White Lotus mania has been real appointment television in the best way, with fans glued to their screens every Sunday night. With Season 3 now wrapped (goodbye, Thailand), the internet is already buzzing with one big question: Where will the next season take place?
While Max hasn’t confirmed a Season 4 just yet, we’re dreaming, and manifesting, one set in France. After all, why not? The show’s past settings, in Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand, have all been staged at Four Seasons resorts, and France has a few of its own. Imagine the Côte d’Azur: apéro on terraces, sun-faded umbrellas, and lots of white linen, the perfect backdrop for the show’s rotating cast of rich people bemoaning their champagne problems.
There’s been no official word from creator Mike White, but the formula is clear: secluded luxury, cultural friction, stunning views, and a touch of existential dread. France checks all the boxes, and we think we have the perfect location in mind.
White Lotus in France? Let’s Talk Locations
France is already set up for the White Lotus treatment. The Four Seasons has three properties in the country: the Four Seasons Hotel Megève (French Alps), the Four Seasons Hotel George V (Paris), and the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat (French Riviera). In short: mountains, city, or coast.
Now, while a snowy, high-altitude White Lotus sounds like a dreamy change of scenery, it’s probably not happening. In a recent interview, executive producer David Bernad confirmed what some have suspected, given the show’s past locations: “Mike doesn’t like the cold. That’s why we’ll never do it… He is a California guy. He is not built for the cold.” So, cross Megève off the list.
Paris, meanwhile, feels a bit on the nose. Would it feel too Emily in Paris: Prestige TV Edition? Which leaves us with Cap-Ferrat. Glamorous, wildly scenic, just isolated enough for weird things to go down, and with the kind of lush coastal setting that beg for Brigitte Bardot-era nostalgia. (In fact, Emily gave us just a taste of this iconic hotel at the start of Season 2, and it simply hasn’t been enough!)
Dream Casting: The White Lotus France, Season 4
Mike White hasn’t worked with many French actors so far, and The White Lotus has largely stuck to English-speaking casts, with the few exceptions largely found amongst the hotel staff. The one nod in a French direction came in Season 3, with French-Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon playing the role of Chloe, an ex-model and Greg/Gary’s new girlfriend. Perhaps she could make a return—but let’s be honest, we’re ready for a fresh slate.
For the slightly over-the-top, ultra-wealthy archetype, Kelly Rutherford (aka Lily van der Woodsen) comes to mind, not just for her Gossip Girl legacy, but because she speaks some French, lives in Monaco, and carries just the right amount of elegance and drama. French TV fans might have caught her appearance on the Frenchly favorite Escort Boys, also filmed in the South of France. Picture her vacationing with a chic French friend, say, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu of Emily in Paris fame.
For a snobby hotel manager? Camille Cottin feels like a perfect choice. The Call My Agent! star has the right balance of composed chaos of someone who seems in control but is secretly entangled in everyone’s business.
Then there’s model Natalia Vodianova, not technically French, but a fashion-world icon who lives in Paris and radiates effortless glamor. And if we’re dreaming big, why not Timothée Chalamet? His fluent French never gets enough airtime.
Things to Do in The White Lotus Season 4 — French Riviera Edition
If The White Lotus lands in the French Riviera for Season 4, it won’t be short on jaw-dropping settings and decadent distractions. Sun. Secrets. Superyachts. Of course, guests wouldn’t just arrive at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Picture a vintage convertible winding down the cliffside roads, or a dramatic helicopter dropping straight onto the property’s private landing pad.
According to the hotel’s experience menu, renting a private yacht is as easy as ordering room service, so we imagine at least one major storyline will unfold offshore, perhaps anchored in Millionaire’s Cove, with a dive off the stern before heading to La Guérite for a day party with rosé, regrets, and a live DJ.
Day trips? We see a long, wine-soaked lunch in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, with a visit to a perfumery in Grasse or a vineyard nearby, cue the inevitable passive-aggressive group outing. But this is White Lotus, so don’t be surprised if things take a darker turn. A mysterious château party in Cannes? A scandal at the Monaco Grand Prix? Perhaps a shady subplot involving a Russian oligarch and a distant Grimaldi cousin?
What we’re saying is that it’s all there. Coastal glamour, old money, new money, and enough secret staircases and champagne to fuel an entire season of dysfunction.
What Are They Wearing?
The costume department at The White Lotus never misses, and Season 3 in Thailand was no exception. There was Chloe’s dreamy blush-pink look on the yacht, a custom Jacquemus ensemble that stole the scene. It was soft, sultry, and very on-brand for the character. The season also spotlighted luxe swimwear from French swimwear brand Eres, with characters like Jaclyn (played by Michelle Monaghan) lounging poolside in the kind of understated, elegant ensembles the French do best.
As we look ahead to a possible Season 4 in the South of France, the fashion fantasy writes itself. We’re manifesting vintage Hermès bags in Kelly Rutherford’s hands, effortlessly tossed on daybeds. She could even be wearing romantic Thierry Colson dresses.
For the quietly tortured it-boy like Chalamet? Has to be Officine Générale, French tailoring with just enough slouch to signal emotional damage. As for the hotel uniforms, we’d recommend sleek, type-A futuristic glam looks inspired by reimagined Courrèges.
Furthermore, expect panier baskets, wide-brimmed hats, and endless silk scarves. And hopefully, a few under-the-radar French labels thrown in to keep the fashion crowd on their toes.
Odds of White Lotus Season 4 Being Shot “Somewhere in Europe”
Mike White was quoted as saying after Season 3, “For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the crashing waves of rocks vernacular,” hinting that he might be over the show’s signature beachy locations. However, with location scouting set for this summer, HBO’s Executive Vice President, Francesca Orsi, told Deadline, “I can’t really say where we’re going to land but chances are somewhere in Europe.”
That being said, there is a strong chance that White Lotus Season 4 could take place in France, with the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat being the obvious choice. Mike White, if you’re listening, just give us this. It’s what the people want—and we know you’d have a great time, too.
Angelika Pokovba is a writer and longtime Francophile originally from NYC, now based in Mexico. She’s into food, wine, skincare, and all things French—especially summers in the South and pharmacy finds she stocks up on way too early.
