Djerba (the Faithful)

Djerba the Faithful

Location: Djerba Island (Tunisia)
Village type: Tents then huts
Year opened: 1954
Year closed: 2012

The story goes that it all began in the summer of 1953. That summer, two Belgian emissaries, Milou Jahn and André De Bloos, sent by Gérard Blitz, traveled the Mediterranean coast in search of a location to establish a new village. On a recommendation, they arrived in Djerba and met a certain Laris Kindynis, a Greek native of the island. (A large Greek community had settled in Djerba at the beginning of the 20th century. The sponge trade was at its peak.) They quickly connected, as they all shared the same passion: spearfishing.

In 1954, the Djerba village opened with tents supplied by TRIGANO on Seghia beach. Since the sun is ever-present in Djerba, the club found a clever way to provide some shade by setting up the tents under palm leaf roofs leaning against date palms. Only two or three permanent buildings, respecting the local architecture, were constructed and integrated into the setting (the restaurant, the bar, an office, and a few sanitary facilities).

We're off to Djerba for 43,200 old francs (payable in installments) for three weeks. Spearfishing and camping in a traditional fishing boat (caique) in the Gulf of Gabès are on the agenda. Water skiing is very limited as the conditions aren't suitable. The waters around Djerba are clear and teeming with fish. Groupers and stingrays are caught in abundance. Competitions are even held to see who can catch the biggest fish; photos of the catches illustrate the Trident magazine.

The first village chief of Djerba is Jean Pierre BECRET. He is assisted by Jean BALANDJIAN, who handles entertainment, and Christian PAPADIMITRIOU, known as Christian Papa (bar manager). Dominique LEBOURGEOIS is also part of the entertainment team.

Due to some tensions within the sector, the first season was shortened. We didn't want to put the GMs and GOs at risk.

The village reopened in 1955. Polynesian huts replaced the tents. Jean BALANDJIAN was the new village chief, Dominique LEBOURGEOIS was in charge of entertainment and at the bar, and a newcomer who would have a bright future: Roger CAILLET.

While other Club Med villages at the time traveled by train and boat, Djerba was reached by air. Gérard Blitz had successfully negotiated a connection with Air France, with a stopover in Tunis (requiring a change of aircraft). The Air Tunis DC-3 (an Air France subsidiary) landed three times a week on Djerba's rudimentary airstrip, the remaining journey to the village being made by small boat.

After a four-year closure due to the events surrounding Tunisian independence, Djerba reopened on June 19, 1960, in a reduced capacity with the agreement of the Tunisian authorities. Laris Kindynis was the village chief for this first year of reopening.

The name La Fidèle came a few years later when the club established its second Djerba village a few kilometers away. Djerba became La Fidèle, in homage to the loyal GMs who returned there every year, while the new village took the name La Douce to evoke the mild climate of the Tunisian island.

1998 the transformation of the village

In 1998, renovations began, and the old Polynesian huts of La Fidèle, lacking sanitation and electricity, were demolished and replaced by permanent bungalows, retaining the hut shape but equipped with amenities and electricity. The project was led by Thierry Fourniret.

In 2012, following the attacks in North Africa and the Arab Spring, tourist numbers plummeted. This forced a number of tour operators and Club Med to scale back their operations, as they say in the industry.
Djerba la Fidèle was one of the victims.

Today

Today, Club Med is focusing on Djerba la Douce, which has just been renovated. Djerba la Fidèle is abandoned.
Seemingly permanently!