Safety First

 

Text by: Urban Malek

Some of you know me as the "personal coat checker" at your favorite cruising bar: Le 7.

Today, I would like to share with you a little thought, born both from my astonishment... and, let's say, from a certain concern.

I notice that many friends, under the pretext of taking PrEP, believe that condoms have become optional. So yes, PrEP is a great tool: it protects against HIV. But, my friends, it has no magical effect against other STIs, STDs, or hepatitis... And in a place where there are multiple partners, it goes without saying that the risk is very real.

Fortunately, our hosts have shown exemplary generosity by providing, free of charge and in all cabins, gel and condoms. A small preventive gift that is just waiting to be used. (Enipse Délégation Nice).

So, please, don't gamble with your health—or that of others.

Respect yourself, let's respect each other! A pleasure is always more enjoyable when it's not followed by an unpleasant surprise.

This message is not a moral lesson (I leave that to the priests, the "bad" ones and the shrinks!), but simply a hand placed on your shoulder, like that of a somewhat paternal friend, who would like to never have to cry for you.

Take care of yourself, so that the party remains a party.

The other night I came across this post on a local LGBTQ Facebook business page, and it really struck a chord with me.

Way back when I managed bathhouses for over a decade, our goal was always the same: to make sure people had the best possible time—but in the safest way. To help with that, we brought in a health practitioner once or twice a week for free one-on-one consultations and group discussions. It gave people a space to ask questions, get answers, and make informed choices.

Now, living in what I affectionately sometimes call “vacation land,” I see this from a different perspective. Each season brings a wave of visitors eager to experience the French Riviera. Often, you can spot them right away—fresh off the plane, with a blank look and full of excitement, with “holiday mode” practically written across their forehead.

They’re ready for adventure and sometimes forget that even on vacation, things can go wrong. I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of the same myself.

So, to keep this short, I’ll echo the wise words of Urban Malek: “Take care of yourself, so that the party remains a party.”

If you’re visiting any of the gay bars/cruising venues in Nice, you’ll find plenty of opportunities for some action. And if you don’t see lube or condoms available, just ask the staff—they’ll usually have fresh supplies to hand out for free. You can also buy them at any local pharmacy before heading out.

Stay safe, play smart, and enjoy everything the Côte d’Azur has to offer.

 

Cap Estel Hotel Joins Arnault Family Portfolio

 

Bernard Arnault’s Family Holding Acquires Iconic Cap Estel Hotel in Èze

The announcement slipped quietly into the summer news cycle: on July 17, 2025, Financière Agache, Bernard Arnault’s family holding company, finalized the acquisition of Cap Estel, a five-star jewel perched on a private two-hectare peninsula in Èze, between Nice and Monaco.

A Rare Asset on the Côte d’Azur

Cap Estel is one of the Riviera’s most exclusive addresses. With just 20 suites and rooms, the hotel is prized for its intimate scale and ultra-personalized service. Guests enjoy a spa, a gourmet restaurant, and sweeping views of the Mediterranean, all wrapped in a discreet atmosphere of excellence and prestige.

Its history dates back to the early 20th century, when Russian and British aristocrats flocked to the Riviera. Over the decades, it has remained a discreet sanctuary for celebrities and business leaders alike, cultivating an image built on rarity and confidentiality—qualities that now underpin its extraordinary valuation.

A Record Off-Market Deal

According to CFNEWS IMMO, the transaction is valued at over €10 million per key—a record in European luxury hospitality. For perspective:

• The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat (Four Seasons) sold in 2015 for around €3.5 million per key.

• The Eden Roc in Cap d’Antibes, another Riviera landmark, is estimated at €5–6 million per key.

Cap Estel’s benchmark-breaking figure highlights both the extreme scarcity of such assets and the growing appetite of ultra-wealthy investors for hotels that transcend traditional hospitality models.

Arnault’s Heritage Strategy

For Bernard Arnault, this acquisition is less about yield and more about heritage. Through Agache, the family is consolidating a portfolio of rare, tangible assets—complementing investments in art, real estate, and vineyards.

Unlike LVMH’s hotel arm (Cheval Blanc, Belmond), Agache’s move into Cap Estel signals a more discreet approach: an investment at the intersection of luxury hospitality and legacy-building, centered on an asset that cannot be replicated.

The strategy is clear: Cap Estel’s value lies not only in bricks and mortar but also in prestige, discretion, and international desirability—intangible qualities that ensure long-term resilience.

A Broader Industry Signal

Cap Estel’s sale underscores a wider trend: the patrimonialization of iconic hotels by large fortunes and sovereign funds. Increasingly, these properties are viewed not as operational businesses but as collectible cultural assets, prized for their aura and exclusivity.

The Riviera, Capri, Portofino, Saint-Barth, and Costa Smeralda are seeing similar pressures. As traditional hotel valuations cool amid economic headwinds, ultra-luxury icons are bucking the trend, commanding unprecedented prices in private, off-market deals.

Key Takeaways

• New benchmark: Cap Estel’s €10M/key valuation resets expectations for Mediterranean trophy hotels.

• Collectible assets: Ultra-luxury hotels are increasingly acquired by industrial dynasties, sovereign funds, and billionaires.

• Heritage play: For Agache, this is about legacy and rarity, not scale or yield.

• Ripple effect: The deal may trigger new discreet sales on the Riviera, where comparable assets are vanishingly scarce.

