South Of France Gets A New Luxury Seafront Resort With Villas And Vineyard
Forbes
Offering a modern twist on French living, the resort’s architecture was designed by Slow Life Architects to be cohesive with the traditional buildings in the area, many of them dating back to the 12th century. The resort was developed by Propriétés & Co to extend the fishing village of Marseillan.
The UNESCO Heritage site of Marseillan is perhaps one of the oldest French towns founded in the sixth century B.C. It is known for its wine production today and is the largest wine-producing area in the world.
The development will include 133 studios to four-bedroom stylish apartment residences, 30 Mediterranean patio villas, as well as four spectacular waterfront villas. Prices range from mid $400,000 for a one-bedroom Garden Suite to $5.3 million for a luxurious Waterfront Villa.
The residences range from one-bedroom garden suites and larger apartments to the ultimate villas in the Waterfront Collection. Each of the four villas will feature private underground parking, a large basement with a state-of-the-art cinema, billiards room, a private wine cave, and a sauna. The villas will also
Outdoor features of the villas include a private Jacuzzi, an infinity pool, and a ground-floor barbecue area, with a stainless steel sink and an outdoor fire pit, as well as an expansive terrace and pergola on the upper floor, all with gorgeous views of the resorts working, private vineyard, and the Thau lagoon beyond.
Port Marseillian Resort & Residences will be part of a large working vineyard, managed by the Seigneurie de Peyrat wine domain, a top winemaker in the region, and will provide villa owners with access to the vineyards to participate.
Owners will have direct access to a 11-acre vineyard and Wine Academy, which includes winemaking courses and personal wine storage areas. A Nautical Club is also part of the offering.
The development overlooks the world famous oyster beds of the Thau Lagoon, home to over 700 Mediterranean species including 18 varieties of shellfish, including the popular Pink Diamond oysters, a delicacy in this region.
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Like St Tropez before Bardot
ex-kitten starlets are thin on the sun-seared ground. So are €6,000 cotton beach dresses with Mongolian fur trim, Lamborghini Gallardos ostentatiously parked in front of harbourside cafes, and gin-palace superyachts. And you certainly won’t see estate agents with details of stratospherically pricey villas in French, English and Russian.
Yet the petite port of Marseillan on the Languedoc coast, kissing a Mediterranean lagoon east of Béziers, has an undeniable frisson of St Tropez. Not the 2009 Riviera honeypot oozing bling, Eurotrash and traffic, but the serene isolated fishing village that first attracted artists and writers in the late 19th century, and then Bardot and the jet set in the 1950s.
As elsewhere in the south of France, looks count. While no doppelgänger, Marseillan shares strands of scenic DNA with its more famous Côte d’Azur counterpart. The views across its dazzling turquoise water to the hillside rooftops of Sète are reminiscent of St Tropez’s to Grimaud and Sainte-Maxime. And both ports have excellent beaches a couple of miles outside town – although you’ve far less chance of being hit by a wayward Cristal cork around Marseillan plage.
But it’s the town’s protected 17th-century harbour that really captures the early Riviera vibe. Low-level houses laced with wrought-iron balconies and splattered with flowers swaddle a channel that jiggles with small boats and yachts, with a left bank of thriving restaurants and cafes.
And now unpretentious, laid-back Marseillan has some seriously stylish new accommodation. Port Rive Gauche, a converted 19th-century wine storehouse (booming trade spawned several monumental cellars near the waterfront) has two-bedroom apartments with balconies and terraces bombarded with startling lagoon light – all whites and light greys with beams, limed wood floors, and artfully distressed furniture. The little touches – antique dressmakers’ dummies to hang clothes, old trunks and French words spelt out in jumbo metallic letters – are guaranteed to induce serious interior design envy.
So far, so chic. But despite its cool contemporary mood, the development – the only hotel near the harbour – seems to slip easily into Marseillan life. It doesn’t appear to be an early sign of St Tropez-isation. The port’s holiday trump card, after all, is its low-key charm and authentic local activities. It’s why I found myself on the water with Jean-Claude Caumil. The ludicrously healthy retiree offers boat rides around the Bassin de Thau but shows little evidence of brutal commercialisation. His afternoon trip costs just €8pp.
It wasn’t just excellent value, it was also fascinating. The massive lagoon has more than 700 Mediterranean species, including seahorses, and lies at the eastern end of the Canal du Midi, the 240km Unesco world heritage site.
“Do you want Toulouse or Bordeaux?” asked Jean-Claude, as we dissected its narrow entrance, nosing alongside the abandoned rusting hull of the Louisdaky from Cape Town.
