Nestled along the glittering coast of Cap d’Antibes in the South of France, the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc isn’t just a hotel—it’s a living portrait of Riviera elegance. For over a century, it has played host to royalty, writers, movie stars, and magnates. But it was through the lens of legendary photographer Slim Aarons that its mystique was immortalized.
A Riviera Institution
Opened in 1870 as Villa Soleil, the property was transformed into a hotel in 1889 and quickly became a magnet for artists, aristocrats, and celebrities. Surrounded by 22 acres of pine trees and gardens, the hotel offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean, private cabanas, and its iconic seawater infinity pool carved into the rocks.
No one captured the spirit of Eden-Roc better than Slim Aarons, whose camera was a passport to the private lives of the beautiful and the powerful. Aarons photographed the hotel and its guests not as an outsider, but as an invited guest, blending effortlessly into the social fabric of the international jet set.
One of his most iconic images features bronzed bodies reclining on striped sunbeds, glamorous women in silk scarves and oversized sunglasses, and the hotel’s pristine white facade glowing in the Côte d'Azur sun. His work at Eden-Roc didn’t just document luxury—it defined it.
To this day, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc continues to attract those chasing the magic captured by Aarons. Though the faces may change—from Bardot and Burton to modern icons of film and fashion—the setting remains unchanged: cinematic, sun-drenched, and effortlessly elegant.
At The Darkroom Society, we’re proud to showcase Slim Aarons’ work—not just as photography, but as cultural history. His images of Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc invite us into a golden age of glamour, where leisure was an art and the Riviera was its finest gallery.