Toile Blanche

Art and hospitality

A narrow road less than 2km from the centre of Saint-Paul-de-Vence takes you to a secret place, a haven of peace and quiet. Welcome to Toile Blanche, a boutique hotel where the art of hospitality is the fruit of a love of beauty shared by the Leroy Brothers and their families.

By Pauline Weber

The story of Toile Blanche began in 2004 with the opening of a single bed-and-breakfast guestroom. “We very soon moved on to three, then six. And at the same time we opened our restaurant,” says Nicolas Leroy, the youngest brother. The family came from a similar small village in Belgium; they settled here after Nicolas discovered the Nice area when studying at the Villa Arson art school. “We felt at home here right away, because the village lives and breathes art,” he adds. Art is central to the brothers’ lives; they function as an art collective. “All three of us have been working together as Leroy Brothers for 25 years. They call us digital artists,” says Nicolas. Six-handed paintings, multi-media installations –they use the new technologies as the basis for their works, spotlighting the social impact of the digital world. Their latest project, Arora Vale, is a perfect example: it consists entirely of AI-generated images and captions.

A place inspired by travel and creativity

When the opportunity to buy the surrounding land with some old buildings arose, Toile Blanche scaled up its operations. The Leroy Brother tested their architectural skills, designing a place that reflects their style and embodies their vision of relaxed luxury hospitality. The project was partly inspired by their travels; it’s a fusion of Provençal and outside influences. The hotel boasts 17 suites of 30 to 100m², including four with their own pools. The authentic charm of stones taken from the river, the soft colours and the artworks scattered here and there around the 200,000m² property create an atmosphere that’s modern, but blends nicely with its surroundings.

“We didn’t just want a hotel where people would come and have a nice holiday and go away again. We wanted to offer an extra experience with art and creativity occupying a central place,” says Nicolas. Run by the three brothers, their wives and their parents, the hotel reflects a friendly family feel and each guest immediately feels at home. The same philosophy holds sway in the restaurants. Two foodie experiences are on offer: La Guinguette is a convivial place with sharing platters at each table, while Le Restaurant is more classically gastronomic. “We have Nicolas Leclair in the kitchen. He’s a talented chef who works with local produce, so the menu changes through the seasons. Offering affordable but highly elaborate cuisine symbolises the spirit of Toile Blanche.” This year they have opened an exhibition space and artists in residence are invited to share their creativity. Every two months they hold the Toile Blanche Sessions with an exhibition opening, dinner and live music, creating a real synergy with the public. Toile Blanche is on the way to becoming a noted Riviera haunt where people come again and again to share their love of beautiful things.

826 chemin de la Pounchounière

Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Tél. 04 93 32 74 21 - toileblanche.com

guinguette.toileblanche.com