Page 319 - Livre Beau Rivage Palace

Asking the hotel’s guests to leave in it some trace of their passing you to all the crew’), Anémone, Mireille Darc, Marthe Keller and Véronique Sanson, Patrick Bruel, Françoise Hardy, Patricia Kaas, receive a lot of media attention). It is possible that both suppositions
other than in the accounts amounts to arranging a meeting between Jean-Paul Belmondo in 1992, Woody Allen and Mia Farrow in 1991 Roch Voisine, Frédéric François, François Feldman, Michel Berger are equally true.
a person, with his or her life and preoccupations, and an institution, and Bruce Willis in 1990 (‘The Beau Rivage c’est excellent!! Room 423 and Eros Ramazzotti. We also find the signatures of two leading Some artists leave their signature without commentary – which
with its organisation and history. A luxury hotel would not be able was fantastic…’). Chronological coincidence has seen the mingling of composers, Jean-Michel Jarre and Michel Legrand, and numerous can still be worth seeing, as is the case with Grace Jones’s dramatic
to survive without this union. In one sense, its guestbook is, therefore, stars of art-house films and blockbuster heroes, modern celebrities top classical musicians: the pianists Vladimir Ashkenazy, Ivo Pogorelich, handwriting. But most have the good grace to include a kind word
its justification. The tributes of the heads of state who stayed at the and stars of yesteryear, French tradition and American professionals. Pavel Gililov, Mitsuko Uchida and Alexis Weissenberg, the violinists with their entry. Not necessarily an original one, but personal enough
Beau-Rivage Palace in 2003 are the only remaining echoes we have That is how tastes and styles harmonise: all differences and rivalry are Viktor Pikaizen, Yehudi Menuhin and Pierre Amoyal, the singers to make it clear that they were truly happy at the Beau-Rivage Palace.
of the immense work created by their stay and of the simple fact of forgotten as they find themselves savouring together the luxury of Julia Migenes, Galina Kalinina, Francisco Araiza, Eva Lind, Juan Pons, Almost all express a satisfaction that goes beyond purely material
their presence in this place. the venerable establishments of the old Continent. Certainly, the time Kaloudi Kaloudov, Paata Burchuladze and Philippe Hutenlocher. And, considerations. Yehudi Menuhin, for instance: ‘Toutes les fois que je me
Unfortunately, it has to be said that the guestbooks of the Beau- of holidaying is past. Most often these people are here for business, for last but not least, the conductor Riccardo Muti. trouve dans ce Beau Rivage, vous réalisez un rêve’ (‘Every time I come to
Rivage Palace are a recent institution and one that has blossomed late. promotion campaigns or for filming. A musician is a nomad; a music star earns fabulous sums of this Beau Rivage, you make a dream come true’); or Mireille Darc: ‘Ici,
The first one was opened more than three quarters of a century after The association between the unreal world of cinema and the money. This goes a long way to explaining the profusion of signatures. la réalité dépasse le rêve […] Je me laisse bercer sur les ailes du Bonheur’ (‘Here,
the opening of the hotel, in 1939, and was used for more than half a decor of a luxury hotel – and perhaps particularly of the luxury hotels But that is not enough. Some – stars of bands on concert tour or divas reality is better than the dream […] I allow myself to be cradled on
century. The second was started in 1985. A third followed in 1990 and on the shores of Lake Geneva, because even the landscape framed by on a promotional tour – stay at the Beau-Rivage Palace for reasons the wings of Happiness’). Many speak of their desire to return. Jeanne
a fourth, still in use, in 2001. The books’ life spans are an indication of their windows appears unreal – is no coincidence. Reality is reshaped of image: they need to put themselves on show and to sell themselves. Moreau explains why: ‘Dans ce lieu propice au travail et à la réflexion
their rate of use: very few signatures from the 1930s to the early 1980s, there. A luxury hotel bears some resemblance to the silver screen: it Others – singers or classical artists – need a calm, relaxing atmosphere créative j’aimerais revenir souvent’ (‘I would like to come back
a peak between 1985 and 1995, then a sharp fall-off. These figures is made to please, built and furnished to satisfy an expectation, cut in order to be able to work and concentrate. A great media circus often to this place so conducive to work and to creative thinking’).
