The extra soul of luxury hospitality

Interview with Pierre Gruneberg, swimming instructor

I had the pleasure of visiting the Grand Hotel Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and discovering one of the most beautiful hotels on the French Riviera. On this occasion, I met Pierre Gruneberg, a legendary figure of the Côte d'Azur and a physiotherapist who worked as a ski and swimming instructor with many celebrities of the 20th century. Still active at the Grand Hotel de Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for over 65 years, he is also the author of books on different swimming learning methods. He has met many personalities with whom he has built bonds over several years at the hotel. He is the memory of the hotel!

Widowed husband of actress Silvia Montfort, he notably created the Silvia-Montfort Prize association awarding a biennial prize to young tragic actresses.

There are always endearing characters in luxury hotels who bring an extra soul to both hotel guests and all staff members. Those who have worked for more than 30 years in a hotel have been able to build special relationships with guests and forge important bonds of affection that make them want to return regularly. They contribute to the hotel's memory and transmit its spirit. These people are the cornerstone of luxury hospitality.

How did you arrive at the hotel? Can you tell us about the evolution of the hotel?

I arrived in 1950 after a 3-day hitchhiking trip from Paris. I had just passed my lifeguard certification and found opportunities at various beaches on the Côte d'Azur, including Cassis and Juan-les-Pins. I wanted to work at a pool. The president of the Côte d'Azur lifeguards advised me to go to Cap Ferrat where there was a hotel with a beautiful pool. From Nice, I walked to Cap Ferrat, and when I arrived and saw the pool, I knew that was where I would work. After keeping me waiting for hours, the director agreed to see me and give me a chance. Although I had no prior experience as a lifeguard, I spoke English, German, and Italian, which worked in my favor. Back then, it was easier to find a job.

I started with a 5-year contract, and 65 years later, I am still here! I am undoubtedly the oldest employee on the coast!

What has changed at the hotel since you arrived?

Everything has changed. When I arrived, there were 90% French people around the pool. At that time, the surrounding villas did not have pools and the hotel's pool was the only one in the area. There was a very friendly atmosphere and all the families knew each other. There was also a small bar where you could buy cheap drinks. There wasn't really a "luxury" spirit, even though the hotel was quite chic. The people working at the pool were employed by the hotel, but most visitors were not necessarily hotel guests. Today, it's the opposite: there are 90% foreigners and 10% French. Visitors are mainly guests of the hotel, which has become very luxurious. The location, however, remains the most beautiful in the world.

Poolside, it's still the same pool, or almost. In the beginning, it was a 33m Olympic pool inaugurated in 1937 with four walls, but today it features a sea view with an infinity pool.

The art of teaching swimming to the world's greatest:

Over the years, I have had the chance to meet many personalities from all over the world; artists, architects, actors, musicians, politicians. For example, I taught Edgar Faure, former president of the National Assembly, how to swim.

As a physiotherapist, I quickly realized that what bothered people most when swimming was breathing. I then developed a special method for learning to swim: I put water in a transparent bowl and for an hour, I teach people to open their eyes, breathe through their nose, their mouth, make bubbles, etc. I also place a mirror at the bottom of the bowl so they can see themselves. It is a very effective system that my friend, director Francis Weber, commented on by saying: "You, instead of bringing people to the water, you bring the water to the people."

I taught this method in many grand hotels in America, Israel, and England where our hotel advertised by sending me along with the chef: people got a free meal and a free swimming lesson, which was a huge success given the number of people wishing to learn how to swim.

I married twice, both times to students. The first was a great actress, Sylvia Montfort, who unfortunately passed away in 1991; then, after 10 years of being single, I remarried an English singer-songwriter, who was paradoxalement my worst student.

What do you think is the extra soul in this hotel?

First of all, it's a hotel that has lived a lot and has seen many celebrities pass through, such as Brigitte Bardot, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charlie Chaplin, Liz Taylor, Picasso, Cocteau, etc.

The hotel and the pool are miraculously located at the tip of Cap Ferrat, which is a somewhat mountainous cape. Furthermore, we are located between Nice and Monaco, 20 minutes from each!

At the Grand-Hotel, some guests have been coming for 10 years. I actually taught a lady who was very afraid of the water and who was none other than the owner of the largest fitness club in the United States. She then had me come over there so I could teach my salad bowl method to her instructors. She had 10 lifeguards who all swam much better than me because they were Olympic swimmers. When they saw me with my bowl, they laughed at me. But after 3 days, they saw the value of the technique, which changed everything in the club.

Luxury hospitality is also about that, it's the transmission of know-how...

What makes guests want to return to a hotel like this is also this team of employees who have been here for 20 to 30 years and who each have their habits, while knowing those of the guests very well.

There are many veterans who are wonderful, but sometimes young people tend to forget the importance of the guest.

Here is a very simple example: when guests arrive, we are instructed to say "hello", "how are you?", "would you like a fruit juice or a magazine?". We must also offer them a little something every hour. Before, I would never have said or done all this. But I became aware of the importance of these attentions. To make employees understand this, you have to know how to transmit it. One day, I met a Hotel Director who served food to the staff. Where do you see that in France? To me, these are admirable human behaviors.

What is your best memory at the hotel?

I have so many memories! But here is an anecdote: about 40 years ago, there was a man almost drowning in the pool. I approached him and offered him a swimming lesson. And while I was giving him the lesson, his fiancée told me he was a genius, a great painter named Mathieu. At the end, he asked me how much he owed me and I replied that I would simply like him to draw something in my guestbook. He then did a one-second scribble that left me perplexed. But much later, while visiting a museum, I discovered the abstract works of Georges Mathieu, and that scribble made total sense.

Another good memory: that of Charlie Chaplin and his entire family, whom I taught to swim.