HBO’s hit series The White Lotus will bring its fourth season to the French Riviera, with the show’s official Instagram account confirming this morning that filming is now underway on the Côte d’Azur. The post, which has already racked up more than 106,000 likes, showed a glimpse of what appears to be one of the season’s featured hotels.
The new season follows a fresh group of guests and employees at two luxury properties: the Airelles Château de la Messardière, reimagined as the White Lotus du Cap, and the Hôtel Martinez, serving as the White Lotus Cannes. While filming will also take place in St. Tropez, Monaco and Paris, the storyline is set against the glamorous backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival.
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It marks another exotic leap for the Emmy-winning series, which has made destination tourism a signature of its storytelling. Season one was filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea in Hawaii, while season two relocated to the San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel in Taormina, Sicily. Season three, which aired earlier this year, was set across a collection of luxury resorts in Thailand.
The show’s so-called White Lotus effect on tourism has been well documented. Maui saw a 425 per cent year-over-year increase in website visits and a 386 per cent jump in availability checks during season one, while Expedia reported searches for Hawaii and Sicily each spiked 300 per cent following the first two seasons. However, the series faces a different dynamic this time around. France already holds the title of the world’s most visited country, consistently welcoming more than 100 million international arrivals a year on the back of its culture, cuisine and landmarks. For the French Riviera, the White Lotus effect may be less about putting a destination on the map and more about reinforcing its status as the ultimate luxury escape.
Season four features a large ensemble cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Vincent Cassel, Steve Coogan, Kumail Nanjiani, Rosie Perez, Heather Graham, Chris Messina, AJ Michalka and many others.
The series is created, written and directed by Mike White.
