La Guérite, Cannes: Where the world’s elite eat on the French Riviera
Sipping on wine and eating on the French Riviera, WISH experiences the world through rosé-coloured glasses.
I have never seen more superyachts in my life than what was moored in the aquamarine waters of the Mediterranean surrounding La Guérite on the French Riviera. Located on a beautiful rocky cove on the island of Île Sainte-Marguerite, just a short private boat ride from Cannes, the restaurant has hosted the rich and famous for decades and the day I went there was no exception.
The famous eatery, where Elton John broke out into impromptu song just last September, and where the likes of Beyoncé and other A-listers regularly sip giant bottles of French rosé in the summer sunshine, has a fairly relaxed beach-club vibe.
There are tables sheltered by umbrellas or a large canopy, and beach lounges if you want to swim after lunch and a few of those delicious wines. Tubs of geraniums, rosemary, daisies and other greenery scattered throughout the restaurant complete the surreal feeling of being on the actual French Riviera drinking French rosé, instead of downing a glass in my kitchen in the middle of one lockdown or another.
The food, by Greek chef Yiannis Kioroglou, takes the best and freshest local produce and cooks it with a Mediterranean slant. All the dishes are shared, and the entrees consist of melt-in-your-mouth burrata with cherry tomatoes and basil, grilled octopus in olive oil, zucchini fritters and sea bass ceviche.
I haven’t even got to the dips yet: the best taramasalata I have ever tasted, and a hummus served with fresh pomegranate seeds, shredded mint and olive oil. I somehow make room for the main course, the highlight being huge, succulent prawns grilled simply with slices of chili. There is also chicken marinated in lemon, ratatouille, and of course, pommes frites in generous quantities. In between come many glasses of rosé, a roving band that plays on request at each table, and absolutely insane people-watching.
I had seen La Guérite described as a “refuge for the international elite for a day of relaxation” and that is bang on. A table near us comprises a group of women replete with beautiful designer dresses and even more beautiful designer handbags.
They had arrived via private boat from one of the superyachts moored offshore (the waters are too shallow to come in close), and my dining companions and I surmise they are celebrating a significant birthday as they were soon up and dancing.
I say surmise as they are speaking Spanish, but how wonderful it is to create fabulous stories for people we have never met in languages we haven’t heard in two years. The other extraordinary people-watching involves the families who had also come in off their superyachts. I feel I have wandered into an episode of Succession, and it is very difficult to discern whether the very glamourous women are wives or children or grandchildren of the gentleman holding court. Enthralling viewing.
The desserts are equally memorable – a chocolate brulée with ice cream melting on its crunchy top; a passionfruit cheesecake with mango sorbet; and a fruit platter with cherries, raspberries, blackberries and grapes.
As I walk back towards the pier and the boat, I am concerned that I should warn the captain that I am not as light as when I had arrived. Back on the mainland, another venue that is notable for its views of the Mediterranean as well as its famous visitors is the nearby Hotel Belles Rives in Antibes. The beautiful Art Deco building, once the home of F. Scott Fitzgerald, has operated as a hotel since 1929.
It is a sublime location for sitting on the terrace drinking champagne in the sun, conversations and a piano playing in the background. Other foodie places worth a visit are the smaller boulangeries, patisseries and markets in the back streets of Cannes. Not far from the famous Boulevard de la Croisette and its red carpets, spectacular boutiques and beach clubs is another world, and one mostly occupied by locals, or at least only French tourists.
There are fresh food markets daily (hello peaches and strawberries), and small supermarkets with their refrigerated shelves devoted as much to bottles of rosé as they are to dairy products. Boulangerie Belliard on Rue Chabaud stocks all the sweet delights you can imagine – strawberry tarts, millefeuilles, chocolate eclairs and macrons.
The baguettes and croissants fly off the shelf, and in an indication of just how good it is, we had to queue for 15 minutes – and the others were all locals. The wait was worth every minute, to be able to tear a rich, buttery croissant in half, slather it in raspberry jam and try to offset all that rosé.