• In Brittany, the Anthénea company builds luxury floating suites.

  • The first capsule to leave its factories will head to Qatar this summer.

  • The CEO of the company mainly targets a clientele of luxury hotels but also intends to reach individuals.

It has now been five years since a UFO has aroused the curiosity of walkers in the port of Trébeurden (Côtes-d'Armor).

The object in question has the shape of a flying saucer 9.40 meters in diameter placed on the water.

Inspired by James Bond's floating capsule in the film

The Spy Who Loved Me

, the boat is the work of naval architect Jean-Michel Ducancelle.

Dreaming like many of taking it easy on a boat, the latter joined forces in 2012 with the Angevin entrepreneur Jacques-Antoine Cesbron to imagine this floating habitat.

The construction of the first prototype, named Anthénea after a type of starfish, began in 2015 before its launch in 2017 in the seaside resort of the Côte de Granit Rose.

"We only had wonderful feedback during the visits and we therefore decided to start production", underlines Jacques-Antoine Cesbron, president of Anthénea.

The businessman, however, had to take his troubles patiently.

The health crisis has indeed turned the order book upside down and above all delayed the construction of the factory, which was only delivered this fall.

All the comfort of a luxury suite

But not enough to discourage teams preparing to deliver their first floating capsule.

During the summer, she will head for Qatar where she will be moored in the port of Doha.

"The Football World Cup this fall will give us an incredible showcase," assures the business manager.

In the Gulf country, where money flows freely, the floating house should indeed catch the eye of wealthy customers.

On board, it offers all the comfort of a luxury hotel suite with an XL circular bed, a seawater or freshwater bathtub and a 360° panoramic view on the ground floor.

A wooden staircase then leads to the first floor where there is a spacious 16 m² rooftop, the ideal place to bask in the sun and enjoy your glass of champagne.

Solar energy and wastewater treatment

A dream that has a price, however.

Each capsule costs between 400,000 and 550,000 euros depending on the model and the equipment with an empty version sold around 300,000 euros.

"Our customers are mostly luxury hotels who want to offer a new experience to their customers", emphasizes Jacques-Antoine Cesbron, also highlighting the ecological aspect of his boats.

“They only consume solar energy and there is a desalination and wastewater treatment system on board,” he explains.

After Doha, a second floating capsule will head for the Sultanate of Oman in September, where it will find its place in a small private cove belonging to a hotel chain.

With the capacity to produce around twenty floating suites per year, the Anthénea company then hopes to be able to ramp up by opening up to a private clientele.

Wealthy, you will understand.

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  • Company

  • Luxury

  • Luxury hotels

  • Hotel

  • Boat

  • Sea

  • Brittany