From Marrakech to Nice, from Los Angeles to Saint-Germain-des-Prés to the Baie des Anges, Myriam Kournaf-Lambert has forged a career path marked by passion, transmission, and meaning. Now at the helm of the Hôtel du Couvent, she is overseeing the rebirth of a legendary site in Old Nice: a former 17th-century convent of the Poor Clares, carefully restored by the Perseus group. Surrounding the Romanesque vaults, a hectare of hanging gardens, terraces planted with citrus trees, a market open to the people of Nice, a bakery, a bistro, and a guinguette (open-air café) create a peaceful microcosm. Under Myriam's benevolent leadership, this exceptional hotel combines spirituality and hospitality, heritage and modernity. Meet the woman who has made connection her way of life.
More than a year after the hotel opened, how would you sum up the Couvent's first year?
From dream to reality: the project became a reality with the opening of the Hôtel du Couvent on June 20, 2024. What a thrill to see this place come back to life after ten years of work and passion shared with Valéry Grégo, a visionary investor, Louis-Antoine Grégo, architect at Studio Méditerranée, and the teams at Festen Architecture and Atelier Saint-Lazare. Every day, the emotion is renewed: in the wonder of our guests, the joy of our teams, and my gratitude, every evening, as I gaze out over the courtyard of orange trees and the convent gardens maintained by Angello Smaniotto.
How did you manage to preserve the spirit of the place while still making your mark on it?
We wanted to restore the convent to its original splendor. The years of restoration, carried out with the Bâtiments de France, were guided by respect for its history and tranquility. This 400-year-old place has been entrusted to us, and our mission is to take care of it. I wanted our guests to enjoy a sensory experience, where serenity and conversation blend with joyful and caring hospitality.
When your guests walk through the door, how would you like them to feel?
Many people tell us they feel an immediate sense of peace and calm. The best compliment we can receive is, “It feels like you haven't done anything.” That's exactly what we wanted: a simple, authentic place that feels natural.
You created the Prix des Saisons, which brings literature into the heart of the Convent. What is the philosophy behind it?
Literature is part of my life. I was one of the first to bring writers into the hotel world, creating a literary prize at the Hôtel Montalembert in Paris in 2005. I wanted to reconnect with that emotion here in Nice. The Prix des Saisons was born out of this desire for dialogue between authors, readers, and hoteliers. For its first edition, it brought together a prestigious and loyal jury, chaired by Christophe Ono-dit-Biot, with Josyane Savigneau, Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Jean-Christophe Rufin, David Foenkinos, Amanda Sthers, Bernard Lehut, Alina Gurdiel, and Julie Esclapez. The prize was awarded to Grégory Le Floch for Peau d’ourse (Editions du Seuil). It is a way of anchoring culture and literature at the heart of hospitality.
Nice and its lifestyle seem to inspire you deeply...
Nice has always welcomed travelers, from Queen Victoria to artists who came here in search of its unique light. Its brightness, its colors, its artistic heritage, from Chagall to Matisse to Yves Klein, move me every day. I was born in Marrakech, but Nice has become my favorite city. Here, I find the human warmth and Mediterranean charm that I love to share with our guests. In 2025, we will continue this mission: celebrating the light and magical nuances of the French Riviera city that is so dear to my heart.
The Convent also opens up to the city, with its market on Place des Orangers and its convivial tables. Why this choice?
From the outset, it was essential that the Couvent remain an open and lively place. The market set up in the orange tree courtyard brings together producers, artisans, bakers, and herbalists. The Bistrot des Serruriers, open to all, offers pissaladière for €5 and coffee for €1.50, in a simple and friendly atmosphere. This proximity between travelers and Niçois is part of our identity. The market is also an opportunity to meet, chat, and then prolong the moment over lunch at the Guinguette or the Restaurant du Couvent.
You have also given an important place to the performing arts.
The Convent has four centuries of history, but only sixteen months of existence as a hotel. We are merely facilitators: it existed before us and will continue to exist after us. Our role is to bring life to it: music, dance, creativity. Living art gives an essential vibration to the whole.
Finally, if you had to choose one season that best embodies the spirit of Le Couvent, which would it be?
Christmas, without a doubt. It's a season filled with warmth: Christmas trees, simple and authentic decorations, bouquets of holly, mistletoe for kissing on January 1st, not to mention the clementines and hot chestnuts offered every day in the courtyard. Our chefs, Endy Lepage, Florian Gaglio, and Geffrey Marx, incorporate these winter flavors into their breads, dishes, and desserts. It is a season of humanity and warmth, true to the spirit of Le Couvent.
1, rue Honoré Ugo
Nice
04 12 05 55 60
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