A family affair: Pierre-Alain Rey-Grange, President of Sumo, works alongside his daughter Charlotte, who is responsible for sales and communications. Active since the mid-1980s, the property developer has specialised in heritage renovation. One example in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez is the imposing Kensington building in La Croix-Valmer, a former convent.

The pair are currently overseeing a major development due to be completed next year: fourteen apartments and four houses forming the “Château Beauvallon” project, whose entrance is located on Route du Littoral in Grimaud, within the “Rives de Beauvallon” estate. The properties will range from 60 to 200 sq m, with an average price of €12,500 per sq m. “No two are alike and there are incredible volumes; we are preserving the cathedral-like feel,” says the developer. Behind the main building, the future houses are still in the early stages of transformation. This “hamlet” once housed the estate’s outbuildings, notably those used for animals. “We are right in the middle of construction, but we have made a great deal of progress,” says Charlotte, following the summer break taken to avoid disrupting seasonal activity.

Work began in 2023 and is scheduled to continue until 2026, with delivery planned for the third quarter. A sales office has already been set up, with off-plan sales underway and buyers able to request modifications.

“At present, all the roofs have been completed and almost all the windows have been installed. Everything has been respected. Inside, we had fragile wooden floors, 80% of which have been replaced. The builders have recreated a terrace on the façade that existed in the 19th century but had since been removed,” explains her father, holding a postcard showing the balustrades that once adorned the building and its Napoleon III-style pediment.

Reconstructed terraces

“The structure was in good condition,” says the operations director, pleased that “the hardest part is behind us.” Working with his brother as architect, he chose to “give the entire property an attractive appearance while respecting everything that was already there.” This includes the coat of arms on the façade and a roof typical of the region. The project combines modern additions — including lifts serving all three floors — with preserved historic features, such as cross-shaped openings and a marble staircase, described as “magnificent, with a balustrade finished in terracotta and wrought iron.”

Where roofs had collapsed, terraces are being reconstructed with identical balustrades made using bespoke moulds, while the roof structures have also been rebuilt. At the top, the setting is even more exceptional, alongside the golf course and the vineyards of the Rolland estate, surrounded by nature and removed from the bustle of the area. The completed condominium will extend across two hectares, with spectacular views over the bay.

The development will include a swimming pool, lawn terraces, around thirty parking spaces and private gardens. Cedars, rows of plane trees and eucalyptus trees will also be enhanced and maintained. The remaining six hectares acquired as part of the site are designated as protected woodland.

Among the surviving historic features is the wine cellar from the estate’s former winemaking activity, complete with its concrete vats and terracotta flooring. This area will accommodate storage cellars, stables and a tack room. In some parts of the buildings, new openings had to be created where there were previously no windows in order to accommodate the residential units, while preserving the spirit of the property. Even the final colour of the façade has yet to be determined.

A little history

“Originally, this was a former wine estate covering around sixty hectares,” recalls Alain Rey-Grange. Its last notable resident was Daniel Ollivier, son of Émile Ollivier, a minister under Napoleon III and owner of Château de la Moutte in Saint-Tropez. Following the deaths of Daniel and his wife, Catherine Gratet du Bouchage, the estate was sold in the 1960s, with around forty hectares transferred to various property developers. This notably led to the creation of “Les Rives de Beauvallon” in three phases between the 1970s and 1990s.

At the entrance to the estate, alongside the RD 558, two griffins — emblems of the Gratet du Bouchage family — can still be seen. They previously stood on the pillars marking the entrance to the main driveway. Around ten hectares remained largely abandoned, containing stables and a small equestrian operation. The site was acquired by Olma in 2011, and in 2017 Alain Rey-Grange submitted a building permit for the current property development.

“We went through a very lengthy administrative process, faced objections and eventually reached agreements,” his daughter explains. The ambitious project has also been developed in consultation with the Architecte des Bâtiments de France, France’s heritage architecture authority, even though none of the property is officially listed.

Discover Château de Beauvallon website