Juan-les-Pins is a town located in the south-east of France, on the French Riviera, close to Nice, renowned for its Mediterranean climate, its Promenade des Anglais, its carnival, its gastronomy and its cultural heritage.
A resort town par excellence, the city of Nice is also the ideal starting point for discovering the charms of the south of France, such as Cap d'Antibes, where the hotel is located. Belles Rives, a 5-star establishment, steeped in history and glamour, which saw the birth of water skiing in the 1930s.
The Belles Rives hotel was created in 1929 by Boma and Simone Estène, from a villa named Saint-Louis, which they had bought from the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife ZeldaThe writer couple had stayed in this house in 1925 and 1926, and had organized many social evenings there, where personalities such as Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Rudolph valentino ou Maurice Chevalier. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his novel there Tender is the night, inspired by the jet-set life of the time.
The Belles Rives Hotel, which was the first Hotel "feet in the water" of the Côte d'Azur, preserved the spirit and Art Deco style of the Villa Saint-Louis, while expanding it and equipping it with all modern comforts. It quickly became a popular place for stars of cinema, music and literature, such as Marlene Dietrich, Edith Piaf, Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Jean Cocteau, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, and King Farouk of Egypt. It also hosted prestigious events, such as the Cannes Film Festival, the Monaco Grand Prix and the Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival.
But the Belles Rives Hotel was also the scene of a sporting innovation: the creation of water skiing. In 1932, two water skiing pioneers, Léo Roman and Emile Petersen, founded the first water ski club in Juan-les-Pins, the Belles Rives Ski Nautique Club, which was set up on the hotel's pontoon. They gave spectacular demonstrations in the bay, using modified alpine skis, and introduced many enthusiasts to this new discipline, such as actor and singer Tino Rossi and actress Michèle Morgan. That same year, the first Water Skiing World Championships were held in Juan-les-Pins, and Frenchman Roger de Rorthays was crowned world slalom champion.
Today, the Belles Rives Hotel remains a symbol of the elegance and refinement of the French Riviera. It features 42 rooms and suites decorated in the Art Deco style, with breathtaking sea views. It also offers a gourmet restaurant, La Passagère, which offers Mediterranean cuisine and a panoramic terrace; a piano bar, the Fitzgerald, which pays homage to the writer and his era; a private beach; a swimming pool; a spa; and, of course, the Belles Rives Ski Nautique Club, which perpetuates the tradition of water skiing. The Belles Rives Hotel is also home to the Francis Scott Fitzgerald Academy, which awards the Fitzgerald Prize each year, recognizing a French or foreign novel that evokes the spirit of the Lost Generation.
The Belles Rives Hotel is a place steeped in history, one that has retained its charm and prestige over the years. It bears witness to a time when Nice and the Côte d'Azur were the meeting place for artists, writers, and celebrities, who came here in search of inspiration, celebration, and sunshine. It is also the birthplace of water skiing, a sport that revolutionized water sports and continues to attract thrill-seekers. Finally, it is a cultural center that pays tribute to F. Scott Fitzgerald and his work, and encourages contemporary literary creation.
Nice, the freediving capital of the Mediterranean
Nice is a city located on the French Riviera in southeastern France. It is renowned for its mild climate, Promenade des Anglais, carnival, gastronomy, and cultural heritage. Nice is also a prime destination for freediving enthusiasts, a discipline that involves diving underwater while holding one's breath. Indeed, Nice offers many advantages for practicing this sport, which combines performance, well-being, and respect for the environment.
Indeed, the city of Nice benefits from a privileged geographical location, on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, which offers optimal diving conditions. The water temperature varies between 13°C in winter and 25°C in summer, which allows diving all year round. Visibility is generally good, and can reach up to 30 meters. The underwater fauna and flora are rich and varied, with species such as dolphins, turtles, groupers, barracudas, corals, gorgonians, and Posidonia. The underwater relief is also diverse, with drop-offs, caves, wrecks, and islands, which offer diving sites suitable for all levels.
Nice also boasts quality freediving infrastructure and supervision. The city has several diving clubs and schools, which offer training, excursions, and equipment for freedivers. Among them is the International Freediving Center (CIPA), which is the first 100% freediving club on the Côte d'Azur and is recognized worldwide for its expertise and experience. CIPA organizes sea trips every weekend, departing from the port of Nice, and pool training sessions from October to June. It welcomes freedivers of all levels, from beginners to world champions, and introduces them to the different freediving disciplines, such as constant weight, free immersion, and no limit.
Nice, a history and culture of freediving
Nice is also a city with a history and culture linked to freediving. Indeed, it was in Nice that pioneers and champions of this sport were born and raised, contributing to its development and publicity. Among them are:
- Jacques Mayol, who was the first man to descend to a depth of 100 meters while freediving, in 1976, and who inspired the character of Enzo Molinari in the film The Big Blue, directed by Luc Besson in 1988. Jacques Mayol was also a precursor of the philosophy of freediving, based on the search for harmony with oneself and with nature.
- Loïc Leferme, who was a multiple world record holder in no-limit freediving, reaching a depth of 171 meters in 2004. Loïc Leferme was also the founder of CIPA, and the organizer of many prestigious events, such as the freediving world championships in Nice in 2000 and 2005. He tragically died in 2007, during a training session off Villefranche-sur-Mer.
- Guillaume Néry, who was also the world record holder for constant weight freediving, reaching a depth of 126 meters in 2015. Guillaume Néry is also a director and speaker, who shares his passion and vision of freediving through films, books, and talks. He is notably the author of the film Free Fall, which has been viewed more than 30 million times on YouTube, and which shows his dizzying descent into Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas.
Nice is therefore a city which has managed to make freediving a lifestyle, which combines performance, well-being and respect for the environment. It is a city that offers an ideal setting for practicing this sport, which has quality infrastructure and supervision, and which has a history and culture linked to freediving. It is a city that attracts and inspires freedivers from all over the world, who come here in search of a unique and unforgettable experience.
