Out with the old? Not so fast! In fact, for Accor’s latest luxe plans in France, it seems plus vieux, c'est mieux. In plain English, older is better. And that doesn’t just apply to wine. It turns out one of the hottest new luxury hotels opening soon has almost 500 years of history behind it.
Accor is partnering with Banque des Territoires to transform historic French landmark La Citadelle Vauban into the country's first Emblems Collection hotel, opening in summer 2027.
Located above the port of Le Palais on Brittany's Belle-Île-en-Mer, the fortress — which was originally built in 1549 and expanded in the 17th century — will become a 90-key luxury hotel including 57 rooms, 24 suites, six duplexes, two apartments and a private house. The hotel will also boast two restaurants, a bar and a nearly 2,000-square-metre wellness destination and a museum.
This news is yet another chapter in the growing trend of historic buildings and landmarks finding a sustainable future through hotels and hospitality.
“The revival of La Citadelle Vauban is much more than a hotel project. It is a heritage, cultural and regional project that aims to bring an exceptional monument back to life while creating lasting value for Belle-Île,” says Maud Bailly, CEO of Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems.
Once open, the project will also promote partnerships with local businesses, producers, artisans and suppliers to maximize economic benefits for the Breton island. Particular attention will be paid to the preservation of ecosystems, the reduction of the project's environmental footprint, the training of future employees and the cultural accessibility of the site.
La Citadelle Vauban will also include a redesigned museum which reconnects with the site's history while “offering an immersive experience linking built heritage, landscapes, biodiversity and local memory.”
Leading the restoration are Valode & Pistre Architectes together with Pierre-Antoine Gatier, France's Chief Architect of Historical Monuments, while museum specialist Studio Adrien Gardère has been tasked with reimagining the site's cultural experience.
Marking Emblems Collection’s first hotel in France, the upcoming opening of La Citadelle Vauban fits the luxury brand’s brief of a collection of distinctive independent hotels with strong local identities, with examples including its 15th century Palazzo Sozzini Malavolti in Tuscany and former Benedictine Convent Relais San Clemente.
“We carefully select iconic properties and destinations that allow our guests to reconnect with themselves, far from the noise of everyday life. Each Emblems Collection hotel embodies authenticity, grace, and soul,” Bailly notes.
For the luxury guest, the appeal lies in the chance to stay in one of France's most significant coastal fortresses and enjoying an experience rooted in heritage and history that’s impossible to recreate elsewhere.
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