Gilles Lellouche lives simply in Cap Ferret: a paradisiacal house lined with vegetation, overlooking the Atlantic.

At Cap Ferreta discreet house draws the eye with its sobriety and patience in the face of the elements. Here, actor and director Gilles Lellouche cultivates a peaceful art of living, far from the hustle and bustle of the film industry. The home rests, breathes, and lets the landscape speak for itself, without noise or unnecessary gesture.

An address open to the ocean, protected by vegetation

The building is set in an almost secretive wooded plot, away from busy, noisy thoroughfares. The view opens out towards theAtlantic Ocean, while the pine trees filter the light and protect against the wind. What’s more, the plot’s footprint is kept to a minimum to preserve the dune and its natural dynamics.

The ensemble favors low volumes and wood cladding grayed by salt and sun. As a result, the house blends into the site and limits glare, even at the brightest hours of the day. This choice reflects the personality of Gilles Lellouche, who is attached to simple gestures and useful elegance.

Chosen simplicity and everyday uses

The approach is clear: few objects, sincere materials, rhythm and soothing colors. In this way, each space is designed primarily for relaxation and family life, with no intimidating details. As a result, no one feels constrained by an overly demonstrative or seasonal décor.
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Living by the water means keeping to the essentials and protecting the site”

This minimalism is reminiscent of a modernized fisherman’s hut, with its frugal structure and direct circulation. On the other hand, comfort is still very much in evidence, thanks to discreet, precise fittings designed to last. And yet, Gilles Lellouche insists on keeping the atmosphere simple and uncluttered, in order to protect privacy.

Cap Ferret: local rules, materials and maritime climate

At the water’s edge, maintenance calls for precise choices, especially when sea spray saturates the air for several days. Materials must withstand salinity and strong winds, without rusting or swelling. Also, the choice of simple assemblies limits the need for costly long-term replacements, and facilitates repairs.

• Choose durable, treated woods, or marine alloys for hardware, to avoid corrosion and swelling.
• Ensure natural, cross-ventilation, with opposing sashes and well-sized louvered shutters.
• Protect facades with roof overhangs, simple but effective awnings and easy-to-rinse coatings.
• Plant local dune species that require little water, stabilize the sand and nurture biodiversity.
• Schedule concise seasonal maintenance: gentle washing, targeted oiling, and regular checking of really exposed fasteners.

This is a sensitive site, as the dune changes with the seasons, rainfall and nearby tides. What’s more, a well-thought-out project limits the use of artifice and protects the original vegetation, which is essential to the balance of the soil. As a result, Gilles Lellouche’s retreat gains in durability and discretion, even in high season.

Cross-ventilation reduces humidity in stormy weather, and prevents stubborn odours from taking hold. As a result, you breathe easier and your home ages without excessive maintenance, even after salty spells. This choice goes hand in hand with simple management of openings, regulating light, heat and draughts.

Inside out: a constant dialogue

The rooms open onto a terrace, conceived as a living threshold for multiple uses. As a result, Gilles Lellouche is able to enjoy changing atmospheres according to the time of day and the season, from early morning to dusk. The threshold filters through a range of uses, from early-morning coffee to livelier summer evenings, while respecting the neighborhood.

The furniture follows the same logic: durable, lightweight, easy to move, and designed to dry quickly. In this way, the space can be reorganized to suit guests and the wind, without the need for heavy work or dismantling. On the other hand, each room retains a clear function, without overloading or dispersing, so as to ease the use of the space.

A peaceful workplace, a shared refuge

Between two shoots, Gilles Lellouche can prepare a role in peace and quiet, without unnecessary demands or excesses. What’s more, the distance from the media preserves attention and creativity, two fragile resources in times of promotion. In this way, the location becomes a concrete support, not just a passing scenery, and nurtures the necessary energy.

The neighborhood lives to the rhythm of the tides and markets, with deeply rooted community values. As a result, everyone adapts their schedules, and the house keeps its tempo, with no overactivity or dead periods. As a result, the house is in tune with the neighborhood, without tension or superfluous noise, even during the vacations.

This address illustrates a sober and precise way of life, attentive to both constraints and pleasures. In short, Gilles Lellouche links intimacy, landscape and the demands of the coastline, without folklore or cumbersome nostalgia. This coherence speaks to the long term, in choices as in actions, and engages a real sense of responsibility.

• Gilles Lellouche