About the Windsor hotel
The WindsoR Hotel was built in 1895/96 by B. Pachiaudi, an architect from the Eifel School. Its facade from old stones and its iron structure are characteristic for this architectural movement from the end of the 19th century. A bourgeois building from origin, it was transformed into a hotel from the beginning of the 20th century and bought by Mr. & Mrs. Vincent Redolfi-Strizot in 1942. It was a traditional hotel, very popular with British guests, who, in those days, enjoyed long stays in the sun of the French Riviera during winter. After the death of the parents, Jean Claude took over the management of the Hotel Villa Bhorghese in Gréoux les Bains, created in 1971 and Bernard took over the Hotel Windsor. Inspired by his numerous trips to Asia and Latin America, Bernard wanted to create a different atmosphere, to take distance from the classical style of hotels those days. He installs an imperial bed and a Chinese temple, which are giving a new tone to the hotel. He creates a garden around a small swimming pool, with exotic essences, which gives the garden something magical from elsewhere. A fitness and relaxation space with hammam and massages are created on the top floor of the hotel. From 1977, he asks Antoine Baudoin to create frescoes on the walls of some rooms, which invite to dream and to travel. Around 30 rooms where renovated in this spirit. When Antoine Baudoin died, Bernard Rediolfi-Strizzot is looking for a new adventure for the Windsor Hotel. Together with Christian Bernard, director of the Villa Arson, Jacqueline Blanc and with his childhood friend Martine de la Châtre, today an owner of a reputed art gallery in the Marais in Paris, they participate in a big contemporary art trip on the occasion of the 8th Documenta of Kassel. He is particularly interested in the exposition of Jan Hoet “Chambres d’amis” in Gent (Belgium) in 1986: a travelling exposition in the city. Each owner of a house on the route entrusted a room to an artist of contemporary art and gave him/her “carte blanche”. This is how, in 1987, was born the idea of “chambres d’artistes” (artist rooms). Joel Ducorroy achieved the first room in 1989 and it was a big success. Afterwards it was the turn of Claude Rutault, Olivier Mosset, Ben, Philippe Perrin… Regularly he asks an artist from France or from abroad (mainly internationally renowned) to create his/her artist room. Each one is the fruit of an agreement or sometimes even a deep friendship. Raymond Hains spends 3 years in the hotel Windsor and leaves a “ready made”: a picture of his own reflection in the mirror of his room, room number 40. Since 2004, his niece Odile Redolfi-Payen, manages on her turn the Hotel Windsor in the same spirit and ensures the continuity of the collection, with the same enthousiasm. The bath rooms have been renovated with the consultation of the artists, according to the projects that they have suggested or realised themselves. Each year a new room is created.