Champagne and cocktails flowed, stars arrived en masse and perhaps the most impressive display of food at any party this Cannes greeted guests who arrived last night for the exclusive Soho House party in a glamorous setting amidst a chateau just away from the Croisette. Thanks to our new friends at Grey Goose Vodka, who ensured a constant supply was on hand all night, we were added to the VIP guest list and found it very hard to refuse the invite. So we didn’t.
Our tickets were delivered ahead of the party, accompanied by a bottle of Grey Goose, and we piled into our chauffeur-driven Mercedes heading towards Chateau de la Napoule, about 10 minutes drive from the Croisette. On arrival we were brought straight to the front of the queue of Cannes glitterati waiting and sent inside.
Amongst the attendees we spotted once we got inside was Quentin Tarantino, Malin Ackerman, Elizabeth Banks, Robin Wright Penn, Giovanni Ribisi and Sam Riley, who mingled in the grounds of the castle until the early hours. Three themed cocktails — including our favourite drink of the night, The Palme D’Orange (named after the prestigious Palme D’Or prize handed out at the festival) — were created especially for the evening and a string of buffet tables served food throughout the night.
The treats on offer included the best Cannes lobster, scallops, fillet steak, truffle risotto, hams and cheeses which were served to guests along an impressive selection of desserts. At 1AM chefs brought out two hog roasts to satisfy late-night cravings.
In addition to a main courtyard with a well-stocked bar, there were sea views around the back as well as space indoors to provide contingency for rain which never came. Seeing a castle hall transformed into a dance floor was a strange sight indeed and as the night wore on we were sure we spotted a few stars in there busting some moves.
Cannes has been a much more reserved event this year in the light of the global economic hiccup, with gatherings either severely pared back or not happening at all. Last night’s Soho House party seemed to buck the trend. Not only was it the most lavish event of the festival thus far — we’re grateful we’re not picking up the tab – but it seemed to do a pretty good job of getting everything right.
Photos by Jeff Vespa/Wireimage.com