suggest that the hotel received few or no visitors of note for fifty years, and edited like the ever-changing scene of a screenplay. And, for the or a retreat: the two extremes are compatible and a luxury hotel Georges Moustaki adds a mythological and literary touch: ‘Heureux
and that it then became the place to be, before sinking back into actors who make the smooth transition from the plaster-of-Paris provides the ideal conditions for both. Perhaps we should add a more Ulysse / Qui revient au (Beau) Rivage’ (‘Happy Ulysses / Who returns
relative anonymity. There have been ups and downs, good years and decor of a shoot to the stucco decor of the luxury hotel, there is no intangible detail to these happy coincidences: the atmosphere of a to the (beautiful) shore/(Beau)-Rivage’). D’Ormesson summarises
less prestigious times. But the number of signatures also depends on disorientation: their world does not change. luxury hotel, with its vast spaces, its lounges and passages, the contrast it all: ‘Vivre et travailler au Beau-Rivage quelques jours est un rêve d’hier,
who is in charge of the guestbook. During the decades that are short The art that engages most readily with the plush world of the between the sensation of intimacy and its opening onto a sublime d’aujourd’hui et de toujours’ (‘To live and work at the Beau-Rivage for
on signatures, those responsible had, no doubt, a tendency to forget Beau-Rivage Palace remains that of music. Here, as in the field of landscape, has some affinities with music, or, if you prefer, with the a few days is a dream of yesterday, today and forever’). Singer Claude
about it – and that is a pity because it amounts to a net memory loss cinema, the luxury hotel is eclectic. All types of music meet here. sound space, both the interior space and its projection towards the Nougaro, moving off the beaten track, makes an unexpected return
for the hotel. During the same period of 1990-2002 the signatures of rock stars distance. A luxury hotel resonates musically. to the very object of his attention: ‘Où vont les livres d’or quand ils
The cinema seems to have certain affinities with luxury hotels. mingle with those of singers, classical performers and variety stars. A The world of the visual arts and design, on the other hand, is dorment? / Dans un plus bel hôtel que celui-ci? / Impossible’ (‘Where do
The names already mentioned were preceded, over fifteen years, by brief review: in rock, soul, blues and pop music, we have Phil Collins little in evidence: fashion’s Pierre Cardin in 2000, David Copperfield the guestbooks go when they sleep?/To a more lovely hotel than
those of Jacques Villeret and Richard Berry in 2002, Jeanne Moreau and wife – several times: they are neighbours – Deep Purple, Art the magician in 1994, the writer Jean des Cars in 1993, ballet diva this?/Impossible’).
in 2000, Sydney Pollack in 1999, Richard Gere in 1998, Fanny Ardant Garfunkel, Mick Mulcahy, Grace Jones, Alan Parsons, Joan Baez, Sylvie Guillem, actor Jean Piat, novelist Paul-Loup Sulitzer in 1992, Lausanne is a sporting city. The presence of the International
and Niels Arestrup in 1996, Mel Gibson, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Jean- Ben E. King and the Gipsy Kings. Exponents of jazz, concentrated comedian Emil Steinberger (better known as Emil), in 1991, and the Olympic Committee (ioc) attracts to it a number of international
Jacques Beineix, Ron Howard, Anouk Aimée and Michel Galabru in Montreux, are more rare: only Dizzy Gillespie and Michel writers Jean d’Ormesson, Maurice Denuzière and Hélène Carrère federations and sports associations. The Beau-Rivage Palace reaps the
in 1995, Jane Birkin and Pierre Arditi (‘C’est beau chez vous, très beau, Petrucciani come to mind. In 1992, we find the Brazilian king of d’Encausse in 1990. One thing is clear: writers are rare or, at least, they fruits of this. Each year the Beau-Rivage Palace Grand Prix attracts all
encore plus beau avec Jeannette’ – ‘It is lovely here, very lovely, even bossa nova Gilberto Gil – who has since become minister of culture rarely sign the guestbook. There are two possibilities: either writers are the most renowned yachtsmen. Loïc Peyron (2001 and 1995) follows
lovelier with Jeannette’) in 1994, Yves Rénier and Michel Piccoli in the Lula government. Guests include an inexhaustible number of an impecunious breed (and do not come to the Beau-Rivage Palace) his signature with a little figure in the style of Gavroche, the famous
in 1993 (‘Le Beau-Rivage / Le Palace / Deux navires / Merci à tous singers: Étienne Daho, Alain Souchon, Michel Fugain, Sylvie Vartan, or writers are an unprestigious breed (and they come, but are only street urchin from Les Misérables. Olivier de Kersauson (1998) recalls
les marins’ – ‘The Beau-Rivage / The Palace / Two ships / Thank Renaud, Francis Cabrel, Nougaro, Michel Jonasz, Georges Moustaki, asked to sign if they are members of the Académie Française, or they that ‘La vie comme la mer vous amène parfois au rivage’ (‘Life, like the

Francis McCann. The Wedding of Princess Dolores de Bourbon and Prince
Auguste Czartorisky. Photograph, 1937.
On the steps on the south side of the Beau-Rivage, second right in the front row,
King Alfonso XIII of Spain, on his left Queen Amelia of Portugal and King Ferdinand
of Bulgaria. Behind Queen Amelia, the Count of Paris.
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