Bendor Island
Bendor Island (Île de Bendor in French, pronounced [il də bendor]) is a French island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located 300m off the coast from the commune of Bandol, in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in south eastern France. It was bought and subsequently developed by the industrialist Paul Ricard in 1950.[1] The island has a surface area of 0.08 km2, with a coastline of 1.5 km. The island is 17m high at its highest point.[2] A frequent daily ferry service runs to the island from Bandol.[3]
Facilities
The island has a main hotel, the Hotel Delos, five restaurants, an artists village, boutiques, an art gallery and two museums: the Universal Exposition of Wines and Spirits (Exposition Universelle des Vins et Spiritueux, EUVS) and the Museum of Ricard Advertising Objects.[4] Both museums were built by Ricard, admittance is free, but they are open during July and August only.[5]
Sporting amenities include tennis courts, water sports facilities, a diving club and a marina.[4] The marina is the smallest on the Côte d'Azur, with a surface area of just 2.8 km2.[4]
History
In 1950 the island was bought by the industrialist Paul Ricard (1909-1997) the founder of Ricard, the pastis manufacturer. At the time of Ricard's purchase the sole inhabitant of the island was a sheep.[5] Ricard also bought the Île des Embiez in 1958, located nearby off the coast of Six-Fours-les-Plages.[1]
Under Ricard's patronage the island became a magnet for the jet set of the 1960s. Visitors to the island included Mireille Darc, Gilbert Bécaud, Salvador Dalí, Melina Mercouri, Marcel Pagnol, Annie Cordy, Fernandel.[6]
A monolith built by Ricard dominates the marina.[7] The monolith is inscribed with the phrase "Nul bien sans peine" ("No pain, no gain") which was Ricard's personal philosophy. Ricard built the monolith in tribute to Pierre Paul Puget, a Provençal sculptor, painter and architect of the 17th century. It was from Puget that Ricard took the motto.[4]
See also
- The island of Embiez, bought by Ricard in 1958.
- Bend, Or
- Bend Or
- Bendor Grosvenor
References
- ^ a b Nicola Williams (2010). Lonely Planet Provence & the Côte D'Azur. Lonely Planet. pp. 306–. ISBN 978-1-74059-544-5. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ Charles Arnold (1 August 2008). Mediterranean Islands. Survival Books. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-9556489-1-5. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ "Times and ferry service for the Île de Bendor" (PDF). Société PAUL RICARD. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-15.
- ^ a b c d "Île de Bendor – Practical information". Société PAUL RICARD. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Museums, exhibitions and galleries on Bendor". Société PAUL RICARD. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ "Paul Ricard 100 ans" (PDF). Société PAUL RICARD. 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Centenaire Paul Ricard, Artiste et mécène" (PDF). Société PAUL RICARD. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