• Luxury convergence: The transaction highlights the deepening ties between high fashion, lifestyle, and hospitality—strategic arenas for engaging UHNW clientele.

Why Cap Estel Stands Apart

• Unrivalled setting: A private two-hectare peninsula overlooking the Mediterranean.

• Exclusive scale: Just 20 suites and rooms, ensuring confidentiality and bespoke service.

• Prestige heritage: From aristocrats to modern billionaires, the address has always attracted the world’s elite.

With these qualities, Cap Estel represents not only a rare business opportunity but also a symbolic safeguard of legacy—making it a natural fit within Bernard Arnault’s portfolio of enduring treasures.

Monaco’s Princess Cup Swings Back This September

 

The Princess of Monaco Cup makes its much-anticipated return on September 15–16, celebrating its fourth edition with a blend of sport, glamour, and philanthropy. The charity tournament, held in support of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, brings together celebrities, corporate partners, and passionate golfers for two days of fundraising and competition.

Sponsored by Monaco Asset Management, the event will feature 18 teams at the Monte-Carlo Golf Club competing in the popular “Scramble” format, where four-player teams—including one celebrity—play from the best-positioned shot of their group.

As tradition now dictates, the tournament will culminate with the celebrated “19th Hole” event at Monaco’s iconic Place du Casino from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. This spectacular finale includes the prize-giving ceremony, as well as the symbolic 19th hole swing—an exclusive chance for participants to test their skills in the heart of Monte-Carlo.

Since its launch in 2019, the Princess Cup has become one of Monaco’s most successful charity sporting events. The inaugural edition raised over €330,000 for water safety initiatives, funding the renovation of the Princess Charlene Municipal Swimming Pool in La Turbie and supporting a five-year educational project at Awutu-Breku School in Ghana.

Subsequent editions in 2021 and 2023 cemented its reputation as a key philanthropic fixture on the Principality’s social calendar, reinforcing its mission to save lives through water safety education worldwide.

Five Celebrity Villas on the Market in the French Riviera

From the cliffs of Cap de Nice to the pine forests of Antibes and Vallauris, the Côte d’Azur has long been a discreet haven for creativity and glamour. In the Alpes-Maritimes—an endless source of inspiration for painters, writers, and musical icons—five remarkable homes are now awaiting their next chapter.

 

La Carrière – Charles Trenet’s villa in Antibes

Back on the market at €6.6 million through Architecture de Collection, this striking ocean-liner–inspired villa was imagined in 1938 by the 25-year-old “singing madman” himself. Charles Trenet not only purchased the land but also drew up the plans for the house, which his friend Jean Cocteau helped decorate.

Spread across four levels and 347 m², La Carrière sits on 5,580 m² of wooded grounds with a caretaker’s house, amphitheater, and 20-meter pool. The kitchen recalls a ship’s cabin, while a Cocteau portrait of Trenet still presides over the living space. Following the singer’s death in 2001, the property endured a long legal saga before re-emerging for sale.

Sean Connery’s Belle Époque retreat in Nice

Known as Roc Fleuri, this Belle Époque jewel—with terraced gardens, marble balustrades, and sweeping views of the Mediterranean—once belonged to Sean Connery, who lived here during the 1970s and 1980s with his wife Micheline Roquebrune.

Built in the late 19th century, redesigned in 1928 by architect Jean Ferraud, the 1,000 m² villa includes a mahogany elevator, indoor pool, and opulent salons. Now on the market for €23.5 million, it remains one of the Riviera’s most iconic addresses, having since passed through the hands of several international luminaries.

La Gatounière – Simenon and Piaf’s sanctuary in Mougins

Tucked near the old village of Mougins, this Provençal villa with ochre-tiled roofs was once home to Georges Simenon and later Édith Piaf. Built in the 1950s, the 365 m² residence, now offered by Sotheby’s for €2.99 million, requires renovation but carries immense cultural weight.

Here Simenon wrote works such as Maigret Sets a Trap before selling to Piaf in 1963, who sought comfort here during her final months. The home, surrounded by landscaped gardens and a pool, continues to draw international buyers enchanted by its history.

La Rivolte – Ivan Bunin’s haven in Grasse

Perched above the “city of perfumes,” Villa Mont-Fleuri—renamed La Rivolte—became Ivan Bunin’s refuge after fleeing Russia. It was here in Grasse, overlooking the Mediterranean, that the Nobel Prize–winning author penned The Life of Arseniev. Built in 1893, the Belle Époque residence spans 337 m² across 14 rooms, with a pool, sauna, and pétanque court nestled in its gardens. Sotheby’s has listed this literary landmark at €3.4 million.

Petula Clark’s Vallauris escape

Hidden at the end of a private road in Vallauris, this 250 m² villa was once the family holiday home of Petula Clark, whose voice defined the 1960s with hits like Downtown and This Is My Song.

On a 6,000 m² plot featuring a pine forest, vegetable garden, bamboo grove, and infinity pool, the residence includes four bedrooms (one in its own tower), a grand cathedral-style living room, and a separate guest apartment. Sotheby’s is offering it at €1.79 million.

For decades, the Riviera’s relaxed rhythm and natural beauty have lured world-famous figures seeking both privacy and inspiration. While these five homes are now officially available, many more celebrity-owned properties remain quietly “off-market,” adding to the region’s enduring aura of mystery and allure.