Like the best travel, it’s the quirky surprises, rather than the well-known show-stoppers, that hit the high notes. After passing the famed Les Glénans sailing club, where you ring a bell to summon a water taxi across the canal, Jean-Claude turned back to the lagoon, floored the engine and made a gesture of an elderly jockey whipping a horse. We bounced across the water like a giant Space Hopper, windsurfers and kitesurfers trailing in our wake.
After anchoring we spear-fished – I’ve never seen dorado laugh quite so brazenly – and snorkelled in crystal-clear shallows through waving seagrass. But best of all we simply slumped in the boat, let the sun freckle our faces and talked about nothing and everything. “I miss some things about work,” mused Jean-Claude, who swapped his nearby hotel for 364 days a year on the water. “It had a nightclub and 250-cover restaurant. But it’s good to relax.”
He appears to have it nailed. And he’s not alone. Locals around Marseillan have turned relaxation, lubricated with decent wine and fresh seafood, into an art form. A few hours later, I’m outside a white-walled, red-roofed chateau, sipping rosé and shooting the breeze with the owners, Pierre and Marie-Christine Fabre de Roussac. Tucked into magnificent towering trees, Domaine de la Bellonette is one of several grand estates lining the Bassin’s north shore.
It offers spacious rooms with period furniture and a recently converted studio, but I was there for a major foodie treat: the local speciality of brazucade – a mussel barbecue with shellfish straight out of the briny.
In the past, when fennel was as common as nettles, chefs would cover the crustaceans with a generous blanket of the herb, before torching it to generate a steaming scented infusion. When the shells popped, it was job done. Ours was a tad more mainstream, with mussels cooked over glowing wood embers, but it still beat the hell out of burgers and chicken wings, particularly with its side-serving of zingingly fresh oysters. “I once made a 12m-long brazucade,” said Pierre, casually opening another Languedoc wine. “It was no particular occasion. Just pleasure. Why not? We are French. We are Gaulois.”
And also, Pierre, because you don’t have to cook on a £20 B&Q barbie. But it’s hard to disagree with the south-west joie de vivre. A couple more wines and I was seriously considering relocating.
Spend any time in Marseillan and you’re constantly pulled back to the Bassin de Thau. All life swirls around, on or underneath it.
It’s why I headed east along the shore to Medi Thau. It sounds like a centre for genetic engineering. And in a sense it is – only for oysters, not humans. The family firm has revolutionised the farming of the acclaimed crustaceans that thrive on the lagoon’s phytoplankton.
Instead of submerging them on ropes for 12-18 months’ growth, Medi Thau’s solar-powered lifts regularly pull them out of the briny for hours, sometimes days, at a time. The result is that, rather than endlessly gorging, the critters are forced to keep their mouths closed to retain water – a mini workout.
“We make them suffer a little,” says fisherman and directeur général Florent Tarbouriech, as we cruise around the sun-dappled oyster beds. “It makes them stronger, more muscular, more fleshy.”
The tubby, plump beauties are up to 17% bigger than normal, fit to grace dining tables in Venice, Hong Kong and Shanghai. They also have a suntan: exposure to ultra-violet rays gives the shells a delicate rose blush and the name Pink Diamond.
But in Marseillan you don’t need to splash a second mortgage at a flash restaurant. Medi Thau serves the super-sized aphrodisiacs in its straw-roofed shack, dripping with geraniums and surrounded by old fishing nets. The Pink Diamonds are extraordinary, more like steaks than oysters, with an addictive sweet aftertaste.
“All this just by lifting them out of the water,” says Florent, as he prizes open another fleshy specimen. “C’est trés jolie. C’est incroyable.” Which, worryingly, is exactly what director Roger Vadim and many others said about Brigitte Bardot in her 1950s St Tropez heyday.
But while Pink Diamonds are another recent development guaranteed to put Marseillan on the food and travel map, the small port seems more than capable of retaining its unhurried, sunny, bling-free charm.
Genius Loci is a Latin term meaning “the spirit of a place.” It refers to the unique atmosphere, identity, or soul of a location—shaped by its history, geography, architecture, and the sensory experience it evokes.
In ancient Roman culture, the Genius Loci was a protective deity of a place, believed to watch over it and its inhabitants. Today, the term is widely used in urban planning, architecture, and landscape design to emphasize the importance of preserving and enhancing a site’s distinctive qualities in any development project.
The core idea is that every place has an essence that shapes how people experience and interact with it—and that preserving this spirit is essential for maintaining its harmony and appeal.
How does P&CO understand the Genius Loci before initiating the design phase of a resort project?
Understanding a site’s Genius Loci before starting the design process is essential to ensure a harmonious and authentic integration. P&CO follows a multi-step approach:
Observation and Immersion
Visit the site at various times of day and under different weather conditions.
Observe landscape, topography, natural light, prevailing winds, and native vegetation.
