View image 1: The terracotta bell tower and Café Paul Ricard rise above the harbor among umbrella pines
View image 2: A sunlit bedroom opens through glass doors onto a private terrace facing the dunes
View image 3: Dining room shelves hold curios and glassware between stone arches framing the sea
View image 4: Woven rattan pendants hang over a rustic dining room with a terracotta arch and wine bottles
View image 5: A pottery atelier holds a round worktable, ceramic bowls and a weathered wooden ladder
View image 6: Traditional blue and white fishing boats moor at the quay before pastel harbor houses
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.
Photo Gallery
Rooms and Suites
View image 1: A terracotta suite pairs a framed abstract canvas with a linen sofa nook beyond the bed
View image 2: A corner suite bed faces floor to ceiling windows over the harbor and distant hills
View image 3: Pillows are piled high on a bed facing arched windows over the sea and stone ramparts
View image 4: A soft toy lamb sits on linen bedding beside a wood dresser and open dressing nook
View image 5: A rust colored chaise faces glass doors opening onto a terrace among coastal dunes- View image 6: A sunlit bedroom opens through glass doors onto a private terrace facing the dunes
Dining
- View image 1: Dining room shelves hold curios and glassware between stone arches framing the sea
View image 2: Model ships and coral sit on oak shelving between the dining room and bar beyond
View image 3: Cognac leather armchairs and a striped sofa face arched windows over the harbor
View image 4: A bartender shakes a cocktail at the marble bar beneath arches framing pink parasols and the sea
View image 5: A terracotta lounge pairs a striped sofa with wire frame chairs and a marble topped table
View image 6: A table set for dinner frames a stone archway looking out to a passing sailboat
Amenities
View image 1: Morning light warms the stone hotel wing above a reflecting pool lined with white parasols
View image 2: Fringed red parasols and loungers line the pool as the stone hotel glows at dusk
View image 3: A sculptural spiral stair curves past a clay urn beside the indoor spa pool
View image 4: A guest in a robe reclines on a spa lounger beneath pendant lights and a potted olive tree
View image 5: Guests hold a yoga pose on cork mats before arched windows overlooking the sea
View image 6: Dark and pale ceramic vessels line a wooden table beneath a tiled backsplash and shelf
Property
View image 1: A carved stone monument to Paul Ricard stands amid Mediterranean garden plantings- View image 2: The terracotta bell tower and Café Paul Ricard rise above the harbor among umbrella pines
- View image 3: Traditional blue and white fishing boats moor at the quay before pastel harbor houses
View image 4: A steel sea ladder descends the rocky shoreline toward the open Mediterranean
Property Details
Eight dining spaces
Three restaurants guided by Michelin-starred chef Lionel Lévy, from harborside Café Paul Ricard to Le Grand Large above the sea.
The Rēsonance spa
Among the largest wellness centers on the coast, with indoor and outdoor pools, a hammam, and Ayurvedic treatments.
Three island quarters
Just over ninety rooms and suites across Delos, Soukana, and the Madrague Houses, the former fishermen’s cottages along the harbor.
Water and the coastal path
A diving center, kayaking, and sunset sails, with a seaside path tracing the quieter shore to coves that briefly become your own.
Gallery and artisan village
More than two hundred works shown across the island, and a village where ceramicists and textile artists work in open residence.
