Zannier Île de Bendor
Paul Ricard's Mediterranean island reopened in 2026 after a whole-island reimagining.
Bendor is a small island off Bandol on the French Mediterranean coast, seven minutes by boat, bought in 1950 by the pastis magnate Paul Ricard and built up by him into a small village of workshops, museums and a harbour — an entire island as one man's project. It passed to Zannier Hotels, who have reworked the whole island rather than a single hotel on it.
The island reopened on 1 May 2026 with around ninety-five keys across several buildings, restaurants around the port and the Ricard-era architecture retained. It is among the very few whole-island hospitality projects in the Mediterranean and the largest to open there this decade.
A whole island as one project. Zannier is operating the island, not a hotel on it, which is closer to Mustique's model than to a resort's.
Ricard's buildings kept. The 1950s village was reworked rather than replaced, and the island's oddities — the museums, the painted facades — survive the renovation.
Who it is not for
Bendor is wrong for guests seeking a tropical island, since this is the Provençal coast with a Mediterranean season. It is wrong for travellers wanting seclusion, as Bandol is minutes away and the port receives visitors. And it is wrong for those wanting an established property, given the 2026 reopening. And it is wrong for guests who want a single hotel rather than a village of buildings. Those wanting Mediterranean privacy should look at Tagomago, off Ibiza.
Sources
- Zannier Hotels — reopened 1 May 2026, around ninety-five keys, Île de Bendor, Bandol
Verification
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Booking
Private Island Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the island and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
Request a proposal Compare this islandClassified by The Resort Collection House · Edition 2026 · LHL-I-165
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