The Club in the Land of the Soviets

In 1966, Club Méditerranée crossed the Iron Curtain and established itself in the USSR in Sochi on the shores of the Black Sea. The previous year, Gilbert Trigano had accepted an invitation from Minister Ankoudinoff. The visit allowed Gilbert to discover the cities of Odessa, Yalta, and Sochi, for which he fell in love. He reached an agreement with the Soviet authorities to establish a Club Méditerranée village. This was completed in 1966.

Two twin hotels had just been built in this Black Sea resort, nicknamed "The Saint Tropez of the USSR." Following the agreement, the Soviet government authorized the management of one of the two to be entrusted to Club Méditerranée, while the other hotel was returned to Intourist (the official tourism organization in the USSR).

The village opened in May 1966. The GMs were mostly French and Belgian. Pierre-Jean Laplace was appointed Village Chief and surrounded himself with a few GOs. Water skiing, unknown on the Caucasian Riviera, was among the village's activities. Incidentally, the Russian pilot of the traction outboard was discovering this sport for the first time. According to reports, his piloting was very rough, but it was essential.

When party officials wanted to take stock after a few months of operation, they were struck by the enormous difference between the two hotels. The first was full of color, flowers, and life, offering abundant buffets and a party with crazy signs, while the second was gray, gloomy, and sad. Moscow's decision was swift: the Club Méditerranée had to pack its bags. This kind of model was not in line with the party's guidelines.

Club Méditerranée did not, however, end its ties with the Eastern Bloc. Satellite countries Romania and Bulgaria would have Club Méditerranée villages on their soil. The last Eastern Bloc village, Roussalka in Bulgaria, would close in 1996, this time for reasons other than the country's politics.