The extraordinary Le Cap Estel is a gated resort tucked away on a private peninsula that juts rudely into the azure serenity of the Mediterranean Sea
The craggy cliffs talk an ancient language with the surf while the frosted moon listens to their conversation with her soft kind heart. At Le Cap Estel, time stands still.
A few hills throw away from the tiny sparkling airport at Nice in the South of France, the extraordinary Le Cap Estel is a gated resort tucked away on a private peninsula that juts rudely into the azure serenity of the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s a hush-hush life that one leads at one of the most revered addresses in the French Riviera. Spread tastefully over five acres, flanked by the Mediterranean and the Maritime Alps, Le Cap boasts just eight guest rooms and 12 suites. The suites are large, sometimes exceeding 5,000 square feet.
On a bright sunny day, which is usually the norm in Cote d’Azur, you can step out in your balcony to be greeted by palm trees and the blue sea receding into the horizon. Unlike most seaside destinations this side of the world, the weather is crisp as a sprightly nippy breeze will gently buffet your romantic heart around.
Le Cap has played host to some of the most famous yet reclusive celebrities in the world. Read Greta Garbo, Ernest Hemingway and the Beatles among others. You will do well to grab a glass of your favourite wine (I prefer Scotch hopelessly stirred and not sassily shaken) and walk down to one of the many hidden corners around the resort to watch the sun splash down into the cold bleak water in a burst of his masculine glory.
There is an inexplicable nostalgia around the place, almost hinging on loneliness. Le Cap’s impeccable service is unobtrusive yet special. That’s how the celebs—the real ones—dig it.
For those of you who prefer sculpted pecs over stiff pegs, Le Cap offers two personal trainers in its ocean-view training facility. You can also savour a Mediterranean menu that will be designed especially for you, even before you set foot in France, at one of the many dining spots scattered across the property.
Leave your guts and generosity for the next evening. One of the world’s best casinos is just a drive or a boat ride away, in Monaco.
I for one, prefer philanthropy. That’s how the rich—the really rich—dig it.
