Cap d’Antibes is a world apart, where the art of discretion reigns. Behind dense hedges and shaded paths lie historic villas, suspended between sky and sea. Once retreats for artists, writers, and anonymous billionaires, these hidden gems quietly shape the landscape. This journey invites you to discover a secret heritage, marked by timeless and understated luxury.
The Imprint of Grand Eras
Since the late 19th century, Cap d’Antibes has attracted the European elite in search of gentle winters, seclusion, and Mediterranean light. Soon, the first villas began to emerge, designed by renowned architects often inspired by styles from afar. Neoclassicism, Orientalism, Art Deco, and the modernism of the 1930s all left their mark. Yet one principle remains unchanged: harmony with the landscape. No ostentatious facades here, villas blend into their surroundings, hidden behind lush greenery, low walls, and ornate gates, as if they were part of nature itself.
A Way of Life Between Nature and Imagination
What fascinates most about Cap d’Antibes isn’t just the architecture, it’s the atmosphere. Every walk becomes a sensory treasure hunt. Pines release their scent, the sea glimmers between hedges, and silence is broken only by the song of cicadas. This is a place that speaks as much to the eyes as to the imagination. The villas, hidden or half-revealed, take on the role of silent characters. They whisper stories of celebration, creation, and beauty.
Villa Eilenroc: A Neoclassical Palace
Tucked away at the western tip of the Cap, Villa Eilenroc is perhaps the most iconic of them all. Built in 1867 by a wealthy Dutchman, its name is an anagram of Cornélie, his wife’s first name. Inspired by Italian Palladian villas, it features perfect symmetry, elegant colonnades, and dazzling white marble. Legend has it that many artists sought refuge here, drawn in by the extraordinary light that bathes the facade at sunset. It was donated to the city of Antibes with the condition of creating the “Beaumont Foundation” to preserve and share this exceptional heritage. Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can explore the villa’s first floor and stroll through its magnificent park. Rose gardens, olive groves, pine woods, everything here invites you to breathe in the Mediterranean.
Villa Aujourd’hui: Art Deco Boldness by the Sea
More discreet, yet equally striking, Villa Aujourd’hui is a late Art Deco masterpiece completed in 1938. All smooth curves and white volumes, it seems to float between sky and sea. Its interiors, designed by modernist artists, once hosted unforgettable parties. The villa was a vibrant hub for artistic and intellectual gatherings, frequented by the international elite for decades. Its name, almost philosophical, reflects a certain approach to life, an embrace of the present moment, elevated by elegance.
Villa Les Chênes Verts: A Literary Haven
Less known to the general public, Villa Les Chênes Verts deserves attention. Designed in Louis XIV style, it features a grand staircase, a greenhouse, a riding arena, and a nearly 6,700 m² park. It hosted author Jules Verne on several occasions, fascinated by the sea and the stars visible from its terrace. Later, other writers are said to have found inspiration here, enveloped by the silence of the pines and the quiet lapping of the waves. This more rustic villa embodies a refined Provençal charm, sky-blue shutters, light-colored walls, tiles weathered by time. It captures that effortless elegance only genuine places can offer.
Cap d’Antibes never unveils itself all at once. It’s a place to be discovered step by step, between light and shadow, between what’s seen and what’s hidden. The villas that dot the landscape are far more than buildings, they are fragments of history, inhabited works of art, whispered confidences for those who take the time to listen. While staying at Villa Miraé, nestled just steps from these iconic residences, the curious traveler may feel that rare vibration, the one found in places that cultivate beauty without ever needing to claim it.