From Club Med Ruins to the Ivorian Riviera: How Assinie Became Ivory Coast’s 'Beverly Hills'

Once a bustling European holiday destination anchored by a Club Med resort, Assinie—about 90 kilometres (56 miles) east of Abidjan near the Ghanaian border—has been transformed into an elite coastal enclave. Locals still remember when the resort offered steady jobs and drew foreign visitors to its long white beaches and calm lagoon waters. The former Club Med even provided a backdrop for the 1978 French cult comedy Les Bronzés (known in English as French Fried Vacation), and reggae star Alpha Blondy celebrated Assinie in song in 2010.

Political unrest in the early 2000s drove most European tourists away. Today, the resort buildings lie derelict: pools have gone stagnant and sunlight slips through the stage roof where performers once entertained. Yet the ruins mask a dramatic reinvention of the area.

'Beverly Hills' on the Lagoon

When international tourism declined, Ivory Coast’s wealthy began buying and building along Assinie’s coastline and lagoon. What were once package-holiday beaches now host opulent villas, gated mansions, discreet boutique hotels and large construction projects. Vacant plots are rare and often guarded—a reflection of soaring land values.

Prices underscore the transformation: waterfront villas can fetch close to one million euros, and poolside rentals may cost around €1,000 ($1,150) a night—figures far beyond what most Ivorians can afford. "Assinie is the Saint-Tropez of West Africa. Or Beverly Hills, if you prefer," said local councillor Maxwell Kouassi, echoing a common local refrain.

High-profile owners include former football stars and members of the political and business elite. President Alassane Ouattara reportedly spends weekends on a private estate concealed by dense palms, while other prominent figures have waterside properties visible from the lagoon. Lebanese entrepreneurs, who play a significant role in the Ivorian economy, are also widely present in the area.

Recreational activities have shifted with the new clientele: quad biking on the beach—once common—was banned by prefectural decree after complaints, and visitors increasingly opt for jet skiing on the lagoon instead.

'Loads of Money'—But Little Local Benefit

Local leaders acknowledge the influx of wealth but say little of it trickles down. "In Assinie, there's loads of money, billions," councillor Kouassi said, lamenting the limited benefits for villagers. Although some locals find work in hotels or as staff in private villas, many feel excluded from the area's prosperity.

"The tourists have been replaced by the powerful. The poor like us don't interest them,"

A newly completed highway has shortened travel time from Abidjan, and officials promote Assinie as an area with major development potential. Still, elders and community members warn that rapid construction—nearly continuous over the past 15 years—threatens traditional livelihoods and local character.

Assinie today is a study in contrasts: derelict holiday infrastructure sits beside gleaming new villas, and the village’s fishing and craft traditions persist even as guarded, high-value properties reshape the shoreline. The challenge for residents and planners alike will be balancing elite investment with inclusive development so that local communities can share in Assinie’s growing prosperity.