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.
Heritage
This news is yet another in the growing trend of historic buildings and landmarks finding a sustainable future through hotels and hospitality. In another part of the country, Maybourne acquired the former French Ministry of Defence in France, converting it into The Maybourne Saint-Germain, an ultra-luxury hotel with branded residences. As construction costs remain elevated, refurbishment and adaptive reuse of older buildings have become strategic routes to value creation.
“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 property is expected to become Belle-Île's largest private employer, creating more than 100 permanent jobs and around 70 seasonal positions, while prioritising partnerships with local producers, artisans and suppliers. Furthermore, the partnership is a sign of growing collaboration between public institutions, hotel companies and investors to give historical buildings a future.
Instead of just acting as a lender, Banque des Territoires’ role is as a long-term equity investor through its Territoires d'Histoire(s) programme, designed to support heritage assets capable of driving tourism and regional economic development.
“Our role as an investor in the public interest makes full sense here: to bring to life a project that combines heritage preservation, tourist attractiveness and local economic dynamism," said Olivier Sichel, CEO of Caisse des Dépôts.
Alexandre Giuglaris, CEO of the Fondation du patrimoine adds: “The best way to transmit heritage is to find a use for it. The project to transform La Citadelle Vauban into a hotel and museum is the best guarantee of its longevity. The Fondation du patrimoine is pleased to support the preservation of the museum's collections.”
Furthermore, Caisse d'Épargne Bretagne acts as a banking partner for the project's financing.
The formula
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.
Set to open in 2027, the La Citadelle Vauban hotel 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.”
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. For hotel stakeholders, it’s another arrow pointing towards the future of luxury development.
But making it work is half the battle, as experts warn it’s not all smooth sailing. Selectiveness, a keen eye on costs and efficiency, as well as a strong willingness to collaborate and compromise are critical.