The Barrière group is launching into padel. With the Hôtel du Golf de Deauville and its 2 padel courts, Raphaël de Spa, the Tennis and Padel from the group tells us everything about the establishment of padel in Deauville.

1/ How did padel start? Why padel in Deauville?

As a tennis instructor at the Golf Hotel since April 2013, I was able to propose a development project around tennis. Initially, it was more about setting up a beach tennis structure. But this sport is not really taking off in France and I saw that we were talking more and more about padel. This sport is developing in France and so in December 2013 I proposed an alternative to beach tennis: Padel.

This idea quickly seduced the group and notably the Chairman and CEO of the Barrière Group, Dominique Desseigne who validated the entire project. I would also like to acknowledge the work of the former Director of the Golf Hotel, Mr. Jacques Horrent, who made this project a reality.

In the end, these lands were definitely born in March 2016.

2/ Is padel developing here?

People don't know padel very well yet. My role, very soon, will be to promote padel in Deauville with initiation and discovery activities. Mini padel tournaments will also be organized in the hotel but also open to outside players.

The objective is truly the development of padel and initiation.

3/ Will a padel program be offered soon?

Indeed, we have the ambition to offer a padel exhibition with 4 good padel players as well as celebrities who do not necessarily come from the padel or tennis world. The idea is to put a big spotlight on padel in Deauville. This padel day is planned around May/June. We will communicate about it when everything is operational and ready.

4/ Could the Barrière group develop the padel activity on other sites?

For now it is not planned.

Our goal is to develop this sport in Deauville.

Outside customers can also come and play padel. €30 / court. Rackets and balls included.

Interviewed by Pauline Renvoisé

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.