanding restaurants thanks to its menu overseen by the internationally renowned Pierre Gagnaire, awarded the “Best Chef in the World” accolade by his peers.

One of the world’s most beautiful casting venues

How many contracts have been negotiated at the tables of this famous brasserie? Dozens, maybe even hundreds, all signed beneath the watchful eye of numerous film stars such as Sharon Stone, Al Pacino, Alain Delon, Robert de Niro, Romy Schneider, Grace Kelly, Halle Berry, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Francis Ford Coppola, whose black and white portraits continue to adorn its walls. This gallery of images has survived the hotel’s spectacular renovation – a fusion of gold and glass, beige and brown, wood panelling and mirrors. Its furnishings and lights, meanwhile, have adopted a new design between Art Deco and Contemporary. In short, everything has changed – except the photos, which rediscovered their rightful place as soon as the renovation work was completed.

Today, these images are one of the Majestic’s signatures. Over the years, the hotel has built up an incredible collection of 2,500 photos of its film-star guests which can be seen throughout the hotel. These small black and white jewels bear the hallmark of recognised talents in the world of photography: the Studio Harcourt, Emanuele Scorcelletti and the three generations of the Traverso family, photographers from Cannes who have never missed a single festival! An opportunity to view the work of Joanne Azoubel is the icing on the cake for the Majestic’s guests this year. Displayed until 30 June, the intimate portraits of this Parisian photographer feature around sixty French artists captured just before they perform. This is just another connection between the Majestic and the movie world, a couple that will celebrating its 70^th wedding anniversary this year!