At Le Croisic, celebrities don’t necessarily try to show off. They come more to breathe, to find the sea, to stroll through the streets without attracting attention or to get away for a few days from an overly exposed daily life. The Guérande peninsula, with La Baule as its more fashionable neighbor, has long attracted artists, actors and former athletes. Some only spend a weekend there, others come back every year. Some have even chosen to establish a real anchor point there, like Vianney and Éric Cantona, both linked to this part of the Loire-Atlantique.
At Le Croisic, a house far from the tumult for Éric Cantona
La Baule has long been the center of attention. In the beach restaurants, notably at Nossy-Be, the visits of personalities have nourished a little local memory, made up of photos hung on the wall and anecdotes told between regulars. Jean-Paul Belmondo spent several weeks thereLorà nt Deutsch and Marc Jolivet have their habits there, Henri Leconte has already rented a house there. Eric Cantona, he remains associated with Croisicwhere he has a house. According to local testimonies, reported by Presse Océanthe former footballer can be seen from time to time on the La Baule market, without staging or particular agitation.
This discretion corresponds quite well to the spirit of the place. The region has never really functioned like Saint-Tropez, where the presence of stars immediately attracts photographers. Stéphane Malhaire, director of Nossy-Be, especially remembers more lively periods: “ We had a bit of it during ‘Bruelmania’ or when Mel Gibson came here HAS”. But these episodes remain occasional. Here, the Celebrities blend more into the decor. They come for a dinner, a spa, a walk, then leave without transforming the resort into a permanent theater.
Vianney’s house, an anchor point on the coast
If La Baule seems less popular in the middle of summer, it’s not just a question of image. The sometimes uncertain weather, the absence of a real night spot for people in their thirties and fifties, or even the attraction of other destinations like Corsica have moved certain habits. When asked where the people have gone, Stéphane Malhaire simply answers: “ Many go to Corsica. There is a craze at the moment HAS”. The Atlantic coast nevertheless keeps
its power of attractionbut more so out of season, when the beaches empty and sights become rarer.
Vianney has a more intimate history with Le Croisic. He discovered the town at the age of 12 and quickly became attached to it. Teenage vacations, trips with friends, memories in Sissable and even some work experiences as a waiter have woven a
lasting link with this corner of the coast. The singer, revealed to the general public with Pas là and become one of the major figures of the French scene, today has a
house where he comes to recharge his batteries. About this place, he confided to West France : « I immediately fell in love with it ».
A house in Le Croisic to slow down away from the spotlight
This Croisic house has taken an even stronger place since Vianney chose to slow down. Became a father in October 2021, coach of The Voice for several seasons, a highly sought-after artist, he ended up putting touring on hold to find time. Between Paris, the studios and television sets, the singer has long lived in the movement. In Loire-Atlantique, he finds another rhythm, more family-friendly, simpler, in contact with the sea. It is also there that he recorded part of one of his albums, proof that the
refuge has become a place of creation.
Le Croisic is perhaps attractive precisely because it does not promise a spectacle. Éric Cantona has a house there, Vianney returns there to take a breather, other personalities pass through La Baule when the season calms down. Far from the crowds of July and August, the peninsula offers a form of withdrawalquite rare for known faces. Stéphane Malhaire sums it up this way about these public figures: “ They come to La Baule out of season. During a short stay, a thalassotherapy session. It’s always been like this HAS”. For these stars, the real local elegance perhaps lies there: come in discretion.