Listen to ambient sounds (nature, local activity, silence).
Sense the overall mood and emotional impression the site conveys.
Historical and Cultural Study
Explore the site’s history: Which civilizations or events shaped it?
Investigate local traditions, vernacular architecture, and artisanal crafts.
Understand any myths or beliefs tied to the place.
Social and Economic Analysis
Observe local lifestyles and how people interact with their environment.
Understand key economic and artisanal activities in the region.
Meet with community stakeholders (residents, artisans, associations, historians).
Draw inspiration from local architecture while integrating innovation.
Use regional materials and traditional techniques to minimize environmental impact.
Balance built environment and nature to preserve the site’s soul.
Create spaces that resonate with the location’s identity and ambiance.
By incorporating these elements from the outset, a resort is not just built on a site, but with the site—ensuring a unique and authentic experience for visitors.
The Resort Design and Development Process at Propriétés & Co
P&CO’s process combines rigor and a holistic vision that integrates the Genius Loci, “glocal” architecture (global & local), sustainable innovation, and immersive guest experiences. Key stages include:
Site Analysis and Immersion
Site study: Identification of the Genius Loci (natural, historical, cultural, social aspects).
Environmental assessments: Ecosystems, water resources, climate, natural hazards.
Market analysis: Resort positioning based on tourism trends and demand.
Local immersion: Engaging with communities, artisans, and local experts for authenticity.
Water as a central element: natural pools, sustainable water management.
Spaces designed for reconnection with nature and holistic well-being.
Sustainability & Technology
The resort project is part of an exemplary sustainable development approach, fully integrating the site’s natural characteristics and contemporary climate challenges.
A bioclimatic design that takes advantage of natural light, cross-ventilation, and the site’s orientation to reduce energy needs.
The integration of renewable energies—solar, geothermal, biomass, and heat pumps—to ensure partial energy autonomy for the resort.
A structured landscape framework forming the basis of the project’s composition, ensuring integration, biodiversity, and aesthetic appeal.
A clear circulation layout that promotes soft mobility (pedestrians, bicycles) and connects to the local network.
Optimized access and readable entry points for visitors, minimizing nuisances and improving flow.
Primarily collective parking, landscape-integrated and designed to limit soil sealing.
A spatial distribution of the resort’s functions that prioritizes panoramic views and seamless landscape integration.
A gradual building height arrangement that, where possible, creates a balcony effect on the site, protects from prevailing winds, and enhances natural ventilation.
A master plan that respects the site’s topography and its ecological and tourism objectives.
Careful landscape integration within an exceptional natural setting, enhancing views, ambiance, and the connection to the sea.
Unique atmospheres that reflect the project’s high standards in tourism, sensory experience, and architecture.
Economic Model & Financing
Financial Strategy
Hybrid business model: hotel operations, branded residences, exclusive memberships.
Strategic partnerships with brands, investors, and local institutions.
Optimized legal and tax structuring for hotel and real estate investments.
Commercialization & Branding
Experiential marketing and storytelling centered on the Genius Loci.
Targeting high-end clientele seeking nature, wellness, and authenticity.
Digital strategy: social media, influencers, premium booking platforms.
Construction & Operations
Execution Phase
Quality-controlled project delivery with optimized timelines.
Collaboration with renowned architects and designers.
Creation of prototype spaces (mock-up rooms, show villas).
Operations & Guest Experience
Staff trained in excellence and immersive hospitality.
Highly personalized guest experience rooted in slow living & wellness.
Resort evolution based on trends and guest feedback.
At Propriétés & Co, expertise lies in the fusion of authenticity, sustainability, and experiential luxury. Each resort becomes a singular destination, capturing the essence of its location while offering a respectful, meaningful, and elevated experience for all.
The harbour village of Marseillan, on the Languedoc coast, is one of those places where people really seem to know how to enjoy life. On a late winter’s day, the waterfront restaurants are thronged by locals tucking into crisp white wine and shared plates of seafood: the area is known as the oyster capital of the Med. A canoeist drifts past, and so intense is the sun that one hardy elderly man is strolling along the harbour in nothing but a skimpy pair of shorts.
Marseillan is one of a handful of scattered villages that edge the Etang de Thau, a large saltwater lagoon that runs from Sète to Agde. Its glassy surface is dotted with hundreds of wooden oyster tables. As the sun sets over the water, the oyster farmers head back to their baraquettes — wooden shacks that dot the water’s edge — and share some of the day’s catch over a bottle of picpoul.
Some of these baraquettes — La Cabane, Le St Barth and La Ferme Marine — have become popular restaurants, raved about on TripAdvisor, but they remain simple, earthy places where you go to enjoy the fruits of the surrounding sea and vineyards.
