Chem. de Paomia Montalbo, 20130 Cargèse, Corsica

2025

Designing a hotel in Corsica is a rare opportunity. Our second stroke of luck was that it was located in Cargèse, a village I knew well, with its two churches, its Bon Accueil bar, its harbour, its magnificent beaches, and its ice cream parlour on the road to Sagone.

Building a hotel overlooking the Mediterranean, with panoramic views, is an ambitious and demanding undertaking. Our third stroke of luck was to work with an architectural firm like Orma, which envisioned a building made from earth excavated on site, fragmented and nestled within the maquis.

And so it all began: Corsica, the endless sea, the maquis, and the earth. Naturally, it was essential to reconnect with the history of the village, a Greek settlement in Corsica, with its orderly streets, orange-tiled roofs, shifting levels, and breathtaking views.

The rooms are mineral and textured. Nothing is smooth. The rock emerges here and there. Desert Modernism thus became a starting point for this thoroughly contemporary project, perched on a mountainside and exposed to the elements.

We wanted to tell the story of the Mediterranean, with a few nods to Greek mythology through recreated columns, alcoves, and friezes carved into the plaster. But above all, we wanted to tell the story of Corsica: its shepherds, the colour black, the holm oak, the rock, fishing, and its churches.

The colours are matte. Wood is sculpted into waves, fragments of tiles are embedded in the plaster, and tables feature amphora-inspired handles. Friezes depicting waves adorn the bathroom walls, marble is veined with green, lime-washed surfaces take on shades of ecru and beige, wood turns red, concrete is black, and the rock remains raw.

The headboards evoke shepherds' hats, the fabrics recall fishing ropes, and the bathrooms draw inspiration from ancient architecture.

The sea is everywhere: in every window, from every balcony. It borders the swimming pool, the spa, and the restaurant terrace, perched at the very top of the building, where the most spectacular view unfolds towards infinity, with the rooftops of Cargèse in the distance.

The maquis breaks through here and there, crossing the ground to create small inner gardens. A giant belombra tree inhabits the atrium, providing welcome shade.

Clients : Pierre Mattei & Dominique Leca

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Photos : Julie Ansiau