La Bâtisse en Blanc, a Belle Époque residence that reinvents itself without betraying its past
(c) Rivierao Agency
In Golfe-Juan, the hôtel particulier owned by Virginie Leroux and Laurent Verplaetse enters its fourth season with a series of works that follow on naturally from the original vision: preserving the heritage treasures of the Riviera by giving them a new purpose.
Opened in June 2023 in a late nineteenth-century residence at the heart of Vallauris Golfe-Juan, La Bâtisse en Blanc set itself apart from the outset with a deliberate stance: to save an exceptional Belle Époque mansion, otherwise destined to be carved into luxury apartments, and to open it to travellers drawn to the elegance of a timeless Riviera. The house, founded by Virginie Leroux and Laurent Verplaetse, former owners of the Blanc Sable Hôtel, offers a hybrid formula between the comfort of a luxury hotel and the warmth of a guesthouse. Set between Cannes and Antibes, five minutes from the beaches, it features five rooms or suites, and two outbuildings overlooking the garden and the pool.
The authenticity of the building, restored
Winter and spring were devoted to a major undertaking: the complete renovation of the home's floors, level by level. Every floor was relaid in encaustic cement tiles (carreaux de ciment), with a unique pattern for each room. This creative and exclusive choice turns moving through the volumes into a visual journey in its own right: an uncommon decision in independent hospitality, closer to the logic of a collector's apartment than to a standard hotel renovation.
The renovation went hand in hand with a process of uncovering. On some levels, old beams concealed by added ceilings were exposed and brought back into view. The original fabric is once again part of the décor, with no pastiche or reconstruction.
A garden enriched with new fragrances
The grounds, already restored after years of neglect during the first works, were enriched this season with fruit plantings that complement the original Mediterranean palette. Every path was repaved in a precise dialogue with the layout of the garden, without altering its overall design. At the height of summer, the walks around the house are taken in the breath of citrus and fragrant trees.
A private chapel, blessed in the spring
The house never ceases to flourish, and this season did not stop at the floors and the paths. Set apart from the main building, separated from it by a small inner courtyard, stands a private chapel: few venues open to the public have one, and fewer still among guesthouses. It was there, in the spring of 2026, that Father Luc, parish priest of Saint-Eucher, came to give his blessing, so renewing the Bâtisse's link with a custom of the fine nineteenth-century residences, which set aside under their roof a place for quiet reflection. The chapel remains open to anyone who wishes to enter, for prayer as much as for silence alone.
In a region where property pressure remains high, and where Belle Époque hôtels particuliers too often end up divided into lots, La Bâtisse en Blanc is a reminder that another path exists: that of a place that is visited, that is lived in, and that is passed on while keeping intact the memory of its builders.
La Bâtisse en Blanc, fact file
- Address: 6 avenue Clément Massier, 06220 Vallauris Golfe-Juan, France
- Owners: Virginie Leroux and Laurent Verplaetse
- Opening: June 2023
- Rooms: Deluxe Room (26 to 31 m²)
- Suites: Junior Suite (30 m²), Suite (40 to 45 m²), Superior Suite La Chapelle (45 m²), La Petite Maison (22 m²)
- Distances: Beaches 5 to 7 min on foot · Cannes 4.6 km · Antibes 4.3 km · Nice 20 km · Nice Airport 15 km
- Ratings: Booking 9.7/10 (Exceptional) · Google 4.8/5
Website: www.labatisseenblanc.com
Press contact
La Bâtisse en Blanc
Virginie Leroux
Email: virginie@labatisseenblanc.com
Phone: +33 6 65 70 75 09