Theoule-sur-Mer holidays: beaches, views and Bubble Houses
Theoule sur Mer Bubble House [Photo courtesy of www.instagram.com/berndrathjen/]
Theoule-sur-Mer is a stunning beach resort close to Cannes in South France, tucked away in a small cove among the rocks of the Esterel Mountains. It is one of the most beautiful coastal resorts on the French Riviera, benefitting from stunning coastal views out towards Cannes and the Lérins islands, as well as a prime location at the heart of the Estérel forest park. With stunning views, nice Mediterranean beaches and its iconic Bubble House - Théoule-sur-Mer has it all.
Théoule-sur-Mer is an idyllic small town located in a prime spot on the French Riviera between Cannes and St Tropez. This French Riviera town is a favourite holiday destination in South of France for the rich and famous, seeking some seclusion from the crowds.
Théoule-sur-Mer provides a number of public and private beaches, together with a Marina and provides the perfect base for a beach holidays in South France. There are a number of local coastal walks including a complete circuit of the headland - L’Aiguille - taking about 1hr 15 mins. In Théoule there’s a choice of water sports and boat hire.
Theoule sur Mer is only 10 km from Cannes and here you will find a wealth of shops, restaurants, casinos and attractions. You can also reach Cannes via train - just 3 stops on the St Raphael train, taking about 12 minutes.
Theoule-sur-Mer France beach resort in South France
Since the Middle Ages, Theoule-sur-Mer has been dedicated to fishing and it has successfully retained its atmosphere of a small fishing village, becoming one of the favourite places for those in search of peace and beauty on the Cote d’Azur.
Theoule sur Mer possesses some excellent sandy beaches, often set into small bays carved out of the red rocky coast. You cannot but help to experience the feeling that you are in a special place in the world, with the clear turquoise waters and fine beaches. Theoule Sur Mer is a great place for beach holidays in France because it provides you with the peace and tranquillity to relax, that can be missing from many of the more crowded parts of the Cote d’Azur.
The main public beach can get quite busy in the summer months (especially after 4.00pm when the inhabitants of Cannes spill out of the city after work). I am not really an advocate of private beaches out of principle, but sometimes it is worth shelling out some money to be guaranteed a spot on the beach. The views make the entrance price worth the investment.
Bondi Beach Theoule sur Mer [Photo courtesy of www.instagram.com/bondi_beach_theoule/]Le Marco Polo is a private beach club situated in a stunning cove in Théoule sur Mer, France. This secluded beach has the dramatic backdrop of the red cliffs of the Esterel Massif just behind and the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Mediterranean sea. There is a beach restaurant on Marco Polo beach where visitors can enjoy a light lunch on the beach.
An alternative private beach is La Plage de Red Roc. The views from the beach club are wonderful. Every day from the middle of April until the middle of September, for a small fee you can bathe in the warm sunlight on the sun loungers laid out on a series of terraces that lead down to the crystal clear water. There is an excellent beach restaurant open for lunch all season, as well as during the evenings from June to September. The attached hotel offers a luxurious Thalassotherapy spa, which is open to beach visitors for an additional price.
Beach holiday France: Theoule-sur-Mer restaurants
The luxury private beach clubs of Le Marco Polo and Bondi Beach also provide surprisingly good restaurants right on the beach, as well as the usual upmarket cocktails and Champagnes.
Pierre Cardin's Bubble House Theoule-sur-Mer
The Palais Bulles or Bubble House is an iconic site in Théoule-sur-Mer, near Cannes, France. This stunning architectural masterpiece was designed by the Hungarian architect Antti Lovag. The initial phase of the building work was completed in 1975, but additional extensions were added over the next 10 years. The Bubble House was initially commissioned by the wealthy French businessman, Pierre Bernard, but in 1991 it was purchased by the iconic fashion designer, Pierre Cardin, for use as his holiday home in South France.
The Bubble House extends over 1200 m2 and includes a panoramic lounge, 500-seat open-air amphitheatre, various swimming pools and waterfalls, all set within in extensive landscaped grounds. The 10 bedrooms are each decorated by individual artists.
Pierre Cardin also owned a huge apartment in Paris and a castle in the south of France once owned by the Marquis de Sade. Although his visits to the Bubble House became less frequent in his later years, he did visit the house in 2019 following the completion of a 5 year renovation programme.
The Bubble House was apparently recently listed for sale with an asking price of €350 million. I suppose when you are as rich and famous as Pierre Cardin and you are the owner of such an iconic house, you can ask whatever price you think people are prepared to pay
Sadly, Pierre Cardin died in December 2020 at the ripe old age of 98. Pierre Cardin is rightly placed alongside the famous group of European fashion designers of the last 40 years, that includes Yves Saint-Laurent, Karl Largerfield, Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani
Theoule-sur-Mer South of France beach holidays
All-in-all, Theoule-sur-Mer is the perfect base for a beach holiday in South France. On Go South France, we have a range of vacation rental accommodation close to Theoule-sur-Mer and Cannes, but by far the most popular rental is the Villa L'Esterel, with its stunning sea views and infinity pool. This villa also has the added benefit of being located right next door to the famous Bubble House:
Theoule-sur-Mer luxury villa rentals France (sleeps 8)
This private villa near Cannes, South France, comes with stunning sea views, 3 terraces and an infinity swimming pool. The villa is located only a short walk from sandy beaches and is close to the centre of Theoule-sur-Mer village, with its numerous shops and restaurants.
This private villa in South France near Cannes is spread over four floors and comes with 4 double bedrooms, a private lift to all floors, air conditioning, private off-road parking and WiFi internet.
The villa is situated in a quiet residential area on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean sea and the Bay of Cannes. Just next door there is the iconic Pierre Cardin "Bubble House".
Rental prices: High season (July-Aug) €5825 per week; Mid season (June and September) €4,400 per week; Spring €2995 per week.
Tags: Cannes, Theoule-sur-Mer