At the beginning of the 20th Century, King Leopold II of Belgium described « the areas of the Alpes Maritimes as a paradise on earth ». Bathed in the magical light of the French Riviera, Cap-Ferrat remains both as fascinating and beautiful today as it was then.
It was in the heart of this peaceful paradise of natural beauty that the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, from its opening in February 1908, attracted the international elite who wintered on the French Riviera.
Princes and Dukes of the Russian imperial family, the European royal houses, lords and barons from England.
the great entrepreneurs of finance and industry, glittering literary and artistic celebrities.
The procession of the great, rich and famous continued. Regular guests included Presidents, like Paul Deschanel, Princess Louise, the duchess of Argyll (Queen Victoria’s Daughter), the Duke of Connaught who lived for twenty years on the Cap-Ferrat. The sublime atmosphere of beauty and peace attracted many well-known artists as Charlie Chaplin, Picasso, Roger Moore, David Niven, Liza Minelli, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Elton John … and Heads of States such as George Bush, Bill Clinton, Boris Eltsine …