Glamorous Revival of Riviera’s Golden Age

Move over, James Bond. Cannes has its own “Casino Royale” now, and it lives up to the city’s cinematic legacy.

Perched at the southern tip of La Croisette, the reborn Casino Royal Palm marks the final jewel in the crown of the Palm Beach Cannes redevelopment — a grand project that brought Old Hollywood splendor back to life on the French Riviera.

The 1929 Hispano-Moorish building was once a playground for Hollywood royalty including Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, and had its own starring role in Alain Delon’s 1963 French heist movie “Any Number Can Win.”

But through various additions and redesigns over the years, the dramatic turreted design from French architect Roger Séassal had deteriorated into a characterless white box with a flashy neon sign.

“The casino had bad energy. It had lost its dignity. We wanted to clean that energy, like go in there with smoke and a shaman,” said architect Jerry Pellerin. “The spirit now is good again. We brought back the energy of the 1930s, not the 1990s.”

When developers began restoring the seaside property in a revamp that cost upward of 120 million euros, out went the seedy nightclub and soulless slot machines; in came upscale restaurants including Zuma and La Petite Maison, where Chanel hosted the “Megalopolis” after party last year, plus a private members’ club and luxury shops, including Dior and Loro Piana.

Bringing back the casino was not part of the plan.

Then Cannes-based architects Caprini & Pellerin, the namesake agency of Pellerin and partner Kevin Caprini, took the building down to the bones and dug through the city’s archives. Through their treasure hunt they believed the casino could be returned to its former glory and glamor.

“The casino became the cherry on the cake,” said Pellerin. “It wasn’t in the plan, but it became the soul of the project.”

During construction the building started to reveal its secrets: the architects discovered a sliver of the original terra-cotta color hidden behind a false wall in the attic. Pellerin had been toying with shades of white or beige for the casino, but the terra-cotta became a touchstone.

“When I think about this project, I almost get goosebumps. It was so clear, so obvious to us. The spirit of the place was always there — it just needed to be uncovered,” said Pellerin of the attic find.

The cleansing was as much spiritual as architectural, and allowed the Palm Beach to channel the Riviera’s golden age when casinos were sophisticated social spaces and guests would don tuxes and evening gowns, not flip flops and T-shirts. To bring back that upscale aesthetic, the Casino Royal will have a dress code that requires jackets for men and elegant dress for women.

Caprini & Pellerin reinterpreted the 13,000-square-foot space with Art Deco touches, rounded arches and beveled mirrors. The original high ceilings didn’t meet modern security specifications, so the team created a giant bronze star-shaped lighting installation — at once celestial and architectural — that dominates the room. It brought the ceiling down to regulation height while cleverly concealing discreet security cameras.

“In fact, the casino is secured like a bank,” said Pellerin. “The cameras are hidden in the lamps, the vents, in the tables. There is very little visible.”

Everything in the casino has been custom designed by the architects — from the artwork to the chips, cups, cashier counters and signage. Sculptural furniture crafted from dyed French oak surrounds the industry-approved gaming tables, while tulip-shaped lamps by French lighting artist Guy Bareff add a warm glow.

The team created ceiling frescoes reminiscent of artist Israel Rubinstein’s playful depictions of gaming scenes, and also looked to the works of Salvador Dalí and Meret Oppenheim for other inspiration.

“It’s very much [inspired by] this legendary period when they were doing art with strong ideas. When you’re doing a casino like this, you’d expect something more rational,” he said of the team’s whimsical approach.

Even the building’s imperfections became part of the aesthetic. Columns that no longer made structural sense were transformed into freestanding art pieces. A bevel behind the central bar, sculpted out of a creamy Botticino marble, was mirrored, not concealed.

“The design is kind of like elegant Laser Quest, those places where you go to play when you’re young. They’re very playful in architecture and very graphic. Here, it’s the same,” said Pellerin.

In partnership with French casino group Partouche, the Casino Royal Palm aims to bring the human touch and glamor back to gaming. (The slot machines are still there, but discreetly tucked away behind decorative walls.)

There’s also a piano and small stage for an added touch of old-school entertainment.

When Partouche, who had relocated the casino to the 3.14 hotel closer to the center of town, decided to reopen inside the Palm Beach, they didn’t want to replicate the old atmosphere.

Instead, the teams decided to elevate the experience. “The request was, let’s do some game tables with croupiers, with direct human interaction. We wanted to create a space where the game is central again, but in a playful and luxurious way,” he said. “The casino is going back to its roots, and the roots of the building.”

Dapper dealers will add another layer of elegance.

“There’s no other place like it,” said Pellerin. “It’s a landmark, and there is an atmosphere and feeling that this beautiful place has always been here.”