Interview by Clément Thiery

In June 1950, Club Méditerranée opened its first village in Alcúdia, on the Spanish island of Majorca. How did the idea for this “new way of living together” come about?

Éric Bitoun: Club Med was the brainchild of a man who quickly disappeared from the company: Gérard Blitz, an Antwerp athlete and water polo champion. After World War II, the Belgian government tasked him with helping Holocaust survivors through sports and nature. That’s when he came up with the idea of a club focused on happiness, community life, and outdoor activities – vacations for everyone at an affordable price. To develop his concept, he partnered with a French entrepreneur, Gilbert Trigano, who was riding the wave of the camping boom by selling off U.S. military surplus, including the tents used for the first villages. Trigano would become the key figure of Club Med, but Blitz was its true founder.

Why did you decide to make a documentary about Club Med?

Adèle Ménard: A few years ago, we started a documentary series on major French brands like Chanel, Ricard, Menier chocolate, Dim, and Moulinex. We’re interested in telling the story of brands that matter to the French public – and in doing so, telling part of our cultural history. And when a brand has iconic commercials, like Club Med, it’s even more fun!

É.B.: Club Med reflects 75 years of French history. The company benefited from major social changes, especially the rise of paid vacation time. Right after the war, the French were entitled to two weeks off. That increased to three in 1956, four in 1965, and five by 1982. Club Med also took advantage of the 1967 Neuwirth Law, which legalized the birth control pill. The film French Fried Vacation (Les Bronzés, 1978) perfectly captures that era of sexual liberation, with Club Med as a meeting place for singles.

A.M.: On that topic, we had to be selective with the archival footage we used. We found scenes from a Bastille Day party at a Mediterranean club in the 1970s, where women were singing “La Marseillaise” topless! There was a laid-back, free-spirited vibe back then that sadly doesn’t exist anymore.

You feature Patrice Leconte’s film prominently in your documentary. Why is that? 

A.M.: French Fried Vacation, with 2.3 million tickets sold, is the movie that truly etched Club Med into the hearts of the French. It’s a connection that still exists, as shown by the street interviews we did. The Club inspired the Splendid troupe’s play Amour, coquillages et crustacés (1977), which was later turned into a film. With iconic scenes and unforgettable lines, it was an exciting way to start our documentary.

Have either of you ever vacationed at Club Med?

A.M.: No, never.

É.B.: I went twice to Vittel [a spa town in northeastern France] to play golf. I loved it. But that’s nothing like the exotic destinations people dream about. Starting in the 2000s, Club Med seriously leveled up. The French locations are still affordable, but going abroad gets pricey – especially now with their “four-trident” and “five-trident” resorts, which are their own star ratings. We’re a long way from the tent villages of the early days!

Has Club Med lost touch with its founding principles?

É.B.: It inspired many other tour operators like Nouvelles Frontières and Fram, which also offered all-inclusive trips – but at lower prices. Club Med ended up competing with its own concept. The company had to choose: go even more budget, or upscale its services for a new clientele.

So hello luxury, goodbye mandatory first-name basis, communal tables, and pearl necklaces used as resort currency…

A.M.: Yesterday’s hippies have become wealthy and now want comfort. Comedian Nicolas Canteloup [who made his stage debut at Club Med in the 1990s] says in the film: “Today, there’s a TV in every room [...]. That’s just how things are now. But I’m not sure people leave any happier. I don’t know if comfort really brings happiness. I think the simplicity of the early accommodations encouraged people to get out and interact.”

How did Club Med react to your documentary?

É.B.: We didn’t get any official response. We’re independent and don’t need brand approval to make our films. That said, Club Med did cooperate by giving us access to their archives. And Henri Giscard d’Estaing, the CEO for the past 23 years, agreed to be interviewed – as did Serge Trigano, who took over from his father and ran the company from 1993 to 1997. He tells the family saga with real emotion.

You talk a lot about Club Med’s “golden age,” but very little about its present…

A.M.: That’s the magic of archival footage! We had access to visual gems and legendary commercials. There’s also a certain nostalgia for a time that felt more carefree, sunny, and full of “liberty, equality, and maybe more if there’s chemistry.” We do a lot of historical documentaries, so the present sometimes feels less compelling by comparison.

É.B.: What’s fascinating in a story like Club Med’s is tracing its founders, the original vision, and the brand’s rise. But once you get into takeovers and shareholder disputes, it’s less exciting for the general public.

What do you see in Club Med’s future?

É.B.: If you believe adman Jacques Séguéla [who appears in the film], “the next Club Med will be bought by Elon Musk and based on Mars!”

A.M.: Or maybe it’ll go back to its roots – with tent villages! In an era of environmental consciousness, there would definitely be a market for that kind of vacation.

Any upcoming projects with TV5MONDE?

A.M.: We’re finishing a documentary on François Truffaut, directed by Serge Moati. We saw the latest cut this morning and we’re very happy with it. We also produced a biography of actor Bourvil, Le rire et la tendresse (2023), which is currently available on TV5MONDEplus!

The two episodes of La folle histoire du Club Med are streaming exclusively on TV5MONDEplus!

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