Port Marseillan Resort and Residences will be the first seafront vineyard resort in France — a winning combination for anyone who dreams of gazing at the sea from their terrace, wineglass in hand. There will also be a five-star hotel and spa on site, it should bring a new level of luxury to the Languedoc.
There will be six 300 sq metre waterfront villas with a yoga deck and a wine cellar, and a an underground “play area” (to include a home cinema and a sauna), hi-tech mod cons and an infinity pool overlooking the vines and the lagoon. Although highly contemporary in style, they are being called “modern French Mediterranean” by the project’s Barcelona-based architects, Slow Life, who drew inspiration from the sandstone walls, large shuttered windows and iron balconies of the traditional winemakers’ houses that line the village streets.
Port Marseillan’s lifestyle is available for less, with flats — at least half of them with sea views, the rest above shops, cafes and art galleries overlooking a newly built town square, Place de la Port Marseillan, a short stroll from the harbour. There are also “patio villas”, with between two and four bedrooms and a private pool.
Charles Weston Baker, head of international developments at Savills estate agency, describes it as “the best new project in France in 20 years”. That’s high praise from a man who has marketed many of the world’s most luxurious resorts. He rates it alongside the five-star Alpine village of Arc 1950 and the Provence Country Club, 90 minutes’ drive inland from Marseilles.
Weston Baker says. “It would be €8,000-€12,000 a square metre for something like this on the Côte d’Azur. A Mediterranean view is at a premium now, and this project offers great value for money.
“Since the recession, there have been few projects in France, and this is by far the best located. It’s within walking distance of a charming old town with a working harbour. There’s a real beach in front of the resort, and you have several airports within a two-hour drive. There are lovely projects here, there and everywhere, but for British buyers, you have everything you want here.”
The project’s developer is Miguel Espada, director of Propriétés & Co. He has worked on several renovation schemes in the region, including Couvent d’Hérépian, rated as one of the best boutique hotels in France, and Château de la Redorte, an 18th-century wine estate where flats start at £142,000. He has a policy of buying a property in each of his developments. “If we don’t invest, we don’t build,” he explains. “If there’s a problem with the management company, then I have the same problem as every other owner.”
Other developers in the Languedoc are also capitalising on the region’s wine heritage and historical charm. Yet these are all inland. Espada hopes that the waterfront setting will be Port Marseillan Resort and Residences’ greatest selling point. “I’ll never get another plot of land like this in my life,” he says, looking across the lagoon to the five-mile beach that separates it from the sea near the lively port of Sète.
Espada tested the water in Marseillan with two smaller projects — Port Rive Gauche, a block of flats on the waterfront, and Domaine de la Mandoune, a converted wine estate set 500yd back from the lagoon. Marseillan’s mayor is keen to push ahead with Port Marseillan Resort and Residences and has commissioned a park on a neglected area of the waterfront.
For the developer, this is about far more than building holiday homes. “I get 3,000 proposals a year for projects to take on, but we’re not just doing real estate,” he says. “We work on sensitive projects — historic buildings, seafront locations — building ties with the local town and local producers, and helping the destination market itself.”
Owners will have the chance to get involved in the local community through regular events such as talks and tastings. They can also get stuck into the wine side of things — which is the domain of Miguel’s wife, Cécile. She runs the Seigneurie de Peyrat vineyards, which have been in her family for generations, and will take charge of Port Marseillan Resort and Residences’ vineyard, producing white, rosé and sparkling wine and presenting each owner with two cases of the estate’s vintages each year.
According to Espada, a golden triangle is emerging for French second-homers (as well as the odd billionaire Russian and a sizeable number of Scandinavians). It covers the area between Marseillan, Bouzigues — another serene lagoon-side village — and postcard-pretty Pézenas, a market town with pastel-coloured buildings, a proliferation of art galleries and a Saturday market that takes over the streets of its ancient centre. “Chief executives, artists and some famous names have holiday homes here,” he says. “The area offers everything you want from the Med.”
Despite the Languedoc’s popularity — about 15m people visited the region last year, and it’s often voted the area that the French would most like to retire to — the developer admits that it lacks tourist infrastructure. “There’s little in the way of tourist facilities, and banks don’t consider resorts such as Port Marseillan Resort and Residences an asset class worth lending on,” says Espada, who self-finances his projects. He built his first development, Domaine des Pins, with the money he made from the sale of Photoways (now merged with PhotoBox), the online printing company that he co-founded in 2000.
This is a region rooted in tradition and a love of what comes from the land. Port Marseillan Resort and Residences may cause a splash thanks to its multimillion-pound villas and five-star hotel. But its popularity will lie in offering buyers a chance to lap up the simple pleasures — sunshine, wine, sea — that the Languedoc does best.
