A car-free private island seven minutes off Bandol, reopened after a five-year revival by Zannier Hotels.
Île de Bendor is a private island off Bandol, reached by a shuttle crossing of about seven minutes. Paul Ricard, the Marseille-born creator of pastis, bought it in 1950 and made it a gathering place for art and Mediterranean life before decades of decline closed it entirely. In May 2026 it reopened as Zannier Île de Bendor, the result of a five-year restoration led by Ricard’s great-grandson and Arnaud Zannier.
The island holds just over ninety rooms and suites across three quarters, from the striped 1960s spirit of Delos to the former fishermen’s cottages along the harbor, each with its own garden. There are no cars, eight places to eat under Michelin-starred chef Lionel Lévy, and a spa with indoor and outdoor pools that ranks among the largest on the coast.
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Property Details
Eight dining spaces
Three restaurants guided by Michelin-starred chef Lionel Lévy, from the harborside Café Paul Ricard and the brasserie Nonna Bazaar to Le Grand Large, the historic gastronomic room above the sea, alongside Bar Patrick, Delos Table and the wellness restaurant at Soukana.
The Rēsonance spa
Among the largest wellness centers on the coast, with indoor and outdoor pools, a hammam, cold bath and mud bath, and treatments drawing on Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and naturopathy.
Three island quarters
Just over ninety rooms and suites divided between Delos in 1960s-Riviera stripes, the earthier wellness wing of Soukana, and the two-story Madrague Houses, the former fishermen’s cottages along the harbor, each with its own garden.
Water and the coastal path
A diving center, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding and sunset sails, with a seaside path tracing the quieter shore past a statue of Neptune, sea ladders, and coves that briefly become your own.
Gallery and artisan village
A dedicated gallery of more than two hundred works displayed across the island, and an artisan village where ceramicists, textile artists and embroiderers work in residence, open to visit, watch, or join for a weekly workshop.
