Circuit Belle Époque on the Côte d’Azur

Cannes in the Belle Époque conjures up the image of palace hotels! If you’ve never seen them, you’re sure to have heard their names, which all rhyme with luxury and the art of living: Hôtel Splendid, Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic or the Carlton. To admire their facades and their decorations, walk up the Croisette from the Vieux Port. Second stage in Cannes: the tour of the gardens of Villa Rothschild, a little paradise with an exceptional plant heritage. Download the Cannes Jardin application and discover it as it was in 1927! As to the villa, which was built in 1871, it now houses the Noailles media library, and the former reception rooms have become reading rooms. Built much later, in 1926, Villa Domergue, dreamed up by the painter Jean-Gabriel Domergue in Art Deco spirit, is in the posh quarter of La Californie. Its terraced gardens with pools and waterfalls are well worth a visit. (Open during temporary exhibitions)

– To get to the gardens of Villa Rothschild: Palmbus line 2 or Zou! bus 662
– To get to Villa Domergue : Palmbus line 9

Do you know the origin of the name of Villa Eilenroc, an architectural gem at the tip of Cap d’Antibes? Eilenroc is the anagram of Cornélie, the first name of the wife of Hugh-Hope Loudon, a rich Dutchman who had this sumptuous house built in 1867. In the 1920s, magnificent receptions were held here with distinguished guests arriving in luxurious cars. The tour of Villa Eilenroc (open on Saturday), which faces the sea, is an opportunity to wander along the coastal trail… And for a total immersion in the Antibes of the Belle Époque, its palace hotels, dance halls and exotic gardens, there’s nothing better than the guided tour proposed by the Tourist Office!

– To get to Villa Eilenroc : from Antibes station, Envibus line 2

The capital of the Côte d’Azur has no less than 600 Art Deco buildings! Just what you need for a long and beautiful architectural trip back in time. Some not-to-be-missed buildings: first of all, head for the Promenade des Anglais. As you walk along it, you’ll see the facade of Hôtel Negresco, Neo-Classical and Baroque-inspired. The imposing white silhouette of the Palais de la Méditerranée with its arcades, is now Hôtel Hyatt Regency. When it was inaugurated in 1929, it was considered to be the most luxurious casino in the world. Don’t miss Villa Masséna, a prestigious house which is now the Museum of Art and History. And of course the facades of the Gloria Mansions building (Rue de France, 1934) and the Rotonde (boulevard Gambetta, 1929). Now it’s time to move away from the seafront and head for Eglise Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc, between the quarters of Cimiez and Valrose. Nicknamed « the meringue », it stands out with its Art Deco and futurist style. In the quarter of Cimiez, you’ll love the former Hôtel Regina – which emerged in 1897, after only two years of work, to meet the requirements of Queen Victoria of England – and the Majestic. Last stage: the quarter of Les Baumettes and its « three follies »: Villa Kotschoubey (now Musée des Beaux-Arts), Villa la Tour and Château des Ollières.

– Getting around Nice: Lignes d’Azur bus network

Born in 1864, Béatrice de Rothschild was one of the greatest collectors of her time. In 1912, she had the Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa and gardens built in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, one of those places which seems to be straight out of a novel, and whose visit will mark you forever. Wander around the formal reception rooms, the apartments, the Italian-style patio and above all the nine gardens which recreate radically different and magical worlds. Not far from Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, another architectural gem of the Belle Époque: Villa Kérylos in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, which looks as if it is floating on the sea. It is a reinterpretation, on the yardstick of knowledge in the early 20th century, of an ancient Greek villa. Fascinating. A walk along the streets of Beaulieu-sur-Mer allows you to discover majestic facades, among them that of the former Hôtel Le Victoria (boulevard Morinori, 1893), the Bristol (rue Colonelli,1899), the Rotonde (Avenue des Héllènes, 1899) or the casino (Avenue Dunan, 1929). The tourist office also offer a guided tour: « Sur les pas de la Belle Époque ».

– To get to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: from Beaulieu-sur-Merstation, Lignes Azur bus line 15.
– To get to Villa Kérylos: 7 minutes on foot from Beaulieu-sur-Mer station

« Notre Dame du Cap fleuri », « Lumières » or « The Rock »… The Belle Époque villas in Cap d’Ail all have names that are the stuff of dreams. In the late 19th century, the town overhanging the sea just next to Monaco was to see dozens of majestic luxury buildings with lush, exotic gardens appear. For a trip back to the Belle Époque, the Tourist Office of Cap d’Ail offers three guided tours. The first, The History of Cap d’Ail through its gardens (3 hours), takes you off on a discovery of the coastal trail, the Château des Terrasses and the Parc Sacha Guitry – named after the famous director who wrote several plays in his villa « Les Funambules » – three hours of total immersion in an illustrious and romantic past. The second, Discover the Charm of the Belle Epoque in Cap d’Ail (3 hours), reveals the links between the Russian imperial family and the town and the Mala quarter, where many celebrities used to stay. Lastly, the guided tour of Le Château des Terrasses (1 hour) is devoted to the villa built around 1890 and its garden filled with Mediterranean and exotic scents.

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is a medieval village and a balcony over the Mediterranean and it was once a holiday destination adored by those spending the winter there. To relive this story, take the Le Corbusier coastal path around the cape. This excursion gives you a privileged view over the sea and a glimpse of the Grand Hôtel du Cap Martin, which was inaugurated in 1891. And also some remarkable villas: The Neo-classical La Vigie, built in 1902, was once Karl Lagerfeld’s holiday home. Or Villa Cypris (1904) and its colonnades, of Byzantine inspiration. Un detour to the heights of the town and the former Saint-Pancrace cemetery, offers a panoramic view of the sea and the old village. This is where Le Corbusier and many regular foreign holidaymakers of the Belle Époque were laid to rest.

– Getting around Roquebrune-Cap-Martin: Zestbus network

Ust next to Italy, Menton is a vivier of Belle Époque palace hotels, which bear witness to its rich history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The town organises guided tours of the gardens and exteriors of some of them, in particular L’Orangeraie and the Royal Westminster, which are still in activity near the Vieux Port. Not far from there, Les Halles de Menton market, decorated with multicoloured ceramics signed by Saïssi, a former renowned local factory. Next, head for Les Jardins Biovès, which was a place that the wintering people loved, and where Menton’s Fête du Citron is held every year. As you leave the coast to go inland, you’ll see the facade of the Riviera Palace (Avenue Riviera, 1897), which has been converted into apartments. Like the Winter Palace just next door (Avenue Riviera, 1901), which used to have 220 rooms and suites. Take to the heights of Menton, and head for the Monastère de l’Annonciade and its park: the panorama is sublime. Last stage of this Belle Époque circuit on the Côte d’Azur: the Garden of Le Val Rahmeh, a real exotic trip through exotic vegetation.

– Getting around: Zestbus network