Summertime in Saint-Raphaël

There's comfort in the familiarity of returning to a known place.  For the third consecutive year Sarah and I were fortunate to summer in Europe, and for the second year we added a vacation to the French Rivera.  We tend to mix exploration with comfort, and for our vacation we chose comfort, returning again to Les Roches Rouges outside of Saint Raphael.

We were familiar with the Beaumier group - the portfolio company.  Last summer Sarah and I not only visited Les Roches Rouges, but also did a long weekend in Provence at a sister property to escape a heatwave during our stay in Paris.  Consistent across those properties has been a boutique charm that I enjoy, compared to the uniformity of a chain.  The last thing I want is to go to Tokyo, Athens, or Paris and have the exact same looking hotel, devoid of any local flair.

So with an inconvenient amount of bags in tow, we took take the train from Paris to the south, rented a car at the train station, and drove 20 minutes along the coast to the hotel.  The front of the hotel is unassuming, clad in white and single story.  A large pastel sign warns oncoming cars of the hotel's approach, and the name is affixed in large white letters across the roof line, in a style best described as Googie architecture meets European reservation.

The hotel is set into the cliffside, with guests entering on the top floor and encouraged to enjoy a welcome drink on the lobby's terrace overlooking the water - the main attraction.  Between the lap pool, saltwater pool, and Mediterranean Sea, one is spoiled for choice.  The hotel also offers paddleboards and an inflatable kayak for those looking for more adventure.

That was not us though.  We were more than happy to partake solely in sun, sea and (for me) shade.  Thomas, the Monégasque pool manager, was quick to readjust our umbrella throughout the day and made friends with a four-year-old guest by offering swimming lessons and a guided crab search (a few small ones could always be found in the saltwater pool).  The bar and restaurant, however, more embodied stereotypical French service, and required us to chase. A small price to pay for the laid-back attitude this place created.

The menu had enough to provide variety over a lengthy weekend, and quality was much improved from the year prior.  My mistake was getting beef in the Mediterranean, one that was only made once.  Otherwise there was a bountiful breakfast buffet in the mornings, and octopus, fresh fish and a few specials in the evenings.

I've held that a “trip” is one where many activities occur: sights seen, memories made.  But a “vacation” is one where a person comes back rested.  Les Roches Rouges can be whichever one chooses, but for us, was a perfect four day vacation.  I continue to find the experience relaxing, location breathtaking, and service unpretentious. Should life permit, perhaps we’ll be back for a third year.