How Olivier Dassault's Puntacana Property Became the Crown Jewel of Corales

Nestled on the pristine eastern-most coastline of the Dominican Republic, sits the Puntacana Resort and Club. First established in 1969 as a single hotel, the resort now consists of over 15,000 acres and includes multiple hotels, an ecological reserve, nine restaurants, a marina, two golf courses, an international airport, and five residential communities. The most exclusive of these residential communities is Corales, which boasts residents which include Julio Iglesias, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and French politician—and noted Renaissance man—Olivier Dassault.

Corales is a private-membership community within the larger Puntacana Resort and Club. It is also home to the Tom-Fazio designed golf course, which hosts the only Caribbean stop of the PGA tour. The intimate community has only 126 homes, all of which are over an acre in size, complete with large gardens, a private beach, and other world-class amenities, making it one of the most private and secure communities in the Caribbean.

Olivier, who is currently a member of the French National Assembly, is also a prolific photographer, musician, and composer. He owns a home in Corales with his wife Natacha. “Olivier is very visual and intuitive, and Natacha is passionate, strong, and bold, a perfect blend that you see in every corner of the house,” says Luis Migoya, Real Estate Sales Director for Puntacana Resort and Spa. “If you really want to unwind and relax, just sitting in the central terrace with the lush gardening, the breeze, and the views of the birds in the lake, will take you to a different state of mind, and of course always accompanied by a great French wine...”

We spoke to Olivier to hear more about his Puntacana home and his artistic endeavors.

ABRAHAM MARTINEZ: Where is the best place to relax with a cup of tea in your Punta Cana house?

OLIVIER DASSAULT: It depends on the time of the day—and on the tea blend! In the morning, after breakfast I’d enjoy a green Russian Earl Grey tea, next to the swimming pool, staring at the view. For a 5 o’clock tea, instead of the traditional black blend, I’d have a white one, while contemplating art, books, pictures, and particularly the 19th-century Italian sculptures, in the library next to the pool table.

AM: Describe a typical day spent on your Punta Cana property.

OD: I always start the day with work, even before breakfast. Afterward, I practice my golf swing not far from the house, then I’m back to swim a little in the pool. I get some more work done, and I’m ready for lunch with friends near the swimming pool. We play backgammon along with a cup of coffee, and then get ready for a brief round of golf at the Corales course. And if the day’s been a bit too “sporty”, I’ll get a massage. I have dinner in the dining room upstairs, but if it’s too windy we might eat in the downstairs dining room instead. Finally, a game of chess is a great way to end the day here.

AM: How much time do you spend in this house each year?

OD: Not enough! For the moment it’s barely three weeks, but I intend to spend more time there.

AM: Stephane Olivier designed the interior and furniture at your property. What was it like working with him?

OD: The two of us picked a selection of my photography together so that he’d organize the furnishing and decoration around it. Then I didn’t interfere in the process. I believe Stephane was inspired by my work as I love what he did with the place, in close collaboration with my wife Natacha: she’s got a very strong artistic sensibility and taste, also put brilliantly to use in her art gallery, where the sales benefits go to the Pompidou Foundation. 

AM: Can you talk about the styles and concepts behind your Punta Cana house?

OD: The style is what we call "organic chic,” and is dedicated to nature. We’ve added furniture from the 18th century and mixed it with contemporary art. If I may say: it is simply gorgeous.

AM: If you were to invite people over to your Punta Cana property for the evening, what would you plan to do?

OD: I’d plan a warm dinner party with fish dishes and Dominican recipes. I’d have a local orchestra playing fantastic music like bachata or merengue under beautiful atmospheric lighting for the occasion.

AM: Can you describe a few of your artworks that you decided to feature?

OD: That’s a tricky question… It’s never easy to explain one’s artwork. Here are two pieces I can briefly describe. There’s the one called “Best regards”, a play on words and images with a painted eye I discovered in Tel Aviv. I created the image with superimpositions, as a symbol of the singular, unique look, or representation of the world we all have without acknowledging it. The "cactus" is another piece I created with superimpositions in one single shot over a wall, feeling like the plant was mummified in an ancient cave, needing nothing but the earth to tell us how immortal yet vulnerable our world is.

AM: What do you love most about pursuing your creative interests amidst your busy lifestyle? 

OD: Photography is a very important part of my life, maybe more important than my other activities. I chose it or it chose me. It fulfills me in ways I cannot find elsewhere. It is about evolving on another path, focusing yet being aloof at the same time. All my attention, all my being is absorbed in the process of creating photographs with light. I recently admired the glass creations of French artist Maurice Marinot, and he used to say that he thought in glass. I humbly believe I think in light.