Over the past few years, the Russians have become a very notable presence along the Riviera and inevitably have started investing there. So the news that the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat between Nice and Monaco has been sold to Russian “oligarch” Leonard Balavatnik is not entirely surprising. Roman Abramovich had already bought Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc near Cannes last year. These magnificent hotels are favourites with the major stars that visit the Cannes festival.
Over the years, noted guests at Cap-Ferrat have included Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill, Aristotle Onassis, Pablo Picasso, Sir Paul McCartney and Frank Sinatra. Visit their site here.