The Kerylos villa.

• The first guide to the Villa Kérylos.
• One of the most exceptional sites on the Riviera.
• Written by a specialist in 1900 architecture.

Admirably situated on the Mediterranean coast at Beaulieu-sur-Mer (Alpes Maritimes), the Villa Kérylos has been the property of the Institut de France since 1928. It was built at the very beginning of the ^20th century by the architect Emmanuel Pontremoli for Théodore Reinach on the model of an ancient Greek villa. The son of a family of bankers, a Hellenist and an outstanding scholar, Théodore Reinach spent around 9 million francs (thanks in part to the fortune of his wife, née Ephrussi) on the construction of this residence, which was completed in 1908. Pontremoli designed every detail, right down to the silverware, making the house a total work of art. Each object is part of an overall harmony that evokes the atmosphere of an ancient Greek villa.

In fact, this is not a rigorous reconstruction of a Delian villa, but a home discreetly equipped with all the modern comforts of eclectic antique inspiration. A graduate of the École des Beaux-arts and winner of the Grand Prix de Rome in 1890, the architect himself took part in archaeological excavations and the restoration of ancient Greek sites.

History

The genesis of a unique project

Building the villa

Interior treasures

What style does the Villa Kérylos belong to?

Since 1908

Visit

The arrival

Thyrôrelon (entrance hall)

Balaneion or Naiades (thermal baths)

Proaulelon (forecourt)

Peristyle

Library

Amphityros (vestibule)

Triklinos (dining room)

Andron (large lounge)

Oïkos (small sitting room)

Vestibule of Hermes

Ornithès (Madame's bedroom)

Douche et Ampelos (Madame's bathroom)

Triptolème (rest room)

Niké (Mister's bathroom)

Erotès (master bedroom)

Children's bedroom

Terrace

Garden

Gallery of antiques

Annexes

Map

Bibliographic orientation

Chronology

Georges Vigne is a senior heritage curator who has divided his career between work on Art Nouveau architecture in Paris - in particular while working at the Musée d'Orsay - and on the work of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. He was director of the Musée Ingres (Montauban) from 1988 to 2003. He has published several works on Art Nouveau, including the "Carnet d'architectes" Hector Guimard, published in spring 2016 by Éditions du patrimoine.