Villa Rothschild
Perched on a hill on Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera, the Villa Rothschild is one of the prettiest villas one can imagine. From every window there are spectacular views of the sparkling Mediterranean – east toward Monaco and west across the bay at Villefranche-sur-mer. This is, simply put, a gem!
We arrived there in June around 5 p.m. after the crowds had left. We were told by one person on his way out that the 1 1/2 hours we had left before closing would not be enough time for us to see it properly – he might have been right – but we ignored him, bought our tickets and stepped into this lovely mansion and its even more impressive garden. Our experience was fabulous!
Room in Villa Rothschild
The Villa Ephrussi di Rothschild was built between 1905 and 1912 by Baroness Beatrice de Rothschild. A member of the prominent Rothschild banking family and wife of the wealthy Russian-Jewish banker Baron de Ephrussi, the Baroness built her rose-coloured villa on a promontory on the isthmus of Cap Ferrat overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. She filled the mansion with antique furniture, Old Master paintings, sculptures, objets d’art, and an extensive collection of rare porcelain. The villa’s gardens are classified by the French Ministry of Culture as one of “The Notable Gardens of France”. On her death in 1934, the Baroness charitably gifted the villa and its collections to the Academie des Beaux Arts division of the Institut de France. The villa is now open for public visitation.
Gardens at the Villa Rothschild
From the second floor of the villa, a balcony provides a lovely view of the extensive gardens. When we went down and entered the gardens, all the fountains were “dancing”, the water programmed to synchronize with the classical music being played. The rose garden is not to be missed – many of the roses are named for famous people, including a pink one for the Baroness herself, her favourite colour. The entire property is absolutely beautiful. I remarked to my friends, “I could live here!!!”