The millionaire fashion designer, Pierre Cardin, has big plans for his hometown Lacoste.
In hope to make Lacoste the “St. Tropez of culture“, he is envisioning the beautiful village as a refuge for world artists — with luxury hotels & cafes. He has already spent millions of dollars refurbishing the Marquis de Sade Castle and is now apparently busy buying houses and employing people to care for his new properties. He has even been fiddling with the idea of building a Greek amphitheater at a local quarry.
Lacoste, Vaucluse.
(Image credit: Corine Brisbois)
More and more locals are starting to protest. They are worried his plans will change the face of the village forever. This, I will have to agree — I mean, a Greek amphitheater, really?! It’s like trying to turn Lacoste into a posh Disney resort.
Read more, here or here.
More images of Lacoste, here.
Oh well! I guess, in times like this, we can always look back at Spain’s Bilbao brought back to life by “gehry-fication” not-all-that-long-ago…
Can Pierre Cardin really buy the dying village back to life?
I have fond memories of Lacoste where my girlfriend at the time was studying art in late 1980s, and I was commuting up to see her from Aix. Lacoste was charming, quiet, and artistic then. I remember hanging out in the quarry while she chiseled and chipped away at her marble sculptures, drinking wine above the fields of lavender and sunflowers, and making love atop the ruins of the castle during an lighting storm. Too bad Cardin’s ego is going to ruin this little jewel of a town.
I agree with Chris – I lived there too and became friends with the locals and they were beautiful, kind, family-orientated and intelligent. How ignorant of some to come in and judge. They are not complaining, but proud of their family, friends, culture and are protective of it being lost to some Disneyland-ification. Be respectful.
I BOUGHT A HOUSE IN LACOSTE 2 YEARS AGO AND MY SOLE REASON FOR DOING SO, WAS BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL RENAISSANCE OF THIS DEAD VILLAGE BY MONSIEUR CARDIN.
LACOSTE HAD ONLY 10 RESIDENTS AFTER THE WAR AND HALF OF THE VILLAGE WAS BOUGHT
BY AN AMERICAN VISIONARY BERNRD PFREIM. IT HAS SINCE BECOME THE PROPERTY OF THE SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN. MORE RECENTLY, MONSIEUR CARDIN PURCHASED 20 OR SO HOUSES IN THE VILLAGE FROM ” FRENCH ” RESIDENTS WHO WERE ONLY TOO HAPPY TO SELL. THEY GOT SO MUCH MONEY, THEY WILL BE SMILING TEN YEARS AFTER THEY ARE DEAD. MONSIEUR CARDIN IS A PHILANTROPHIST AND IT IS THE NARROW MINDED SOCIALISTS OF LACOSTE WHO ARE ANTI PROGRESS THAT ARE THE BIGGEST THREAT TO THIS VILLAGE. VIRTUALLY ALL PROVENCAL VILLAGES ARE BEING BOUGHT UP BY FOREIGNERS WHO ONLY LIVE HERE A WEEK OR TWO A YEAR AND WANT TO COME DOWN AND PATRONIZE THE PEASENTS AND EXPECT IT TO STAY THE SAME FOREVER. SORRY, I AM NOT OF THIS THINKING AND I DELIGHT IN THE RENAISSANCE. I SUPPORT MONSIEUR CARDIN
100 PER CENT AND EVERY TIME HE BUYS ANOTHER PROPERTY, I REJOICE. GOOD RIDENCE TO MINI MINDED PAROCHIALS WHO HAVE NOTHING ELSE IN THEIR LIVES TO DO BUT COMPLAIN. VIVE CARDIN AND MAY HE LIVE TO BE A THOUSAND.