Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild – the jewel of Cap Ferrat

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild – the jewel of Cap Ferrat

The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, also known as Villa Île-de-France, is one of the most beautiful Renaissance palaces on the French Riviera and the emblem of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Built on a hilltop on the peninsula, it is visible from both sides of the cape.

History of the Palace
Béatrice de Rothschild, daughter of Baron Alphonse de Rothschild, Governor of the Bank of France, inherited her father’s immense fortune at the age of 41. During her visit to Beaulieu that same year, she discovered the magnificent landscape of Saint-Jean and purchased seven hectares of rocky land that the Belgian king Leopold II had not yet reclaimed.

Work began immediately with the dynamiting of the ground and the reshaping of the surface with hundreds of cartloads of earth. The Baroness aspired only to perfection, consulting a dozen architects and finally entrusting Jacques-Marcel Auburtin with the design of the villa and Aaron Messiah with its construction. Beatrice commissioned one of the most famous landscape designers of his time for the plants: Harold Peto, an architect who designed not only houses but also gardens. The construction of the palace took five years, and in 1912 the Baroness moved into the villa for a period of ten years, making it her winter residence.

Suffering from tuberculosis, she died in 1934. Upon her death, the French Institute’s Academy of Fine Arts inherited the villa, 7 hectares of land and some 5,000 works of art through her will. Unfortunately, the palace was completely abandoned by Béatrice during the last 10 years of her life and required complete renovation. After the Second World War, the once yellow façade was painted in reddish-pink tones and the villa and its gardens were restored to their former glory.

The villa today
Today, the villa is open to the public, allowing visitors to admire the sumptuous residence of a great art lover of the Belle Epoque with its rare collection of porcelain, antique furniture, paintings and sculptures. The villa is surrounded by nine splendid gardens with different themes, which have been classified as Notable Gardens of France by the Ministry of Culture. The nine themes are: French, Spanish, Japanese, Florentine, Provençal, Exotic, Stone, Rose and Sèvres.

Events held on the premises
Every year, the villa serves as a venue for numerous festivals and events and is considered one of the most sought-after and romantic wedding destinations. We would be delighted to assist you in hiring the villa for a wide range of occasions. Contact our experienced agents for more information.

Source: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat by Pierre Dévoluy and Jean-Jaques Pangrazi; https://www.villa-ephrussi.com/