From the island’s most stunning beaches to Palermo’s architectural treasures, from the central olive groves to the arid slopes of the volcanic island of Linosa, Sicily—the largest island in the Mediterranean—is overflowing with wonders. Nearly 6 million tourists spend their holidays here every year.
For several months, we followed the lives of several French people who have fallen in love with the island—some so deeply that they decided to move there for good.
In Palermo, behind a stark façade and a wooden gate, lies one of the most breathtaking gems of Sicilian Baroque: Palazzo Gangi. Luchino Visconti filmed the legendary ballroom scene of The Leopard here, starring Claudia Cardinale, Alain Delon, and Burt Lancaster.
This vast 8,000-square-meter palace is also the home of Princess Carine Vanni Mantegna di Gangi, a Frenchwoman originally from Lyon and Savoy. The home has been in her husband’s family since it was built in 1652.
"We moved in after my mother-in-law passed away, twenty years ago. The house was in a terrible state. Everything was covered in dust, the furniture was falling apart. I told my husband we absolutely had to save the ballroom’s flooring… I didn’t realize at the time that it was the start of a never-ending restoration!"
In the past two decades, the princely couple has spent more than 4 million euros restoring the palace—without a cent of help from the Italian government. Today, the Gangi family can no longer afford to maintain this masterpiece. The princess feels overwhelmed by the scale of the task.
From private visits to grand receptions, we follow her daily efforts to raise funds to preserve and restore this unique property. If she doesn’t find patrons or sponsors, she may be forced to part with Palazzo Gangi.
After a one-year university exchange in Italy, Dorothée Lambert decided to stay in Sicily permanently in 1998.
“I studied art history, I fell in love with a Sicilian man… and I never left!”
With their two children, the couple settled in Avola, near Syracuse and the beautiful baroque city of Noto. There, they opened a lido—a private beach club. Dorothée must now work tirelessly to get everything ready in time for the season, preparing to welcome tourists from France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands…
“Everything has to be perfect for the summer season! That’s essential, because I don’t work the rest of the year. Our entire family’s income depends on this!”
Cédric Casanova, a Franco-Sicilian and former high-wire artist in Annie Fratellini’s circus, stumbled into olive oil production by chance:
“After a back injury in 2004, I had to quit the circus. I took a break in Sicily, on my father’s land, where I’d spent all my childhood summers.”
Fifteen years later, Cédric now delights customers and chefs alike with his gourmet Sicilian products: olive oils, pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, bottarga, and more. He’s ready to go to the ends of the earth to find these rare treasures.
This year, he’s starting a new adventure on the tiny island of Linosa, a remote volcanic outcrop one overnight boat ride from Agrigento.
“I discovered it by chance. I fell instantly in love with this tiny 5 km² rock.”
Back in France, he plans to present his new Sicilian finds to a Michelin-starred chef, hoping to spark a new culinary partnership.
Finally, Biagio Castagna is a proud Sicilian—but for one weekend each summer, he becomes a Norman knight.
For the past four years, he has participated in the Palio dei Normanni, one of Italy’s most famous horse races, held in Piazza Armerina, a fortified town in the heart of Sicily.
The event commemorates the liberation of the island by Count Roger of Hauteville, who became Roger I of Sicily in the 11th century. Sicilians remain fiercely proud of this legacy. In the region, taking part in the palio is a dream come true.
Dressed in historical costume and riding horseback, Biagio will compete against 30 other riders in front of thousands of spectators, all vying for glory.
