Issue No. 13

Of all the narratives that make up the
foundation of the Hôtel Belles Rives,
possibly the best is that of Madame
Marianne Estène-Chauvin.
Her memories begin with cherished
childhood holidays at this resort owned by
her Russian emigré grandfather and French
grandmother. The original villa was
expanded with two upper floors and a west
wing. Lovingly restored, the hotel played a
major role throughout her life as each
generation of the Estène family carried on
their dedication to being hoteliers of
distinction.
When she first expressed interest in
becoming the owner, she was not taken
seriously. “After all, I am a woman. And
there are many other roles within the
business it was thought would be more
suitable. I became involved with decoration
and public relations… women’s work.”
Perseverance paid off. Ironically, the week
she was to take charge, the uncle who
would help ease her into her new role,
suffered a major heart attack.
Suddenly she was immersed in the
business. Soon she had a plan. She
changed the seasonal schedule to being
open year round, fixed the beach, and
began her dream to establish fine dining.
The name, La Passagère, evokes not only a
passenger on a ship but also a philosophy
that we are passengers in time.
I’ve left the Library, originally the Music
Room, to the last. Here Madame Estène-
Chauvin brought to life intimate stories of
the Fitzgerald’s time at Villa Saint-Louis.
In this room, Cole Porter played the piano.
Fitzgerald’s wealthy American friend,
Gerald Murphy (who along with his wife,
Sarah, had first of this group discovered the
Riviera) had brought a portable
phonograph from the United States, the
first one on the coast.
Madame Chauvin
The music of the Jazz Age frequently filled
this room. Other musicians would filter in
at times. Raucous parties were the norm.
Today the room also displays portraits and
trophies of the winners of the literary Prix
Fitzgerald. Begun by Madame Chauvin in
2010, the submissions are juried by a
distinguished panel of writers and critics.
The recipient is an author working in a
style or addressing themes that interested
Fitzgerald. The prestigious prize is awarded
in early June.
On the 50th anniversary of Zelda’s 1948
death, the two Fitzgerald granddaughters
were guests at the hotel, when the plaque
was mounted in the lobby. They recalled
memories their family had passed along
through the years. There is an excellent
recounting of that visit in this New York
Times article.