Fourteen years ago, Stéphane Pellegrin bought a beach restaurant on a whim. This is the story of a family project.
There are beach clubs, and then there's Prao Plage.
Located on one of Sainte-Maxime's oldest and most beautiful private beaches, facing the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, it's the kind of place that asks you to do nothing but slow down. The water is turquoise, the sand is fine, and the day unfolds entirely at your own pace - a paddle on calm water, a long lunch in the shade of a parasol, a waterside massage, a house cocktail as the afternoon softens. The restaurant Le Prao, where the cuisine revolves around the simple pleasures of the Côte d'Azur: wild, grilled fish and organic vegetables from the garden.
14 years ago, Stéphane Pellegrin worked in the automotive industry. Then, with his wife Gasparine, he bought a beach restaurant on a whim. What happened next is one of those stories that seem simple at first glance, but on closer inspection reveal an enormous amount of hard work. Prao Beach, located on Sainte-Maxime's seafront, is now a summer institution in its own right: a beach club, restaurant and party venue. During the summer months, it can accommodate up to 300 people and a total daily capacity of 500 to 600 covers, all services combined. When the sun goes down and the candles are lit, the atmosphere changes. Aperitifs on the roof terrace give way to a refined dinner, and later, when the DJ starts, the beach takes on a club-like feel.
The company
The restaurant is co-owned by Alexandre Barbero and his wife, who also run the Clos des Roses winery in Fréjus, one of Provence's most renowned rosé producers. The two families brought complementary strengths to the project, and the partnership has continued for fourteen seasons. Stéphane doesn't hesitate to talk about his expertise. His experience in luxury goods sales has taught him that the principles that can be transposed to the hotel business are simple: welcome, product quality, customer satisfaction and follow-up. "You have to focus on welcome, satisfaction, follow-up and product. As long as you respect your guests and want to make them happy, the dynamic can only be beneficial to a place like this."
A family affair
The business has become a true family affair. Stéphane's son Tom, now 24, was ten years old when his parents bought the restaurant. He evolved into the role of manager, bringing a forward-looking perspective to the business. Gasparine oversaw the entire interior design and remains closely involved in the day-to-day running of the establishment.
Two members of the team are long-standing regulars: Jules, the bartender, who has been here since the beginning, and Mounir Belaid, the head chef, who has been running the kitchen for fourteen years. Of the 50 summer employees, the team embark on lots of team-building events and occasional house meetings. The family's reach in Sainte-Maxime extends to a second restaurant Le Maimo, which opened after a year that tested the family like few businesses do, carries the same values in a different setting: friendly, personal and firmly rooted in the same approach to hospitality.
The interior inspiration at Prao Plage
The interior is Gasparine's creation entirely. The floors, walls, banquettes, and tables were all designed or made by hand, in what Stéphane describes as a hippie-chic, bohemian-zen aesthetic: no loud colours, no sharp commercial edges. The result is a space that feels considered rather than styled to a brief. Practical details are well thought through. Shower facilities are positioned outside the restaurant, so guests coming from the beach can rinse without walking through the dining room. There is a massage room and changing cabins on-site. "Gasparine is even more detail-oriented than I am," says Stéphane, "and that's exactly what makes the difference." The intention behind the whole operation is simple. "We want them to forget every worry from the week," says Stéphane, "leave happy and satisfied, and want to come back. Our ideal is loyalty."
The Prao Plage kitchen
The kitchen is run by Mounir Belaid, a professional chef since 2000, who worked at Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez and Hôtel du Castellet before joining Le Prao Plage. A team of 17 in high season, including a pastry chef, prepares a Mediterranean menu based on the catch of the day and exceptional meats: Wagyu, Angus and Jersey beef from the Lesage group. "We have to keep it simple with good ingredients and work them to the best of our ability," explains Mounir. "The supply chain is short: we only work with fresh produce. Around a ton of produce arrives every day in high season, and Mounir's father grows organic vegetables in Grimaud for the kitchen during the busier months. The charcoal oven is used to cook large fish, including Mediterranean dentex, known locally as the king fish, as well as the finest cuts of meat. Stéphane's bourride, a house staple, is inspired by the day's best catches. The menu is more limited at the start of the season, and expands as products become available. "It's not a factory," explains Mounir. "Everything is meticulous: every place setting, every plate decorated with edible flowers
"It's all about keeping it simple, using good ingredients and working them to the best of our ability. Short supply chain: we only work with fresh produce. We receive around a ton of produce a day, and my father grows organic vegetables in Grimaud for us during the high season. It's not a factory, everything is taken care of. Every place setting, every plate decorated with edible flowers" - Mounir Belaid, head chef at Le Prao Beach
Practical information
The beach opens at 9 a.m. Lunch service is available all day, with the beach transformed into a catering area for evening service. The site closes at 2 a.m. Reservations are recommended; in the evening, the beach transforms into a party venue,
