HOLLYWOOD superstar George Clooney revealed last week his plans to open a new restaurant in the tiny Provencal town of Cotignac.
The French fishing village, which is home to just 2,000 people, has seen an extraordinary influx of Hollywood celebrities in recent years.
Yet this latest development is the first likely to draw hordes of selfie-stick-wielding tourists to the quaint medieval town.
And residents are split over the move, with many fearing the commune is being transformed into a new A-list enclave to rival St Tropez.
While some welcome the creation of jobs in the area, others feel the town risks being overwhelmed by celebrity residents such as George, 65, and his wife Amal, 48.
Writing on a local Cotignac Facebook page, local resident Veronique Luisetti wrote that the town is being “taken over.”
The Canadian entrepreneur backing George’s restaurant, Graham Porter, also owns the Lou Calen hotel, which includes the Michelin-starred Le Jardin Secret restaurant, and the La Falaise art centre.
Another, Viviane Palumbo, added: “We don’t have any money left!”
Meanwhile a comedy mock-up cartoon showing the Ocean’s Eleven actor serving a platter at his new venue is being shared among neighbours.
Titled Cotignac: Hollywood Passe en Cuisine – or Hollywood hits the kitchen – it sees a caricature of George serving up a platter of pasta in an apron.
Jeany Cronk, who runs vineyard Maison Mirabeau, welcomes the jobs the venue will create for locals and said it will bring in much-needed cash.
But she said the residents hope they won’t be overrun by visitors desperate to ogle the actor, saying: “We are not St Tropez.”
Jeany, 53, told The Sun: “You can’t really escape the fact that people will want to come here to see George when his restaurant opens.
“It will impact people wanting to come and eat there.
“And he’s been a celebrity for a very long time, he understands that, you know.
“We’re expecting it to be over the top at first, but we’re hoping it settles down.
“Some people are negative about it, because not everyone likes change, but others are positive about the jobs it will create.
“We are just hoping that everyone will be respectful, and keep the spirit of our community alive.
“We are a former fishing village, we are not St Tropez.
“We don’t have a big Chanel villa or crowds of visitors.”
Jeany, author of the book At Home in Provence, has had plenty of chances to meet the celebrities who have moved into the area – from George and his wife Amal to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who bought the Chateau Miraval vineyard just minutes away from Cotignac in 2008.
The vineyard was later at the centre of a toxic legal battle between the couple, after actress Angelina sold her share in 2021.
Also within a 30 minute radius is John Lucas’s Skywalker Vineyard, while John Malkovich owns a private wine-making estate named Les Quelles de La Coste.
And Ridley Scott produces wine at his Mas des Infermieres vineyard in the heart of the Luberon National Park in Provence.
Jeany continued: “Cotignac has always been quite a famous place.
“I mean, it’s one of the most beautiful villages in France.
“And it is, you know, it has a long history with, you know, celebrities.
“Eric Idle’s lived there for many years.
“And hugely famous people, like David Bowie and Pink Floyd recorded albums in the Studio Miraval.
“George and Amal have obviously built a strong connection to our village.
“I think what’s very nice for him – and I really hope that this remains, now that the restaurant is so public – is that he’s been very free to move around and be amongst people who live in the village.
“He feels happy and safe here.
“I think the celebrities always love that people just go about their business while they’re there and don’t make a big fuss.”
But what of the rivalry among neighbouring vineyards?
She continued: “It’s generally very friendly.
“We all share a common goal – to bring our beautiful rose wines to the world.
“And these big names do lend a hand in raising our profile.
“We are doing very well at the moment, especially in the UK, and we have a great global partnership with Soho House.
“So it isn’t nasty in any way.
“However,” she added, “Of course, business is business.”
George’s latest venture comes as he recently became a French citizen after buying an estate in nearby Brignoles.
And he reportedly wants his restaurant ready to open next year, according to the local mayor.
Jean-Pierre Véran told the newspaper Nice-Matin: “He wants to create a well-designed restaurant, with a terrace and the option to reserve the dining room for private events when he hosts celebrities.”
He continued: “We discussed their restaurant, and I told them I wasn’t opposed to this project, which can benefit everyone.”
However, both the actor and his wife are likely to stay far away from the kitchen – after joking that they are not the world’s greatest cooks.
“I’ll tell you what,” Clooney said three years ago.
“My wife, who is a brilliant lawyer, she’s one of the advocates of the world.
“She takes on Isis.
“But I better be doing the cooking or we will all die.”